Share ko lang po story ko...
Finally became an Australian Citizen last 14 July in an event at the Brisbane City Hall.
It was a beautiful event. quite surprised how packed it was.. heard there were around 500 new citizens who took the pledge. The new citizens were sitting side by side (i.e. no social distancing), but the event was ticketed and we were wearing face masks, so covid protocols were in place.
However, they did not give out the certificates one by one on stage, it was already handed-out during the registration.
I was a bit moved by the story one of the speakers told, about his father who was from Germany. In late 1940s, as a young man, paid GBP10 to travel and immigrate to Australia. Offered a job and became a labourer as soon as he arrived, and just started to make something out of his new life in Australia... Little did he know, that one of his descendants would one day become the Lord Mayor of Brisbane.
As a new migrant, for most of us, it probably took us a heck of a long while to find a job... and for sure paid more than 10 pounds to get to Australia 🙂
Overall, though it was different (with the masks and all), it was a great and probably an emotional event for some. Maybe, one of the descendants of those new citizens will one day become the Prime Minister of Australia 🙂