For new citizen Jade Bekker – Wagga was a safe place she could call home.
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Four years later Ms Bekker, formerly from South Australia, is ready to start her life as an official citizen.
Ms Bekker said Australia differed to South Africa in terms of crime and she felt safer from the moment she touched down.
Plenty of family members were there to watch on as the citizens were handed their certificates by Wagga mayor Grey Conkey on Friday.
“It’s finally happened – I’m feeling very nervous but happy,” Ms Bekker said.
“It’s good to have a bit of support and I suppose that is the Aussie way.”
For Ms Bekker – who loves the Wagga community, the beauty of the country and the way everyone unites – her life has changed for the better.
“I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be a nurse in South Africa,” she said.
“I wouldn’t have been able to go to university either.”
It was also big day for new citizen Daniel Devadasan, who became a citizen along with his whole family.
Mr Devadasan, Jothi Gandham Balasamy, Marcus Daniel and Derrick Daniel said they were all excited for the future.
While Mr Devadasan’s family was originally from India, they spent several years in Ireland before finding their home in Wagga more than eight years ago.
“We love the weather, the people and the culture here,” he said.
“The people are so kind and if you work hard here you can always get what you want.
“There is so much transparency and everyone treats each other respectfully.”
Mr Devadasan said Wagga also had a great education system and there were wonderful opportunities for the whole family.
“In Wagga you wake up and you see different colours everywhere – the trees, the birds and even the people,” he said.
In working at the hospital as a nurse, Mr Devadasan said he enjoyed understanding people’s values.
“It’s a great place to get to know people and gives you an opportunity to get closer to them – you help a lot of suffering people,” he said.
The family joins the likes of Jay Patel, who was born in India and thinks Australia is the best country in the world.
“Wagga is very multicultural and I want to stay here for my whole life,” he said.
“Today is the best day – finally the dream has come true.
“I’m completely over the moon.”
