DULCE Martinez Hernandez did not expect to find love or a new home when she arrived to study in Australia more than five years ago.
But she has found both, and was among 200 people lsat week to take part in an Australian Citizenship Day ceremony at Rockdale alongside her partner Tomas Pataj.
Ms Martinez Hernandez said that Australia was the perfect middle ground for the pair, with Dulce coming from Mexico and Tomas from Czechoslovakia.
"We are from two different places but Australia is our neutral ground," she said.
"Australia is perfect for us."
The pair met as room-mates living in Sydney but quickly fell in love and now live together in Rockdale.
While she misses family, she said she was happily settled in Sydney.
"This is home for us now," she said.
More than 1000 people from 80 countries took part in special citizenship ceremonies across the state on September 17 as part of Australian Citizenship Day.
They join more than 4.5 million people who have opted for Australian citizenship since 1949.
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