"I didn't understand some things and I had some trouble with my insurance policy. I went to the Citizens Advice Bureau and they looked after me very well and solved my problem," she said.
"I really appreciated the people who helped me for their advice and encouragement and I wanted to give something in return."
She applied to become a volunteer at the bureau and had to go through an interview process before being selected to join the team.
She underwent 10 sessions in a training programme and shadowed other volunteers before being rostered on for shifts in the office.
The training included customer service, cultural awareness, listening skills and counselling techniques.
The 40 volunteers are expected to be available for a minimum of one half-day every fortnight. Ms Kitai volunteers when she can fit it around her full-time job as a customer service representative at the Department of Conservation Visitors Centre in Queenstown.
She enjoys the work, most of the time.
"Sometimes it can be manic. I have had more than 20 people in one morning. It can be constantly answering the phones and talking to people it can be quite a challenge," she said.
Another challenge was keeping up to date with the ever-changing law and Government policies in New Zealand. There were always two volunteers in the office at any one time, and the bureau had good resources for finding information.
The best part of the job was the camaraderie between the volunteers, and meeting lots of different people.
"Some volunteers are retired people, some are other immigrants. It's a different mix to my colleagues in Doc so it's good to meet different people," she said.
She thought she was good at the job because she was an immigrant to Queenstown and could help people with immigration questions - a common topic for people seeking advice.
"I come from a different country, I can understand their feelings. I know the immigration policy and can help them," she said. Tenancy and employment were two other big issues for people.
Ms Kitai encouraged others to volunteer for the bureau but said they had to have essential skills.
"You definitely have to be a people person, like talking to people, be open minded and friendly and want to help others," she said.
