Cornelia Schaffer

An international student at Mount Albert Grammar School from July 2006 to July 2007.

It all started three years ago when I decided to go on an exchange for one year before actually choosing where to go. Finally, I discovered New Zealand as maybe the perfect place for an exchange, and as far from Germany as possible - a 24-hour flight. I am from Munich which is in the south of Germany and famous worldwide for its traditions and heritage such as the Oktoberfest, but also for its modern technologies brought to the market by companies such as BMW. Once I arrived in Auckland, I was put with a really nice homestay family whom I really enjoyed staying with, and who gave me a very good insight into the Kiwi lifestyle. Being with an English-speaking family was not as much of a challenge as I first thought it would be! One of my aims was to make the most of my exchange in New Zealand. And MAGS has offered me the best opportunities to do so. I was happy to get to try new sports such as rowing, cricket and netball and I continued playing tennis. A few weeks ago, I joined our school's team which represented Greece at the Model United Nations Assembly where we held speeches and even met the Prime Minister Helen Clark. I love books and when the new library opened in the beginning of this year, I became librarian and learned all about issuing and shelving books. We never have any kind of school assemblies at our school in Germany and I am going to miss them. As I play the cello, I joined the school orchestra, and the assemblies gave me the opportunity to perform weekly! I found it quite impressive how strict the school is about the appearance of students. In Germany we wear mufti at school, but I actually preferred wearing uniform, because you never have to worry about what to wear! In Germany there are about 14 subjects, most of them are compulsory, so I found it great to be able to choose subjects, that were either completely new to me, or which I'm just interested in. The subjects I enjoyed most and which we don't have at our school in Germany are Agricultural Science where we learned how to drive a tractor and use a chainsaw, for example. In Media Studies we made our own documentary and in Classical Studies where we studied Greek Literature and Vase Painting. I have to say I loved the atmosphere in all my classes here! Both, the teachers and students were always so cooperative and respectful. One of the things I'm going to miss most is the multi-cultural community at MAGS. I remember at my first day of school. All the new international students were welcomed with a Maori song and during my time here, cultural groups performed the haka and other traditional songs and dances. I also loved getting to know my fellow international students and learning about their culture. I have been lucky enough to travel quite a lot during my stay here, so I have seen more or less the whole of New Zealand and also Rarotonga, and one weekend I went to Sydney on an orchestra trip and performed at the Sydney Opera House. The people I have been fortunate enough to meet and be friends with have really made this worthwhile, and I want to thank everyone who contributed to my great experiences. I have really enjoyed my stay in New Zealand, and indeed the school. It was a great adventure and I would love to come back some time. I only wish I had more time in this beautiful country and wish I could stay longer! I completely recommend an exchange to everyone at MAGS, it is a wonderful opportunity and the experiences you will have are truly memorable and I will never forget them. I hope I will meet some of you in Munich sometime very soon!