Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Warm welcome for Sydney’s newest citizens
A diverse group of new Australians have been welcomed in a sun-drenched ceremony overlooking Sydney’s Opera House on Australia Day.
January 26, 2018
For a corporate high-flyer used to the fast lane in New York, Kevin Langdon says the relaxed pace of Sydney’s suburbs are a breath of fresh air and they’ve got him hooked.
The Nasdaq head of operations Asia says even though he’s been in the country five years he’s still excited to become an Australian citizen.
“We came from the north-east so it’s very fast pace environment,” Mr Langdon told AAP.
“Here we get an element of that but we also get suburbia, and it’s a very outdoorsy culture, so we feel like we got the best of both worlds, it’s just been beautiful”.
Mr Langdon and his family joined 24 others from 14 countries at the City of Sydney’s harbourside citizenship ceremony on Australia Day.
The New Jersey native also reckons the locals are a bit of okay, too.
“The people here have been so welcoming and engaging, you just don’t want to leave”.
Croatian foodies Ana and Thomas Vicario agree.
The couple also arrived in Australia five years ago and say they immediately fell in love with the culture, people and food, and knew they had to make it home.
“What’s not to love?” Ms Vicario said.
“As foodies you have this universal language of food and here people can be of any descent, colour or heritage, and food brings us all together and makes us happy.”
Around 250 family, friends and well wishers joined the new Australians at Circular Quay to watch Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore welcome Australia’s newest citizens to the country.