Zai Xing Lin moved to Northland because he thought New Zealand was a safe and beautiful place to live.
But his dream of a peaceful life in Whangarei was shattered in a terrifying few seconds when a masked man held a gun to his head and demanded money from a shop till.
The robber, brandishing a gun and wearing gloves and a white mask, burst into the Jack St Superette about 3.40pm on Saturday and thrust a bag at Zai Xing Lin and told him to fill it with money.
In a bold move, Zai Xing Lin pushed away the long barrel of the rifle. He then obeyed the robber's demands by handing over cash from the till.
"I was coming out to the front and he came in real fast. At first I felt scared because my girlfriend was here," Zai Xing Lin said. "The gun was pointed at me. I pushed it away. I looked at the gun and I looked again and I just gave the money.
"It was very quick. I was very scared."
The man then ran from the store, got into a dark vehicle waiting for him and sped away. He thought there could have been three other people in the vehicle.
Yesterday the 25-year-old was welcoming customers back through the grey folding doors. The fridges were stocked with milk and the trays filled with fresh bread. But he admitted he was watching the front door very closely and a little nervously.
"Most people are nice in Jack St. We know them."
He said armed robberies were not just isolated to Whangarei and he believed the police could catch the masked robber.
Zai Xing Lin moved to New Zealand five years ago and since arriving has had a tiki tour of the country while working and studying to be a chef. "I had searched the internet and New Zealand is one of the nicest places in the world. Here it is beautiful," he said.
During his first year in New Zealand he studied cooking at the Northland Polytech and then continued his studies in Auckland. He has worked in a noodle shop in New Plymouth and in Levin worked in a bakery.
During that time he has worked in three different dairies and while it may have been a terrifying experience it has not tarnished his view of Northland or New Zealand. "New Zealand is a cool place."
At the time the robber was wearing a blue sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head, and dark pants.
Detective Sergeant Dene Begbie said it was a concern when someone brandished a firearm at people trying to make a living. He said the robber was of slight build and could have been young.
Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Jack St area on Saturday or have any information regarding the vehicle seen leaving the scene. Call 09 430 4500, or 0800CRIMESTOPPERS anonymously.