I arrived here in February 1998 and it wasn't long before I felt that I was where I needed to be.

The Agency that brought me out here made promises about assisting me with becoming a resident if that was my wish - these promises proved to be hogwash.

So without their help, I attempted to get residency using the point scoring system and found that I had enough points and started collecting all the required documentation required. Having done that, they changed the rules and I no longer had enough points. Hmmm.

What this left me with was either finding a job where the company would sponsor me for residency or marrying somebody who was an Australian - two options that proved difficult.

A very dodgy incident occured in March of 2004 when there was a mix up with my visa and I was deemed to be an illegaql immigrant, though I had no knowledge of the visa problem and only found out when applying for a new one and they broke the news to me. I was told that I had to have a ticket to leave the country within a week and had to leave within two weeks. They told me that it was a formality and they'd sort it out quickly and I'd be allowed back within two weeks. So I packed a bag and left my appartment and my job was held open. The next thing I was told was that I was banned from returning to Australia for three years! But I appealed that and they finally (after 7.5 weeks) agreed that I hadn't done anything wrong and I was allowed back. Phew.

In early 2005, I heard about a small company looking for people with my skills and applied for the permanent job - all my other work had been contracts. I got the job and started in May of that year and got myself an immigration lawyer who did all the aperwork and submitted my application for residency that was supported by the company I was working for. Six months later, the residency was confirmed.

Prior to being a resident, I required a visa for each job I had and either the agency I worked through or the company I worked for, had to support the visa and I was tied to them for the length of that contract. Once I was a resident, there was no visa - I was a resident and didn't require the visa that tied me to anyone else - I was an individual in my own right and was entitled to do any job I liked.

Two years after becoming a resident, you are entitled to apply for citizenship - and I did that in January - the details are within my blog.

So I took the Citizenship Test and applied for citizenship there and then and I was approved. I was effectively a citizen from that point on.

On the 13th of March, I attended my citizenship ceremony at the Richmond Town Hall. The event started with some music from the Many Moons Choir and if you are planning an event and are looking for a choir, then here is one that you can cross off the list. We were welcomed to the country by Wurundjeri elder called Doreen Garvey. We were then welcomed by the mayor Judy Morton and another chap spoke too. It was all a bit weird and noisey. There was an echo in the room and all the noise from kids and people created a bit of noise that was distracting. The new citizens then made their pledges and went on to receive our certificates, a medallion, a gum leaf and a (toy) koala for some reason. We then sang the national anthem before joining the electoral register and having a cup of tea.

I was expecting the ceremony to have more meaning to me as I have wanted it for so long, but it really didn't have much of an effect - I think that I was moved when I was actually accepted having done the test back in February - this was just a formality. I have now updated my coat of arms from a British one to an Australian one, but don't tell anyone!