Cambodian Khunly Hak was a chemistry teacher back home and the only thing stopping her from teaching in Northland is a lack of English.
But she isn't sitting on her laurels.
The 44-year-old mother of three is determined to return to the profession she loves and has enrolled to study the universal language at English Language Partners in Whangārei.
She first came Whangārei on her second visit to New Zealand in 2016 and stayed with a Cambodian friend for two weeks. Hak returned to Cambodia but came back to Whangārei and married a local Thai.
She also enrolled her son at Whangārei Boys High School and started work at a Cambodian bakery.