The Valderrama family, Mateo, 7, SIT graduate Sandra, Alan and Mia, 5, get ready for the Southland Institute of Technology graduation ceremony held at the Civic Theatre in Invercargill last Friday.
The mother of two had to first pass her English language exams before she was accepted into her chosen master of applied management course.
Sandra del Rosario Gutierrez Vilchez do Valderrama said she started to learn English online in Peru in 2020, but needed to pass the Pearson Test of English exam before being able to follow her dreams.
"Without that I couldn't do the masters, so at the beginning of July 2022, I studied English for three months.
"I took the test three times it was so difficult for me and I felt all the pressure," she said.
After escaping times of "violence and insecurity" in Lima, Peru, she arrived in New Zealand in 2022 with her husband Alan and children, Mateo and Mia.
She said life was a lot safer in Invercargill.
SIT graduates Jonnette Henwood and Nadine Young prepare to take the graduation stage. PHOTOS: NINA TAPU
"There was a lot of insecurity. You couldn't walk safely in the streets.
"It's not a safe place. It's a beautiful country, I love and miss it a lot, but we needed to think of our kids.
"So we decided to leave everything there and start from scratch here."
Now qualified with a master's degree in applied management, Mrs Valderrama was excited to be graduating and reflected on how her life had changed since her arrival in 2022.
The 40-year-old started her master's course last year studying fulltime, while supporting her family and working at Pak'nSave.
She was further "challenged" in her studies in having to submit a 20,000-word research thesis in English, but persevered and went on to find work as a tutor in schools with Colombian refugee children.
"It was a huge challenge, but it was really good to work with kids who were also immigrants like me.
"For them it was really good to see a familiar face in a place that was so different from where they came from.
That inspired her and she decided to do her research paper for the master's in that field.
"I chose the adaptation of primary school-aged migrant kids to their new home countries."
Since submitting her research and graduating, Mrs Valderrama has found fulltime employment as an export documentation co-ordinator for a major Southland company.
"I give thanks to God for everything.
"We are really grateful for this country and people here have been amazing," she said.
