Follow the jump links to learn more about New Zealand: The way of life in New Zealand is generally relaxed and informal. On the whole, New Zealanders, (also known as Kiwis), are self-reliant, practical people who love to work around their homes and gardens.
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun FactsLifestyle and Family Living
It is not uncommon for both parents to work outside the home. Children and parents share the housework, and you will be responsible for keeping your things in order.
Almost all families have pets living in the house.
Most placements are in rural or provincial areas rather than in large cities. Most families are a mixture of European, Maori, Asian or Polynesian descent.
Kiwis are not influenced by western culture alone. Fashion, jewelery, decorations and crafts reach deep into the Maori traditions. Maori are preserving their unique culture that contributes to New Zealand as a whole.
Some of the traditions, which you will be learning by living in New Zealand and invited to practice, are the Haka, a traditional war challenge performed only by men, and the Powhiri, the traditional Maori welcome, which involves hongi – a greeting that involves pressing noses as opposed to a kiss.
Your family will expect you to inform them where you are spending your free time and who your friends are. Through communication and open relationships they will accept you as a part of the family.
New Zealand host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives. Teen Life
New Zealanders love both the outdoors and sports. Almost every young person is involved in some form of sport. The favorites are rugby, cricket, soccer, basketball, netball, hockey and touch rugby (rugby without the physical contact).
National pride is connected with the world’s best netball team, the Silver Ferns, and the world’s best rugby team, the All Blacks.
Next to their passion for being active, New Zealanders have other interests, including music, movies, festivals, theatres, shopping or just meeting others in cafes or at different social gatherings.Dress and Appearance
New Zealand teenagers like to dress casually so jeans, T-shirts, pants, shorts, skirts and shirts are appropriate.
On special occasions more formal dress is expected.
Warm clothing is necessary. Take a bathrobe, several warm sweaters, a winter jacket, a raincoat, boots, sneakers and sandals.
Most schools require a uniform. Please bring US$150 to cover this cost. You will also need a pair of sturdy brown or black lace-up leather shoes. Some chapters will help you to cover the expenses or offer a second hand uniform. Make-up and jewelry are not permitted at school.Diet and Meals
The New Zealand diet is very varied. Breakfasts usually consist of cereal, fruit, toast and yogurt.
Most students will take sandwiches and fruit to school for lunch.
In the last few years, there has been a large Asian influence on New Zealand cuisine. Many families cook Asian style curries and stirfries for dinner.
Dinner is the main meal in the evening. The most traditional meal is the roast. It is a large joint of meat – a leg of lamb, topside of beef, pork or a chicken – roasted in the oven. Side dishes can include potatoes, pumpkin, yams, kumara (New Zealand sweet potato), parsnip, onions, boiled cabbage, peas and gravy.
The traditional Maori way of cooking food is called Hangi, where meat and vegetables are baked in an underground oven for several hours. This is generally only done for special occasions.
New Zealanders love barbecues; they are proud of their fish & chips take-outs and thanks to a wide variety of ethnic groups the culinary arts are becoming very diverse.
Vegetarianism is growing in popularity among young people, although it is not yet common. If you are currently a vegetarian, we ask that you be as flexible as possible with your diet while abroad.Educational System
New Zealand has both public and private schools. Most AFSers are placed in public schools in Year 12 or Year 13 (second to last or last year) with classmates ages 16-18. School runs from late January to early December. There are three holidays lasting two weeks each in April, July and September. A seven-week summer holiday begins in early December.
You will have a wide range of subject choices to study. Next to traditional subjects like English, science, mathematics, history and art, you may be able to study tourism, outdoor recreation, agriculture or catering.
All schools offer activities outside of the classroom. You can join sport clubs, Maori cultural groups, sing in a choir, play in an orchestra or band, or act in theater productions.
Although you may be able to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete while abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. External exams would be at your expense. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
New Zealand is about the size of Colorado (268,021 sq km). It consists of two main islands located in the southern Pacific midway between the equator and the South Pole.
The North Island is the more populous and has fertile agricultural land, the largest man-made forest in the southern hemisphere, snow-capped volcanoes, hot springs, mud pools and thermal geysers.
Located on the South Island, the Southern Alps provide magnificent scenery and opportunities for sports. There are many glaciers, lakes, rivers, fjords and coastal plains. Both islands have many sandy beaches.
The climate is temperate, with plenty of sunshine, adequate rainfall and few extremes of weather. Average temperatures are 8°C (46°F) in winter to 17°C (63°F) in summer. Summer starts in December and the winter season in June.
Population
New Zealand has a population of 4 million. Wellington, located on the southern tip of North Island, is the capital and has a population of 330,000. Europeans make up 69% of the population, Maoris 7.9% and Pacific Islanders 4%.
Language
English, Maori, and sign language are all official languages of New Zealand. English is used in day-to-day business.
Maori, the indigenous language (related to Tahitian and Hawaiian) of New Zealand, was recognized as an official language in 1987. It is spoken by 160.000 inhabitants. Many Maori words are used in everyday speech and many place and street names are Maori too.
English in New Zealand will sound different compared to British, American or Australian English. New Zealanders have their own unique accent and their own sayings and slang.
Government
New Zealand is an independent and self-governing member of the British Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, the official head of state, is represented by a Governor-General. The prime minister is the head of government and is responsible to a unicameral legislature. New Zealand is a unitary state and there are no provincial or state governments.
Religion
Many New Zealanders are Christians (Anglican, Catholics, Presbyterian, Methodists, and Baptists); others have no religious affiliation.
Spending Money
The New Zealand dollar is the official currency.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
AFS has the utmost concern for the welfare, safety, and security of our participants. We’ve been exchanging participants throughout the world for 60 years—that’s six decades of history and experience in international education with an exemplary record of safety, security, and service.
AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available to students, their parents, and the host families. Furthermore, your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants anywhere in the world and at all times.
While we have the above support structures in place, we also encourage you to take responsibility for your own safety and we give you the guidance to do so. Many of the AFS orientation activities, both at home and abroad, are intended to give you the tools to stay safe. We also provide country-specific safety tips to each participant prior to departure.
Learn more about the AFS safety and support network.
Fun Facts
- The longest place-name still in use is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupo-kaiwhenuakitanatahu, a New Zealand hill.
- Kiwi birds – the national symbol – are flightless, nocturnal and unique. Due to their mixed biological features, they are called sometimes “honorary mammals”.
- New Zealand was the first country in the world to legalize women voters.
