TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 98-year-old woman was among those sworn in as new U.S. citizens at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Tampa Field Office on Thursday.

Aida De Las Mercedes Sanchez Rodriguez was born in Havana, Cuba, and applied for naturalization five years after residing in the U.S.

“I’ve always been really proud of her, she’s a retired pediatrician, medical doctor and she has been an inspiration for all of us,” Sanchez Rodriguez’s Nephew Jose Lorenzo said.

Sanchez Rodriguez took the citizenship exam in English, despite Spanish being her primary language.

“For my age, I could have taken the exam in Spanish, but I gave myself the challenge of doing it in English,” she said.

Sanchez Rodriguez also said she studied for the exam by watching YouTube videos on her television.

“Nothing falls from the sky, everyone has to make the effort to be able to achieve what they want. You have to have the will. A lot of willpower to achieve,” she said.

She also wants to encourage those who are interested in applying for citizenship to work hard and follow their dream.

“I want the whole world to do the same thing I did. To try to do it, have the will to do it. If someone does it faster, it’s because they learn faster. But you can always learn — always,” she said.

For more information regarding the U.S. Nationalization process and eligibility, check out the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website.