Uus-Meremaa

Quick Facts:

 Introduction

New Zealand, “Long White Cloud”, (a phrase which comes from it’s Maori name Aotearoa), is one of the last outposts of open space and closeness to nature in a highly industrialized world. A land of contrasts, it is like an oasis in the Pacific. Although a small country, its environment includes towering snowcapped peaks, ribbons of glaciers, boiling mud pools and geysers, sheepstudded green pastures, forests of native bush, magnificent rivers, lakes and beaches. New Zealanders love their land and spend much leisure time fishing, camping, sailing, or generally enjoying the outdoors.

Short Facts

Area: New Zealand is about 268.680 km2. The country is divided into two main islands; North Island and South Island. There are many small islands scattered around the coastline. Some are inhabited, others not. Some have been declared sanctuaries for wildlife and protected plants. Some large tracts of the country have also been set aside as National Parks.

Climate: The New Zealand climate is generally described as temperate, although it is warmer in the North Island. Temperatures range from sub-tropical in the far north to temperate in the southern part of the island. Temperatures in the South Island are more extreme in summer and winter. Both islands have a central chain of hills and mountains, causing the western side of the country tends to be wetter than the eastern side.

Population: Three-quarters of the 3.9 million people, lives in towns and cities. Most of New Zealand’s population lives in the North Island. Most of the population consists of European immigrants, but there are also groups of Maoris and people from other places of the Pacific Ocean.

Language: English is the language used by most of the people for business and dayto- day living. Immigrants from other countries maintain their own languages and culture within their communities but speak English in the larger communities. The indigenous Maori population, which is much smaller than that of the Pakeha (Caucasian) population, is trying to promote the Maori language. Many New Zealanders, both Maori and Pakeha, are attempting to become bilingual.

Religion: New Zealanders are mostly Christian, with ties to Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Lutheran and other denominations. Affiliations to organized religion is not as strong as it has been in the past.

Government: The New Zealand government is democratic and has a constitutional monarchy. New Zealand is part of the British Commonwealth. The head of the state is represented by an appointed Governor General. The parliament consists of one house of 120 members elected under the Mixed Member Proportional System. Elections are held every three years. The current Parliament is dominated by two major center parties, National and Labour.

History: Apart from Australia, New Zealand was the last habitable part of the world to be reached and explored. The first to arrive were people whose descendants came to be called Maori. Although New Zealand was originally sighted by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, it was the Englishman James Cook who, in 1769, circumnavigated and mapped the country. New Zealand attracted zealous missionaries who traveled there to convert the Maori. Settlers also came, drawn by the desire for open spaces and a better life. Inevitably, the differences in both cultures led to a conflict and in 1840 the annexation and eventual large-scale colonization of the country began with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Not honored at its inception, the Treaty has recently become the focus of attention for many Maori and Pakeha (white), as the government and many interested national groups move toward the development of a more bi-cultural country. New Zealand now offers work for industrial, cultural and social development, taking new directions in labor issues, race relations and in future national planning. It is a country known for its strong environmental stands.

Economy: Since 1984 the government has accomplished major economic restructuring, moving an agrarian economy dependent on concessionaire British market access toward a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. The main trading partners for New Zealand are Australia and the USA.

Education: Pre-school, primary, secondary, and tertiary education systems operate within the state education system. Private groups can also set up these institutions provided they conform to requirements established by the government. Children aged 5 to 11 years attend primary school and enter lntermediate school at ages 12 and 13 for two years, where they study at Forms I and II level. Then they progress through to Form VII in five years. At fifth form level, students take a national examination called School Certificate, usually in four to six subjects. Some schools in New Zealand have special permission to assess students internally for the school certificate in some subjects. At sixth form level, students are internally assessed for Sixth Form Certificate and awarded grades for their performance and commitment to their studies. Marks range numerically from 1(high) to 9(low). Some schools are given permission to offer courses in subjects for which there is strong local demand. Achievement in these courses is assessed in the same way the national courses are assessed. The better the Sixth Form Certificate grades are, the better chances for entry to university or to any other tertiary level study or training. At Seventh Form level, students prepare for the Universities Bursary Examination set by the New Zealand Universities.

Family life: New Zealanders are generally relaxed people. The people, bound in a culture that melts European with Maori ancestry, are resourceful, helpful and overwhelmingly friendly. They function at a more casual pace than most people do that live in more industrialized countries. New Zealanders spend much of their spare time working on their houses and gardens.

Food: New Zealand's cuisine combines British influences with native Maori dishes. A wide variety of native fruits and vegetables are available in New Zealand, including kiwifruit and kumara, a root vegetable somewhat like a sweet potato. Fish and shellfish are plentiful, and New Zealanders with a taste forfish also enjoy muttonbird, a bird that tastes like fish. There is a wide variety of cooking techniques in New Zealand; a Maori specialty is the hangi, a pit in which meats or fish are cooked with vegetables. The pavlova, a meringue filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit named in honor of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, is a popular dessert that was invented in New Zealand.

Recreation: Many New Zealanders play sports and exhibit a great interest in national and international sporting events. Rugby, tennis, soccer and cricket have a large following, and sailing and rowing are growing in popularity. Softball, motor-car and cycle training, mountaineering and gymnastics are alsoenjoyed by the New Zealanders. Sports are strongly encouraged in schools. Many teams are organized for weekend games and competitions. Local areas and communities often have sports teams to which exchange students are welcome.

YFU New Zealand

YFU New Zealand first began in 1987 when students departed overseas. Up until 1993, YFU was run by YFU Australia in Wellington and YFU Germany in Auckland, and a small but very effective exchange organization slowly built up. In 1993, both organizations merged their operations and YFU New Zealand became independent and embarked on an active program of expansion. The organization is based on volunteers, but there is a small national office in Wellington.

Exchange activities for inbound students: When students arrive in New Zealand, they have a 3 day long arrival orientation. The post-arrival orientation is held 6 weeks after arrival and reentry orientation is 4 weeks before departure. For year and semester students YFU New Zealand also offers a two week long bus tour around the North or South Island and they also offer a one week long camp at Kaiteriteri in the South Island. These two trips are not included in the fee. All the regions also offer local activities for the students throughout the year.