International Blog
German Exchange Student Enjoyed Small-Town Kiwi Life
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Twelve months ago, Rotary exchange student Clara Ederwein arrived in the small town of Feilding on New Zealand's North Island, from the metropolis of Berlin, Germany.
(via Fielding Herald)
Clara says she chose New Zealand as her host country knowing very little about it, but wanting to improve her English.
Having grown up in Berlin, she was also keen to try life in a small town.
Not only did she acquire confidence in speaking English, she made a wide range of friends, experienced a cross section of New Zealand lifestyles and fully involved herself in Rotary activities.
She describes a bus tour of the South Island as the highlight of her year, because she swam with dolphins, visited the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, tried out the luge and bungy-jumped with exchange students from all over the world who, she hopes, will remain friends for life.
But Clara also counts making school friends, Christmas without snow, waterskiing, playing wheelchair rugby, watching the All Blacks and flying in Rotary Club president Eric Linklater's plane as experiences she will never forget.
She had four host families during her year, changing at the end of each school term. This is designed to increase the student's experiences of New Zealand family life and eases pressure on the families.
She threw herself into school activities, joining the choir and barbershop chorus at Feilding High School, playing cricket and rugby, competing in athletics, and enjoying horse riding, skiing and volleyball.
She also organised the 40 hour trampolinathon, which raised more than $2000 for famine relief.
A gifted pianist, Clara was invited to the house of David and Gwen Young, so she could play their piano whenever she wished.
She said this was an opportunity she took advantage of frequently, dubbing the Youngs her "kiwi grandparents".
Her hosts and other Rotarians included her in their holidays, so she saw a great deal of the country before heading back to Berlin last week.
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