When I decided to come to improve my English and further complement my studies in the management field. I never expected to receive a warm welcome from Kiwi.

Without any knowledge of English, I came to Aotearoa in 2016; from that time, I have worked in different places, from the hospitality industry to the retail industry. However, in 2017, I found a job at Aotea Gifts, and practically everything changed. I did not find a job in a company; I found a family where I felt they cared about me, providing new uniforms, celebrating our birthdays, supporting our welfare through swimming lessons, Christmas dinner, free flu vaccine every year, and in our workplace, monthly games and rewards.

The atmosphere is different in Aotea Gifts than in other places I have worked. Each team member helps and tries to support the shop and the company as much as possible. For most of us, English is our second language. However, we teach the new staff and learn English from the old staff. Even the owners correct our English and try to find an easy way to communicate with us. At our store, we enjoy talking with customers and sharing our stories around New Zealand with them, and they also want to share their experiences with us.

Aotea Gifts is a company where you can grow your experience in the retail sector. I started as a Sales Assistant and am now a Store Manager. My co-workers have also obtained promotions in online, operations, and accounting. You can easily talk with the owners or the fashion designer, they know our names and try to look after us, recognise our efforts and celebrate our success. 

I feel free to work here and talk with my boss about my job duties, how to improve my sales skills and even my personal life. Aotea Gifts has marked my life, and I want to thank you.