Sylvia, Taiwan Y12 by Nicki Ridden-Angus

Sylvia, Y12, Taiwan

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This year in New Zealand has been really amazing. I’m so glad that I’ve chosen New Zealand as my first choice out of five spaces. The reason why I chose New Zealand was the beautiful nature and scenery, but after my experience from the year I think the friendliness of people is the prettiest part.

I got lost at the very first day of school, luckily the students in Kavanagh are really helpful, they led me to the correct classroom. I really appreciate that. When I had some problems in classes that I couldn't understand, the teachers and classmates are always willing to help me. I’m happy that Rotary put me in Kavanagh, if they didn’t, I wouldn’t have met my fantastic friends. The school here is really different from Taiwanese school, I’ve been enjoying Kavanagh College very much.


My exchange year in New Zealand has come to an end, I’m already feeling like I have a second home, I didn’t have homesickness since the first day I’ve been here, it’s definitely because there’s nothing that I could be sad about, now I have one, and it’s because I’m leaving. My host families are great, my friends are amazing, the teachers are helpful, there’s basically nothing that was so bad to make me homesick.

New Zealand is such a multicultural country, I can have Taiwanese food, Japanese food, Korean food, Cambodian food, Thai food, Indian food, or even Malysian food. That was great, I can have some more food from different nations.

I am missing New Zealand so much!

Sylvia attended Kavanagh College on a Rotary International Exchange.