Citizenship: My Father's Way

My father , Ralph Couso, was a first generation American. His first language was Spanish, but he could switch effortlessly to English. I did not master his bilingual skills, but I learned from him that overcoming language barriers is key to understanding people's thinking. His example also led me to believe that most individuals who come to the United States really do embrace the “American Dream”—theywish to improve the economic standing of their families and to contribute to their new country's well being.