A DAY IN THE LIFE - Lydia Zhou

TO LYDIA Zhou, Warwick is a quiet place.

It's easy to understand why she thinks this when you discover she spent most of her life in Chengdu in China, a city of 14.43 million people.

Mrs Zhou, who owns Lydia Massage in Palmerin St, has been in Australia for seven years.

"I was born in Chengdu and went to school there," she said.

"I liked it very much.

"I finished high school in 1978 and went to university to study agriculture.

"I had never been on a farm and I'm still not a farmer, but I learnt how to help farmers."

Mrs Zhou said China was just starting to change at that time.

"Before that no one studied, there were no universities, there was no learning," she said.

"But the universities open up and China began to grow."

Mrs Zhou said after completing university in 1982 she started working for the Chinese Government.

"I was what they called a vegetable officer," she said.

"In Australia, everyone eats meat, but in China the main food is vegetables.

"I taught farmers what to grow and when and then how to market and sell their produce.

"Most went from earning 800 to 1000 Yuan to 20,000 Yuan, which was a lot more money.

"Most Chinese were very poor, but with education came prosperity."

China changed so quickly that even Mrs Zhou was shocked at the speed.

"I went back to Chengdu after only six months away and I barely recognised it," Mrs Zhou said.

"I got lost trying to find my old house."

Mrs Zhou said she was going back to China at the end of May.

"I am going for three months," she said.

"My parents are in their 90s and I want to help look after them.

"My mother is not so well."

Mrs Zhou said she wasn't sure what to do for a job when she came to Australia.

"I came here to get married in 2010," she said.

"But I spoke very little English and couldn't drive.

"So I studied massage and opened a shop here in 2015.

"I get to help so many wonderful people, some with problems they've had for years."

Mrs Zhou said she would study some more while back in China.

"I do acupressure massage and I think that is very effective, but I really want to learn acupuncture as well," she said.