Appreciating New Zealand’s education system, landscapes and ice cream

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INDONESIAN and Vietnamese students, Alicia Gabriel Jauhari and Hannah Vu respectively, are the stars of a New Zealand government campaign showing a day in the life of students in New Zealand. Their videos are two of the five produced to show the diverse range of activities that make up a day in the life of a Kiwi student – from studying, hanging out with friends to working and keeping fit.

Both students won a competition run by Education New Zealand (ENZ) to find local stars for the videos, by submitting a video of the five favourite things about their life in New Zealand that they would like to share with family and friends back home.

Relishing New Zealand’s famous hokey pokey ice cream and beautiful landscapes as well as being surrounded by friendly people, are among some of the things that Alicia and Hannah love about studying and living in New Zealand.

“The weather in New Zealand is not too hot compared to ‘the forever-trapped-in-summer’ Jakarta. Even on sunny days, the weather is moderately cool, which is wonderful. Life in New Zealand is also more relaxed and laid-back, and the people here are also very friendly and helpful,” say Alicia, who is hoping to begin her Bachelor of Commerce in International Business and Accounting at the University of Auckland next year.

For Hannah, a Bachelor of Commerce student, the flexible and practical education system in New Zealand and the country’s environment are some of the reasons she enjoys being in New Zealand.

“The education system in New Zealand enables students to be more creative. There are so many options to choose from and we can also customise our own degrees with subjects that we like to do. Teachers and lecturers are also very friendly – I can always have a chat with them like a friend.

“I also love having an ice cream and walking along the beaches here on a hot summer day. The landscapes here are also so beautiful – they make me feel like I’m living in an oil painting. It gets better at night when I’m able to sometimes see the Milky Way while stargazing,” says Hannah.

On the videos, ENZ South and Southeast Asia regional director Ziena Jalil said: “New Zealand’s education institutions offer a world class experience in and outside of the classroom, but it’s one of our country’s best kept secrets that many people do not know.

“They’ve heard of ‘Lord of the Rings’, or seen pictures of our beautiful landscapes but our schools, universities and Kiwi life, generally is a mystery.

“Alicia and Hannah’s videos give a glimpse of their Kiwi life, answering some of the common questions we receive from students deciding where to study abroad: What will my life be like? Will I make friends? Can I study what I want to? And will this help me achieve my goals?

“So, who better to share the New Zealand study experience, than our current students showing what they’re enjoying most about their new home.”

New Zealand’s international education industry attracts more than 97,000 international students a year, generating $2.6 billion for the New Zealand economy and supporting 28,000 jobs.

To watch the videos, visit www.studyinnewzealand.com/day-in-the-life.