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JOHN PAUL COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI CORNER Hello! My name is Tomohiro Koseki and I am from Japan. I was a student at the Japanese Aviation Academy and I want to become an airline pilot in Japan. In 2006, I studied English at JPC for eight months. At that time I often looked up in the sky and thought ‘One day, I want to fly in this beautiful New Zealand sky.’ In 2008 I came back to NZ to study at an aviation school in Christchurch to get a pilot license. It is really hard to study aviation in a different language and a different environment but I hope that this experience will make me a better pilot in the future. When I feel like all gets t a bit too much and too hard for me in Christchurch, I come and visit my friends at JPC and my old homestay. That is a great way for me to relax from the stress of becoming a pilot. I am just so thankful that I have so many people who support me in my effort to fulfil my dream here in New Zealand and of course I thank my parents for giving me this wonderful opportunity.
Hi! My name is Katrin Bachman and I am an Exchange student from Switzerland. After having spent almost a year in New Zealand, I would like to tell you a little about my experience and what it is that makes it worth to go on an exchange. First of all, you get to meet so many new people and cultures. You get to know them and start giving up a lot of prejudice and ignorance. And with some people, you become really good friends after a while. It is very hard at the start when you don’t know anyone, to make new friends. Many people in New Zealand are very friendly and welcoming, but not overly interested in getting to know people deeply. As an exchange student, I also gained a second family. We became so close. It feels just like a family. The exchange year also changes a students’ view of life, the world and yourself. It doesn’t completely change your personality, but you will discover who you are, what you value, who you want to be. You grow up, you change, and you take a part of a new culture on board. you have to leap out of your comfort zone all the time, have courage and motivation to do all kinds of stuff that you normally wouldn’t do and it will surprise you so much, what good times can happen like this. New Zealand mentality woke up a side in me that could hardly come out before. I got more spontaneous, relaxed and open. What will happen when I get back? Will I be able to fit into that serious Swiss society? There are a lot of things you go through. In an exchange, there is bad times, when things aren’t going well and you just want to be home, in the world you know how to manage life. And there is the good times, which are strong enough, to make up for all the difficulties (which in the end make you stronger, when you have gone through it all). At the end of this experience, I must say, I have lost a lot of prejudice. I know that most of it is just wrong. Also I have become so grateful for what I have, thankful for life, and I have been building on my lifestyle, personality and self-confidence. I have become more independent. This exchange year has opened up my view of the world and widened my tolerance. I now have two homes, of which I will always miss one, since I can’t be in both places at the same time. My heart is half Kiwi, half Swiss. I love New Zealand, the scenery, the mentality, the mix of different nationalities and cultures. I can’t believe how some Kiwis don’t make the most of this! They often haven’t even been to the South Island! How can you be in this country and not do that??! The South Island is so gorgeous… Some Kiwis really urgently need this exchange student motivation! This year has given me so many things that I wouldn’t have learnt or done at home and the experience was definitely worth it!
Hello, my name is Kitty. I am a second year Dentistry student studying at the University of Otago. Before coming New Zealand, I was just an average Chinese student from Chengdu, Sichuan. I was studying at Chengdu Foreign Languages School for 4 years ago. When I was 14, my parents decided to send me abroad to study for better education and growing environment. A little peaceful town was chosen for me and that’s Rotorua. I graduated in 2005 after two years of amazing high school life in JPC. These two years was the funniest time in my life. Besides excellent academic education, we had heaps of social activities such as luge rides, horse riding, BBQ etc. All of the memories make my high school life unforgettable. I made a lot of friends with the local students here as well. They helped me to improve my English really quick, helped me to know the cultures here, and also to make this foreign place no longer foreign to me. It is also in John Paul College where I met my best friend for all my life. All the staff working in International Department took great care of me, especially Ms Wang. They helped me out from the problems with my home stay, my study, and also my teenager emotional problems. During the two years study, I was rewarded for the best academic achievement in both 2004 and 2005. In 2004, with great help from Ms Rohde, my ESOL teacher, I got an average of 7.5 for my IELTS score. In 2005, I got excellence certificate from the principle for Statistics, Calculus and ESOL, Merit certificate for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. (something about the equal second place thing).
Hello, my name is Queenie. I was an International Student who graduated from John Paul College last year, 2005. I am writing this letter mainly to show my appreciation to the School and the staff who helped me make tremendous achievements. There is a special person that I would like to thank here. I always find it hard to express my gratitude to her. Now I have come this far, and am studying engineering at the University of Auckland with a Calculus Scholarship on my record. Ms Ann Wang is the person that my parents and I truly want to thank for looking after me and guiding me to my furthest destination. In the past two years she made nothing of hardship to help me out, encouraging me to accomplish lots of things that I never thought I was capable of. For example the role of being International Captain. I have learned a lot from being in a leadership role, learning how to care for others and commit to the position. It has been a bonus and was the highlight of my High School life in New Zealand. In terms of the academic side of things, there is no doubt that she helped me the most of all. She is not only an assistant who helps us out, she is also the tutor and the mentor who guides us to be at the top of the class. More importantly, she is just like my mother, always giving and cares little about receiving. I will never forget her and the other teachers who used to be so patient and gave me a hand. Thanks to all!!! Yours sincerely, Queenie. |
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