1. General impressions
2. Student services
3. Story of Maori for me
4. Expectations were they met?
Overall, my high expectations weren’t met, but this doesn’t mean that New Zealand’s tertiary systems is bad or sub-par by any means. I definitely put New Zealand on a pedestal… and I was happy/relieved/sad to see that they have the same problems as we do in the states. I think the help with funding they provide for students is great and much better than the states, but it stops there. The same pitfalls and problems that happen in New Zealand (like treating students like a number) happen in the United States. I guess never traveling outside of Ohio made me view ANYTHING and EVERYTHING as better, especially such a beautiful and friendly country. I don’t think they are preparing their students well for tertiary education (not forcing the math and English classes) nor helping their students explore their career direction. However, other aspects are handled really well.
I think it’s amazing how integrated the Maori and Pacific Islanders are in the education system and how services are offered for these students (but sometimes I think it stops there). Very little was talked about racism, sexism, etc. Maybe because it’s not a problem… or maybe because it’s a problem that they acknowledge as a problem. Who knows (I'm hoping it's not the later).
It made me uneasy that they didn't have academic advisors (because I’m an academic advisor). Perhaps this is because students are more mature and don’t need that kind of help (I would say students in New Zealand are MORE mature, but the help should be provided). The lack of academic advisors also makes me wonder how much we are enabling our students in the states. I work with so many students that, even if I give them a handout on how to register, cannot get registered for class on their own. Perhaps it’s the student population I work with, perhaps it’s because they have been helped so much along the way they are rendered helpless (harsh word), or maybe they think their entitled. Who knows? I know that since I have been back in the states, I have been holding MY students more accountable. You can give a man a fish and he eats for the night, teach him how to fish and he eats forever (however that saying goes). I think it definitely holds true. Students in New Zealand have been held accountable earlier (so it seems), and it seems to make them more independent at an earlier age (Climbing up those vectors). There’s some good and bad in that I think.
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life."
Overall I loved visiting the different institutions in New Zealand, but I think I learned more about myself OUTSIDE of the institutions and on the trip in general. I feel like I’ve been saved. Saved as in… I’m refusing to allow myself to sell myself short, to sell others short, and to just let go a little bit. I never really thought that I was going to meet such amazing people that I believe have truly changed my life for the better. The only problem? They just don’t live close enough. Ohio’s not the limit… and if I end up in Ohio, that’s also okay… I just can’t NOT look… explore… learn… meet.
Have you ever seen Titanic? It’s a story between a rich girl (Rose) and a poor boy (Jack) who fall in love . She said that he saved her... in the same way I think New Zealand has affected me.
… that’s how I feel about New Zealand. One of things that Jack promised Rose was that he would teach her to ride a horse "like a man"… Spoiler alert: The Titanic sinks and Jack dies, but she goes on and does all the things that she talked about with him… she was saved.
“He saved me... in every way that a person can be saved. I don't even have a picture of him. He exists now... only in my memory. “
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| Rose |
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| Me |
(lucky me, I HAVE pictures)
At the end of the movie, we get to see that she grew up and did all the things she always wanted (through pictures on her bedside table)... While going horse back riding, I kept thinking about this picture of Rose at the end of the movie (that part always GETS me)
What an amazing experience.
