Quan Zhou

Arriving in Christchurch at age 14 to study at Lincoln High School, Quan swapped the crowded streets of southern China for a more rural spot on the outskirts of Christchurch city.

Supported by friendly and helpful teachers, Quan overcame his initial culture shock and began to relish the New Zealand education system. He was much more suited to researching information for himself than the numerous practice questions and relentless exam preparation that is commonplace in China. Learning to think critically and have different perspectives and opinions was a key result of his New Zealand high school education and having a more flexible study/life balance was another advantage to choosing Christchurch.

After finishing school, it was a smooth transition to tertiary study at nearby Lincoln University. The application process was easy and Quan received his placement offer soon after his NCEA results were released. Now in the second year of his Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Quan explains that studying at Lincoln University gives him a lot of professional knowledge and practical experience. He is confident it will lead to a wide range of career options too. “I think there are many job opportunities for me at the moment. I could work on farms or for a research centre as well.”

Quan enjoys hanging out with friends and watching movies in his spare time as well as exploring the many beautiful sites in and around Christchurch like the Port Hills or New Brighton beach. He says that the special multicultural aspects of Christchurch and architectural styles of the central city are unique features he loves. Quan has also been making the most of Christchurch’s added bonus - the easy reach of the rest of Aotearoa and travelling around the country working part-time during his holidays.