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The natural and international environment provided me with the opportunity to develop myself

Yuan Xinqi, 5th year School of Fundamental Science and Engineering

At Rainbow Falls, a tourist attraction in Kerikeri, North Island

I studied abroad at the University of Auckland in New Zealand from February to November 2023. A short-term study abroad program in New Zealand when I was in high school made me want to become more familiar with English, so I went on a long-term study abroad program of about 10 months with the goal of improving my English skills.

The reasons I chose New Zealand as my study abroad destination included its good public safety, but the biggest reason was its abundance of nature. If you take a short bus ride away from the city center on the North Island, you can be comforted by cute sheep, and if you go to the South Island, you can spend a very relaxing time surrounded by even more magnificent nature.

Perhaps because of this environment, New Zealanders are very laid-back. They spend their days off relaxing on the beach, or even going outside barefoot without wearing shoes... I was surprised when I saw students walking barefoot in the library.

Left photo: Waiheke Island, about 40 minutes by ferry from Auckland city. Grape cultivation is thriving, taking advantage of the warm, low humidity climate, and there are many wineries on the island.
Photo on the right: Sheep on Urupukapuka Island in the North Island

A sign in the town of Paihia on the North Island. It reads "HAERE MAI," which means "welcome" in Maori, and "WELCOME" in English.

In New Zealand, the indigenous Maori culture is deeply rooted in various aspects of daily life. For example, you can see many Maori words in the city, such as "Kia Ora," which means "hello." Also, at the orientation of the University of Auckland, we were welcomed by a Maori folk dance. The haka that the New Zealand team performs before a rugby match is also one of the Maori folk dances.

During the first half of my study abroad, I learned how to give presentations and academic writing at the language school, and during the second half, I mainly studied statistics and information science at the University of Auckland. In class, I was often asked to participate in discussions with my classmates. At first, I felt frustrated because I couldn't express my opinions well, but by giving up on trying to speak perfectly and focusing on conveying and communicating with the other person, I was able to reduce my resistance to speaking English.

After class, I participated in student string orchestra practice and participated in international exchange club events with friends from various countries and regions. The University of Auckland is a very international university, with about 20% of the total student body being international students. Therefore, through these events, I was able to interact with students from different cultures and backgrounds, which was a very valuable experience for me in broadening my horizons.

In this way, I was able to enjoy the rich natural environment of New Zealand while learning a variety of things, and I feel that I was able to grow not only in my English skills but also as a person.

Left: With a friend who played violin with me in the student string orchestra (the author is on the right)
Photo on the right: A photo of me and my friends at a summer festival organized by the International Exchange Club, which promotes Japanese culture (the author is on the far left).

～What surprised me when I went to New Zealand～

We enjoyed fireworks and sparklers in a friend's garden.

Fireworks are relatively easy to get in Japan, but in New Zealand they can only be purchased on four designated days. They are normally prohibited by law from being sold, but to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, a British holiday on November 5th, they can be purchased by people aged 18 and over only for the four days from November 2nd to 5th. Nowadays, the significance of the holiday has faded, and it seems to be more often enjoyed as a kind of event with family and friends, and if you walk around residential areas in early November, you can hear the sound of fireworks going off all over the city.

This is New Zealand

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy located in Polynesia, Oceania, in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, headed by the British monarch, and consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and many smaller islands. The capital is Wellington on the North Island. The population is approximately 5.2 million (as of March 2023). The area is approximately 270,000 square kilometers. The official languages are English and Maori. The time difference is +3 hours from Japan. Dairy farming and livestock farming are thriving, and the number of livestock is said to be more than 10 times the population.