From big-city China to quiet life in the Bay

LOCATION: Tingting Zhang measures grapevine leaf surface in EIT's wine laboratory. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Tingting Zhang came to New Zealand from China to study at the Eastern Institute of Technology, where she works as a research technician for the viticulture and wine centre.

From Hubei province, Tingting gained a business degree in Nanjing and then worked in Beijing for three years.

She travelled around New Zealand because she wanted to have a look at the country.

"I came to Hawke's Bay and really liked this region. I looked for a study major and I thought wine science would be interesting and very different from what I had previously done."

Tingting enrolled for EIT's two-year Diploma in Wine Science in 2010.

Lacking a science background and struggling with spoken and written English, she initially found it hard going.

She said it helped that the study centred on practical learning in the vineyard, laboratory and winery.

"I'd never heard all the wine and viticulture terms before, even in Chinese. It was quite interesting."

For her first five months she was in homestay accommodation but because she prefers to cook for herself, she decided she wanted to live more independently.

Her Chinese boyfriend, Shawn Liu, also recently also graduated from EIT, in his case with a Diploma in Design Technology.

Shawn is now employed by an architectural design company in Ahuriri.

After completing her diploma, Tingting moved to Marlborough for four months to work as a vintage cellarhand at Delegat's Oyster Bay winery.

She was then offered the full-time research position at EIT.

"I feel I was quite lucky. I'm lucky to be back in Hawke's Bay. I like the weather here, and lucky to have an interesting job. Having worked in a big city in China, I enjoy the quiet this region offers."