Philipp chose to study in New Zealand

Kia Ora!* I’m Philipp, 16 years old, born and raised in Vienna, Austria. Currently, I’m on my exchange year in Auckland, New Zealand.

My journey to New Zealand

The flight was exhausting, almost 2 days, flying to the other side of the world takes its time. It was great not being alone on the airplane though. I was with Sophie and Almut, two girls also going on exchange to New Zealand from Austria. We had the same trip in front of us, and it was good having people to talk to and share thoughts with.

Because of the 12-hour time difference between New Zealand and Austria, I had a pretty bad jet lag. So, if you go, be prepared to have a few difficult nights after your arrival! 😊

My host families

After the long flight, I got picked up by my first host family. I was there only for the first week because my real host family was on vacation in Thailand. Nate, my host brother in this first host family, is my age and we get along really well. He took me to meet some of his friends, which was very fortunate since I'm still in good contact with them.

Now, my double placement Taichi from Japan, and I live with our proper host family. Our host parents are very accepting and interested in us. They always listen to us, and help us out. We like to watch movies, cook, go on walks, and go to the shopping mall together. We also go to the marketplace on weekends and go to some events from time to time. We also have our own space and privacy, which is also important if you're far from home, to have “alone-time”.

The first week

The first week, I was outdoors a lot. January in New Zealand is summer, and the weather here is perfect. Still, it was not easy to get used to the 30°C… I spent the first week learning about my new surroundings, for example, the bus station, grocery shop, and the beach.

School

School is going really well at the moment. The International Department is very well organized, and it's really easy to connect with other people. There are many international students in my school, even one from my home city in Austria! The majority are Japanese students though, because New Zealand is the closest English-speaking country to Japan.

We have to wear a school uniform here, which is common in New Zealand. For me, it didn't take long to get used to that, as everybody wears the same. Plus you don't have to spend so much time in the morning getting ready and picking out the right outfit. For me, that's about 30 minutes of more sleep, haha.

In New Zealand you're usually able to choose your subjects, so I chose English, Biology, Outdoor Education, Business Studies, Hospitality, and Drama. There were over 40 options; it was hard to choose. 😊

In every subject there are assessments. For example, in Business Studies, we have to create a product, and then work together on surveys, promotions, and much more. In Hospitality, we cook most of the time, which is very nice, because we don't have warm meals at lunch in our school. Drama is mostly about acting, a good option to get out of my comfort zone. It's not easy to speak different lines and act different roles in another language in front of other same-aged students, but it really helps my pronunciation and also helps me get more confident. Outdoor Education, where you go on different trips throughout the year, is something I really recommend. A lot of international students choose this class. In a few weeks, my classmates and I are going on a 3-day canoe trip on the Whanganui River on the South Island.

First trip outside Auckland

Last weekend, my local Coordinator took me and Taichi to Hamilton (about 2 hours away from Auckland). It was our first time out of the big city. We really enjoyed the trip, because a lot of other STS students from Sweden, Finland, Spain, Italy, and Austria were also there. I also Sophie and Almut again! We went to Hamilton Gardens, which was beautiful!

Planned trips

Sophie and I booked the 15-day Kiwiana Tours, which is a trip through the South Island of New Zealand. There are a lot of activities you can choose to join, for example swimming with dolphins, or cruising on a river with a jet boat. You can also go skydiving or bungee jumping (if you are not scared).

Recommendations

If you're thinking about going to New Zealand for your high school exchange, do it! For me, it was the best decision. There are many countries to go to if you want to improve your English skills, but no country with so much culture and this stunning nature. For me, New Zealand will always have a special place in my heart.

*) “Kia Ora” means “Hello” in Māori. Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.

If you want to follow my journey, or have any questions about exchange in New Zealand, feel free to follow me on Instagram: 0185jp.mmw 🙂

Find out more

• Read more student stories from New Zealand
• Read more about a high school exchange in New Zealand
• See all our high school exchange destinations