Louisa went on exchange to New Zealand

Louisa from Austria was on exchange in New Zealand.

Hi! I’m Louisa from Austria. I spent a semester abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. This was the best thing I've done in my life so far. I was able to get to know new cultures, lifestyles, and languages, and I made countless new friends.

When I arrived in New Zealand

I still remember well when my adventure started on January 20th in wintry temperatures in Vienna-Schwechat. After a twenty-five-hour flight and two stopovers in Frankfurt and Singapore, I finally landed at the other end of the world, in the city of Auckland in New Zealand – 17,890 km away!

I arrived in summer because, in addition to the twelve-hour time difference, the seasons are also the opposite of Europe. I spent the first few days with STS in Auckland City, where we visited the Sky Tower and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. After the Welcome Days, everyone traveled on to their host families and I had to part with my last Austrian girlfriend.

My host families

During my stay, I lived with two host families. First, I was with a family that had moved to New Zealand from South Africa about a decade and a half ago and whose origins lie in India. My second host family consisted of my Italian host mother, my Māori host father, and their two young sons Giacomo and Nikau. During my time in New Zealand, I had three different host mates: Mika from Japan, Touch from Thailand, and Isabel from Norway.

My school

I attended Avondale College, one of the largest high schools in New Zealand with around 2,800 students and a very nice black and white school uniform. It offers a wide range of subjects and a large number of different sports teams, dance groups, choirs, and other activities. In addition to the "normal subjects", I also took subjects such as Dance, Health, and Outdoor Education. Outdoor Education is a special feature of New Zealand. It includes activities ranging from climbing to diving and is intended to prepare students for jobs in tourism. There were often festivals to get to know and celebrate different cultures and also various occasions such as the Talent Quest, where the students gathered during the lunch break.

Why New Zealand

An important reason why I chose New Zealand (Aotearoa) as my program country, is my interest in the unique Māori culture. The influence and significance that Māori culture has on the country can be seen in the national anthem and street signs written in English and Māori. But also in school, through the Māori honors at the assemblies, various "Māori" school subjects, and the school motto "Kohia ngā Taikākā". The "Haka", a traditional dance that is also performed at matches of the "All Blacks", the national rugby team, is known and loved worldwide.

Of course, I also had time to explore the beautiful flora and fauna of New Zealand on numerous hikes, trips, and beach visits. Another highlight was to visit the filming locations of the "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" trilogies.

Finally…

The friendliness of the “Kiwis” will certainly remain in my heart, but also my gained independence. I will never forget this time and already look forward to visiting again during the Christmas holidays. But for now, I'm enjoying my family in Austria and... brown bread!

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