Building success and community

Becky Chin has made the move to the Marlborough countryside from the bustling centre of Wellington, but this follows a much bigger move some years ago when she emigrated to New Zealand from Taiwan at age 13. Now co-running a business from this part of the world with partner Dr. Shilinka Smith, she talks to Adrienne Matthews about her journey to their new home in Marlborough.

I remember being dropped off at Nelson College for Girls boarding school, unable to speak a word of English. For the first time in my life, I thought I would starve to death because I couldn’t speak and understood nothing of what was going on around me. Fortunately, the kind head matron, with a lot of gesturing and pointing at my stomach, led me to the dining room and welcomed me into the evening routine. That was the first time I realised the profound impact of inclusion. The kindness and support of principal Alison McAlpine, who remains a mentor today, as well as the staff and my new friends, taught me the true power of lifting others up by including them. From that, I learned the real value of being part of something greater than myself.

The culture here is very different from Taiwan. People communicate differently. Since I didn’t speak English initially, I had to rely heavily on observing body language. I quickly realised that even seemingly universal gestures, like the thumbs-up, can have different meanings across cultures. However, I discovered that we all share common ground through our emotional responses and the ability to understand how others feel.

Many things surprised me. I discovered that things are not always what they seem. For example, green lollies are not apple flavoured; they are usually lime. Red jam may be raspberry, not strawberry. As a child, I also hadn’t appreciated the importance of feeling like you belong. Luckily, here in New Zealand, so many people went out of their way to help me, teach me, and make me feel like New Zealand was now home.

My subsequent career path has taken me many places. I majored in Hotel Management before using my communication and engagement skills to work at Parliament for a Minister and Prime Minister. Eventually my love for customer service and engagement drew me back to the hotel industry before moving into management for multinational corporation, Nespresso.

Marlborough called to us in 2023 with its vibrant community and beautiful surroundings. We were seeking a place where we could move our extended family together and spend more time with them, but we didn’t want to comprise on growing our business, Fusion ME Success, which is dedicated to using our business success to support diversity initiatives. Marlborough seemed like the perfect place to foster the kind of inclusive, innovative environment we believe in.

It also has all the practical things a family needs – a hospital, good infrastructure, and transport links. Its size is just right for easily making deeper connections, but city amenities are not that far away.

We appreciate the measured pace here that values relationships and also enjoys the natural surroundings. It’s a place where we can truly focus on what matters most – family and friends – while continuing to build a business that impacts the lives of others, as well as being part of a community that cares. It’s a perfect trifecta!

There are many opportunities. We’ve made some incredible connections with people who genuinely care about helping others make the most of Marlborough, both its obvious, and hidden gems, like Business Trust Marlborough, Rotary Blenheim South, the Marlborough Multiculture Centre, and Marlborough District Council. Marlborough has over 1,000 clubs you can join and many community events and local organisations. Taking part with others has made the experience of moving here all the richer. We don’t miss much from our previous city life.

Bigger cities have a lot more shopping choices and lots of ‘stuff,’ but if you’ve reached the point where you have stopped accumulating things and want experiences that transform you in other ways, then Marlborough has everything you need – including excellent internet to connect to anything else you might need digitally.

When coming to a new country or community, I have learnt there are many things you can do to make life easier for yourself. Getting involved in the community is a great place to start. Find a way to give back, whether through volunteering, joining local groups, or simply getting to know your neighbours. The more you engage, the more you’ll feel like you belong, and the more you’ll get out of your experience here.

Learning the local language(s) and culture helps you to connect with others and understand your new environment better. Building a support network helps make meaningful connections with Kiwis and other new Kiwis. Staying open-minded and flexible is key and leads to inclusion and resilience.

We have found our happy place here. There’s plenty of sunshine and it’s the perfect place to grow our social enterprise, MRISE.org, which bridges the gap between the idealised picture painted by glossy brochures and the reality of adapting to a new culture, as we have done. We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.