\n
NEW <\/p>\n
BERLIN <\/p>\n
\u2014 <\/p>\n
With <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
official <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizenship <\/p>\n
testing <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
ceremony <\/p>\n
behind <\/p>\n
her, <\/p>\n
New <\/p>\n
Berlin <\/p>\n
Cultural <\/p>\n
Center <\/p>\n
Director, <\/p>\n
Dance <\/p>\n
Teacher, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
Classical <\/p>\n
Ballerina <\/p>\n
Andreia <\/p>\n
Keller <\/p>\n
announced <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
American <\/p>\n
citizenship <\/p>\n
with <\/p>\n
pride <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
love <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
America. <\/p>\n
\n
On <\/p>\n
March <\/p>\n
18, <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
Broome <\/p>\n
County, <\/p>\n
Keller <\/p>\n
accepted <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
Naturalized <\/p>\n
Citizenship <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
United <\/p>\n
States <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
America <\/p>\n
amongst <\/p>\n
25 <\/p>\n
additional <\/p>\n
inductees, <\/p>\n
from <\/p>\n
21 <\/p>\n
different <\/p>\n
countries. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cMy <\/p>\n
decision <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
pursue <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizenship <\/p>\n
after <\/p>\n
living <\/p>\n
here <\/p>\n
28 <\/p>\n
years <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
final <\/p>\n
natural <\/p>\n
step <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
me <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
fully <\/p>\n
integrate <\/p>\n
into <\/p>\n
this <\/p>\n
society,\u201d <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
Keller. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy <\/p>\n
commitment <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
this <\/p>\n
nation <\/p>\n
is <\/p>\n
based <\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
values <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
respect, <\/p>\n
compassion <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
rule <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
law.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n
She <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
has <\/p>\n
faith <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
this <\/p>\n
country <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
swore <\/p>\n
loyalty <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
uphold <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
ideas <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizen. <\/p>\n
\n
Keller <\/p>\n
applied <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
April <\/p>\n
2025 <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
began <\/p>\n
studying <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
civics <\/p>\n
test <\/p>\n
non-stop, <\/p>\n
learning <\/p>\n
about <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
Constitution, <\/p>\n
American <\/p>\n
rights, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
freedom. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cI <\/p>\n
studied <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
lot <\/p>\n
because <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
love <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
learn, <\/p>\n
because <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
wanted <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
know <\/p>\n
what <\/p>\n
America <\/p>\n
is <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
I\u2019m <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
little <\/p>\n
bit <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
nerd,\u201d <\/p>\n
Keller <\/p>\n
said. <\/p>\n
Story Continues Below Adverts<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
With <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
ability <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
speak <\/p>\n
five <\/p>\n
languages, <\/p>\n
memorization <\/p>\n
skills <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
intelligence, <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
proved <\/p>\n
herself <\/p>\n
by <\/p>\n
acing <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
interview <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
tests. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cNot <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
brag, <\/p>\n
but <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
did <\/p>\n
really <\/p>\n
well <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
interview, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
everyone <\/p>\n
at <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
immigration <\/p>\n
office <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
absolutely <\/p>\n
kind,\u201d <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
said. <\/p>\n
\n
The <\/p>\n
interview <\/p>\n
process <\/p>\n
included <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
civics <\/p>\n
test, <\/p>\n
writing <\/p>\n
test, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
some <\/p>\n
interestingly <\/p>\n
awkward <\/p>\n
questions <\/p>\n
such <\/p>\n
as; <\/p>\n
if <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
had <\/p>\n
ever <\/p>\n
been <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
terrorist <\/p>\n
group, <\/p>\n
learned <\/p>\n
how <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
make <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
bomb, <\/p>\n
worked <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
prison, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
more. <\/p>\n
\n
At <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
end <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
interview, <\/p>\n
Keller <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
they <\/p>\n
asked <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
two <\/p>\n
most <\/p>\n
important <\/p>\n
questions <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
all, <\/p>\n
\u201cWhy <\/p>\n
did <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
move <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
USA\u201d <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
\u201cWhy <\/p>\n
does <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
want <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
become <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizen?\u201d <\/p>\n
\n
Keller <\/p>\n
noted <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
reason <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
moved <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
America <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
love <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
truly <\/p>\n
believes <\/p>\n
that <\/p>\n
all <\/p>\n
we <\/p>\n
need <\/p>\n
is <\/p>\n
love. <\/p>\n
\n
Her <\/p>\n
answer <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
quest <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizenship <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
right <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
freedom, <\/p>\n
freedom <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
speech, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
savor <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
ideal <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
beautiful <\/p>\n
America. <\/p>\n
\n
She <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
