EVANS, Ga. () – Millions across America are celebrating independence but one local woman is celebrating her first 4th of July as an American citizen.

Stefanie Ray, originally from Germany, has been living in the United States with a green card for the past eight years and has now obtained her dual citizenship.

“It means a lot to me being with my friends and my family because it’s still to me the land of opportunities,” said Ray.

Ray’s long-time neighbor, Teresa Lee, was thrilled to hear the news about Ray’s dual citizenship and knew she had to throw a party.

“I was thrilled to do it; I wanted to surprise her because she became a citizen the right way. This is her first Fourth of July as an American citizen, and I wanted it to be a special occasion for her,” Lee shared.

Ray tells me her two daughters are also dual citizens in Germany and the U.S. and says she felt like she wanted to be fully a part of her community.

“Being a resident and now an American means a great deal to me. I love living here, and I cherish the life I’ve built for myself and my family. We found the perfect place to settle, and I’m truly thankful for that,” Ray expressed.

She says she loves all of the 4th of July traditions but especially how proud everyone is to celebrate their country.

 “I love how extra we are here, as Germans can be sometimes a little bit too uptight, we don’t do that here. I love the red, white and blue, I love the gathering, hanging out at the pool, hanging out with the neighbors, the hotdogs, the fireworks, all that. Maybe I’ve always been a little too extra to be 100% German, maybe I had to be half and half,” Ray said.

Lee says, “We love it, everyone have a happy 4th of July.”  

Ray says she is looking forward to celebrating many more Independence Days with her friends and family.