American Peter Kreider was candid about his reasons for wanting to move to Australia.
"I wanted to see the world, but I didn't have any money so accepting a job in Australian checked both those boxes for me and I didn't ever go back," he said.
"The most memorable trip - buying a van kind of off-the-cuff in Adelaide with my girlfriend Mel and driving across the Nullarbor and arriving in the south-west corner of WA and through Perth was incredible.
American Peter Kreider was candid about his reasons for wanting to move to Australia.
"I wanted to see the world, but I didn't have any money so accepting a job in Australian checked both those boxes for me and I didn't ever go back," he said.
"The most memorable trip - buying a van kind of off-the-cuff in Adelaide with my girlfriend Mel and driving across the Nullarbor and arriving in the south-west corner of WA and through Perth was incredible.
"I moved to Australia because I had no money and I wanted to travel and I could do both here and fell in love in more ways than one and never went home."
Peter was one of 16 people from 10 countries who became an Australian citizen in Canberra on Australia Day at the National Citizenship and Flag Raising Ceremony.
Like the other new Australians story, Peter's story was broadcast to the audience at Rond Terrace as they accepted their certificate of citizenship from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
After the formalities were over, Peter, 36, celebrated with family and friends including girlfriend Mel Snape.
"I'm honestly kind of glad that this stuff's over. I feel like I've been an Australian since I got permanent residency a couple of years ago. So it just feels like that last check box and so I'm across the line," he said.
"I feel like being a citizen means that America and Australia are both home, so I think it's just an expansion of where home is."
Peter is a chemical engineer who works for the ACT Government, working in biodiversity data and conservation.
And when he's not working, he likes to have a coffee at Hide and Seek in Lyneham, play on a frisbee team and go to BlocHaus Boldering in Fyshwick "probably once a week".
