6 months in the home of the Kiwis !
My trip to New Zealand was a really exceptional experience. For six months, I lived in a country which was at once similar and different to Switzerland. It was the things I managed to see, the discoveries I made there and the people I met which made it a completely unique and unforgettable jounrey. I would return there as soon as possible without almost any hesitation. Here are some of the reasons why my stay was so exceptional…
Stunning landscapes
New Zealand is a small country but it has exceptionally rich landscapes. Where else in the world would you find a beach from which you can observe the country’s highest peaks whilst having your feet firmly on the ground, paddling in the water ? From black sand beaches, active volcanoes, snow-capped mountains, glaciers at 300 metres altitude, impenetrable forests and fjords to islands which are almost deserted, every sort of landscape can be found on the two islands. Every 50 kilometres, the vegetation, mountains and light change. You would think that you are in a different country…In addition, New Zealand is sparsely populated and it is not rare to travel for dozens of kilometres before coming across the next village. In between, there is nothing but nature, birds and sheep.
I really enjoyed exploring the byways of this country. By doing this, I was able to discover many different landscapes that I had never seen before. For the first time in my life, for example, I was able to go into an active volcano ! It was quite simply magnificent to be able to travel along these byways, far from all habitation, and to stop whenever it suited me to take a magnificent photo or to discover a place unknown to everyone else.
Kiwis…
Such is the nickname given to the country’s inhabitants who are really very welcoming.The cities are admittedly very westernised, with the streets full of people, but as soon as you leave the large urban centres, the people are more open, are willing to chat with you and help you.It is completely possible to stop at the side of the road to take a photo and to leave a half-hour later, having chatted with an inhabitant of the small neighbouring town. Life is also calmer here. The people are more relaxed than in Switzerland, particularly in relation to the way they dress. It is completely normal to see a businessman eating a sandwich on the riverbank or a family going to the supermarket barefoot. As all businesses shut at 5 pm, the Kiwis can enjoy spending the evening with their families or playing sports.
I really enjoyed meeting the people of this country. They are very warm and open. I always felt that I was surrounded by good people, both in the school and with my host family. It was very easy to chat with them, to explain my problems or to ask for information. It was particularly thanks to one of my teachers that I found a magnificent white sand beach which was not indicated in any guide. The welcome of the Maori people is warmer again. My favourite memory? The owner of a youth hostel, as a gesture of welcome, offering me a crayfish for supper.
A place of encounters…
As it lies very close to the main Asian countries, many young people come here to improve their English. It is therefore allows you the unique opportunity to meet people from the four corners of the world, to learn about their cultures and to live a unique experience. During my stay, I met students from Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Bresil, Arabia and Germany. In addition, New Zealand is a country where it is very easy to hire a car to go on a trip during a long-holiday weekend. These short trips permitted me not only to discover this magnificent country but also to get to know my new friends a lot better and to learn about what we had in common and our cultural differences. This is easier said than done as conflicts can quickly arise as a result of the slightest mistake..
I loved this aspect of my trip. I made many friends from across the entire world who will be prepared to show me their own country during a future trip. I also learned a lot about how other people live. This multicultural aspect that I was looking for can be found in other English-speaking countries, but New Zealand offers a magical dimension to these encounters.
Another Switzerland ?
New Zealand is often called the Switzerland of the southern hemisphere. Therefore, you expect to arrive in a country which is rather westernised. This is true for many aspects of daily life, like the supermarkets, the daily routines of families and indeed, certain landscapes are very close to the ones we know from our own country. However, everything is at the same time different. It is impossible to compare the main mountain range to the Swiss Alps or Christchurch to Zürich. In each case, there are details which remind you that you are on the other side of the planet.
Everything is different and even though it is not difficult to do so, it takes time to adapt. Once you have managed to do this, you can understand the country a lot better and you will feel right at home. Everything is different, like the bright light, the stars, the seasons.
It was very strange to think that while I was spending Christmas on the beach, my friends in Switzerland were going skiing. This is what gives the country its charm – a small island in the Pacific where things are neither exactly the same nor very different to what I am used to.
Pure magic!
It took me a certain amount of time to adjust to this country. Once I had achieved this, I really felt at home here. New Zealand is so very magical that it is almost impossible not to feel at ease here. I discovered how much I enjoyed walking in nature, something that I hadn’t done much of previously. Everything is so different to Switzerland that I could never get bored. At an altitude of 1,400 metres above sea level, a New Zealand mountain is similar to a Swiss mountain, but the landscape, the cries of the birds and the light transform it into something completely different and much more magical. New Zealand really is a special place.
For all of these reasons, I really enjoyed travelling in New Zealand. It really is a magical country, very different to what we are used to in Switzerland, but at the same time very similar. It is an ideal place for studying English whilst travelling, for discovering the beauty of this island at the other end of the world and for getting to know new people. I fully recommend it to all those who are lovers of voyage and discovery..
…they will never be disappointed!
Vincent Roch