overall <\/p>\n
experience <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
positive <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
while <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
husband <\/p>\n
patiently <\/p>\n
waited <\/p>\n
outside <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
interview <\/p>\n
room, <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
shared <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
entire <\/p>\n
life <\/p>\n
story <\/p>\n
with <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
officer, <\/p>\n
telling <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
childhood <\/p>\n
story <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
art <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
dance <\/p>\n
career, <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
grandparents <\/p>\n
life, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
even <\/p>\n
baking <\/p>\n
bread <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
New <\/p>\n
Berlin. <\/p>\n
\n
After <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
interview <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
upon <\/p>\n
entering <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
room <\/p>\n
where <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
husband <\/p>\n
patiently <\/p>\n
waited, <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
said, <\/p>\n
\u201cI <\/p>\n
did <\/p>\n
it\u201d <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
everyone, <\/p>\n
even <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
guards <\/p>\n
applauded.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n
Keller <\/p>\n
looks <\/p>\n
forward <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
power <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
vote <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
help <\/p>\n
with <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
beautiful <\/p>\n
morals <\/p>\n
that <\/p>\n
were <\/p>\n
started <\/p>\n
by <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
immigrant <\/p>\n
grandparents. <\/p>\n
\n
She <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
has <\/p>\n
always <\/p>\n
been <\/p>\n
an <\/p>\n
immigrant, <\/p>\n
moving <\/p>\n
from <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
mother\u2019s <\/p>\n
house <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
grandparents, <\/p>\n
living <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
multiple <\/p>\n
countries <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
cities, <\/p>\n
learning <\/p>\n
all <\/p>\n
knew <\/p>\n
things <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
in <\/p>\n
different <\/p>\n
schools, <\/p>\n
so <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
has <\/p>\n
known <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
lifestyle <\/p>\n
very <\/p>\n
well. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cEven <\/p>\n
so, <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
very <\/p>\n
scared, <\/p>\n
even <\/p>\n
though <\/p>\n
we <\/p>\n
hadn\u2019t <\/p>\n
gone <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
Brazil <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
almost <\/p>\n
two <\/p>\n
years, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
still <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
green <\/p>\n
card <\/p>\n
holder <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
28 <\/p>\n
years, <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
still <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
Latina <\/p>\n
immigrant, <\/p>\n
legal, <\/p>\n
but <\/p>\n
not <\/p>\n
yet <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
citizen <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
that <\/p>\n
fear <\/p>\n
stays <\/p>\n
with <\/p>\n
you,\u201d <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
said. <\/p>\n
\n
Keller <\/p>\n
noted <\/p>\n
it <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
always <\/p>\n
so <\/p>\n
easy <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
travel <\/p>\n
back <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
forth <\/p>\n
from <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
United <\/p>\n
States <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
Brazil, <\/p>\n
until <\/p>\n
lately, <\/p>\n
when <\/p>\n
she <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
it <\/p>\n
has <\/p>\n
become <\/p>\n
more <\/p>\n
difficult <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
friends <\/p>\n
have <\/p>\n
yet <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
return <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
states <\/p>\n
from <\/p>\n
their <\/p>\n
visit. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cNow, <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
don\u2019t <\/p>\n
have <\/p>\n
contact <\/p>\n
with <\/p>\n
them <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
we <\/p>\n
have <\/p>\n
no <\/p>\n
idea <\/p>\n
where <\/p>\n
they <\/p>\n
are,\u201d <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
Keller. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt <\/p>\n
hit <\/p>\n
like <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
panic. <\/p>\n
We\u2019re <\/p>\n
all <\/p>\n
legal <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
this <\/p>\n
point, <\/p>\n
but <\/p>\n
I <\/p>\n
didn\u2019t <\/p>\n
know <\/p>\n
what <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
expect <\/p>\n
next.\u201d <\/p>\n
Story Continues Below Adverts<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\u201cI <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
very <\/p>\n
fearful,\u201d <\/p>\n
Keller <\/p>\n
added. <\/p>\n
\n
She <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
one <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
her <\/p>\n
greatest <\/p>\n
supporters <\/p>\n
was <\/p>\n
Father <\/p>\n
Steve <\/p>\n
from <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
New <\/p>\n
Berlin, <\/p>\n
Episcopal <\/p>\n
Church, <\/p>\n
offering <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
sense <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
peace <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
protection. <\/p>\n
\n
\u201cI <\/p>\n
will <\/p>\n
forever <\/p>\n
be <\/p>\n
grateful <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
that,\u201d <\/p>\n
said <\/p>\n
Keller. <\/p>\n
\n
According <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizenship <\/p>\n
site, <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
apply <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizenship, <\/p>\n
you <\/p>\n
must <\/p>\n
be <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
18 <\/p>\n
plus <\/p>\n
years <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
age, <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
lawful <\/p>\n
permanent <\/p>\n
resident <\/p>\n
for <\/p>\n
at <\/p>\n
least <\/p>\n
five <\/p>\n
years <\/p>\n
or <\/p>\n
three <\/p>\n
years <\/p>\n
if <\/p>\n
married <\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
citizen. <\/p>\n
The <\/p>\n
process <\/p>\n
includes <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
fee, <\/p>\n
interview, <\/p>\n
testing, <\/p>\n
and <\/p>\n
Oath <\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
Allegiance <\/p>\n
\n
For <\/p>\n
further <\/p>\n
information <\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
becoming <\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
U.S. <\/p>\n
Citizenship, <\/p>\n
visit <\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
website: <\/p>\n