Gioryanni's Story

Gioyanni is our new dispatch superstar! We are so happy to have another amazing addition to the team.

Hi everyone, my name is Gioryanni. I am from Florencia in Colombia. Florencia is beautiful because it has many rivers and parks. (However unlike in New Zealand there are dangerous animals, so it can be a bit risky to go camping).  The weather is very hot too - it’s a shock for me in New Zealand because it’s so cold at the moment, I can’t wait for summer to be back.

I left Colombia in 2017 when I was 20. I went to Ecuador for my safety, and I went alone - my family stayed in Colombia.  I was in Ecuador alone for 1 year and 6 months, and when my family joined me I was so very happy.  Ecuador isn’t an easy country to live in, so I was glad to have them by my side. 

I worked in a restaurant in Ecuador, and it was a hard job - working with sharp knives and peeling mountains of potatoes.  My hands had so many calluses and cuts at the end of the day.  I talked to the UNHCR, who gave me protected status, and they let me know that I might be able to resettle in another country.  UNHCR contacted me afterwards and said that New Zealand has a place for me (and then later they said my family could come too).

We googled New Zealand, as we’d never heard of it before! We found out that New Zealand was very beautiful, but a long way away from Colombia and also surrounded by so much ocean!  We were very emotional - in that moment I felt my life change.

I came to NZ with my mum, my dad, and my sister, but we were really missing my other two sisters and my aunty and cousins.  At first I had so many mixed emotions - I was happy, but at the same time as sad - for a while I couldn’t sleep or eat properly (the time difference didn’t help).

My family were placed in Wellington, and we love the city. Wellington is very different from Colombia - I could never go back.  It’s such a beautiful city, and the people are so friendly. It’s also very safe.  I felt comfortable here - it’s an amazing home.

After I’d been in Wellington 10 months, I received a call from the Red Cross, and they said that there was an opportunity for me at Nisa.  At first I didn’t feel confident with my English and felt a bit nervous, but then I decided to give it a try.  Now I’m so happy - my workmates are so friendly, and my boss is very kind.  When you start a new job and people are so friendly it’s definitely easier to feel confident.

I go language classes in the morning, and then after lunch I come to Nisa to dispatch new orders - I print out the courier labels and packing slips, pick out what has been ordered and wrap it up beautifully for customers to receive the next day.  I try to keep the stock arranged and folded nicely, and the shop looking pretty.  I’m talking with customers more and more, and soon I hope to get more confident with my English so I can help customers even more.

My dream is to become a dentist. I like this profession - all people need someone to look after their teeth.  My sister and aunt were dentists in Colombia, and they have inspired me.