Gifting a nice bottle of wine was pretty standard this Christmas. But when the bottle comes as a thank-you from a former homestay student, who has continued their studies into winemaking, it makes it a little more special.
Nineteen-year-old Kevin Wang usually returns home to see his friends and family in Beijing, China during the New Zealand summer season. But due to COVID restrictions, this summer was the first time in nearly five years that he will not be returning home. Kevin, like other international students in studying in New Zealand, had a difficult decision to make at the end of his study semester in 2020. He chose to stay here until he can resume his studies later in 2021.
But Kevin says he is not alone. The friends and family he’s made in New Zealand make him feel welcome throughout his time here. Kevin is working over the holidays to keep himself busy and is determined to look on the bright side. “I can go surfing and swimming with my friends – it's been very good so far.”
At first, Kevin says he was nervous about moving to New Zealand to study. He spent a short time in Auckland before moving to Hawke’s Bay to continue his studies. “At first I was too shy to speak out, so I just hung out with other Chinese people,” he says.
When Kevin moved out to the regions, his confidence quickly grew.
“Coming to Hawke’s Bay, there are less Chinese people here, so I got the chance to really speak more English and make Kiwi friends.”
In the end, he was glad he made the move to the east coast, where he says you can “really experience the Kiwi life.”
Kevin first met his 'host mum' Jacky Braid when he moved in with her, back in 2016. She and her son Justin’s house quickly became Kevin’s home away from home during his secondary school years.
Jacky has worked as a teacher of English for Students of Other Languages (ESOL) previously and is familiar with international students. Hosting runs in her family too - her mother had also hosted students in the past. Jacky describes her mother as “a grandma to many Japanese students who came to study in the 90s”. Many of those students have stayed in touch to this day, letting her mother know about their own growing families.
Jacky feels the same way about her own international student. “It’s a lifelong friendship with Kevin. I can see it when I’m a little old lady, like my mum now.”
These days Kevin is studying a Bachelor of Wine Science and Viticulture at the Eastern Institute of Technology, living in the student village in Napier. He stays in touch with the Braids using social media, and even visits to hang out with Justin.
As 2020 drew to a close and the holiday season approached, Jacky invited Kevin out for lunch, knowing this year he would be away from his family in China. She was blown away to find Kevin had brought with him a very special gift and a token of their friendship - the first bottle of wine that he had produced as part of his studies.
Jacky says if Kevin’s first bottle of wine is anything to go by, he has a great career ahead of him.
“It was very, very good."
ENZ’s Summer in NZ campaign offers support to international students who are in New Zealand and provides them with trusted information. Visit our website to find out more.