My reflection as an AFS Student at Tarawera High School
My name is Jaime from Spain. I’m an AFS student and I have spent term 3 at Tarawera High. This is my last week in New Zealand.
Nearly 30 years ago, my mother went to Australia as an AFS scholar. It was an important
experience for her, one that she still remembers. Earlier this year she came across an AFS notice about places for students in New Zealand. She asked me if I would like to spend the Spanish summer in a school here. I said ‘yes.’ I want to tell you about some of my experiences here.
In Spain, I have just completed what is ‘year 12’ in New Zealand. I finished the school year with a heavy set of exams. So I was really pleased when I met with the Deputy Principal, Mrs Mees, at Tarawera High and she said I could choose my program. I selected a non-academic subjects – no maths, no grammar, no engineering. I signed up for English, of course. And I also signed up for the Hospitality class (as I love cooking), Mountain Biking, PE and Woodwork.
On the first day of school, I was a bit unsure. How would it be? But it was an easy transition. All the students were kind. I felt welcomed. The teachers were also welcoming. They were helpful. (In my school in Spain, the teachers are strict and seem angry.) I feel that Tarawera High School teachers like their jobs.
I love football and wanted to play in the school team. But Tarawera only has a junior football team. Instead I got to be a junior coach alongside Mr Pon, the first coach. At first I wasn’t confident. I have really enjoyed the chance to support the younger students. I have seen the team grow during the term under Mr Pon’s guidance. That’s been a highlight for me.
Coming into school in the middle of the year and being accepted into teams has been a big part of my experience here at Tarawera. In the first hospitality class, I joined a group of girls, and we had to cook something together. Again I was a little nervous. But it turned out well. I think we did okay that day.
Another highlight was joining the chess team. Last week, we went to a secondary chess
competition in Tauranga. It was great to be asked to be part of the team.
Of course, it’s not all about school, and I’ve seen lots of different things here in New Zealand. A huge high for me was the trip to Auckland and bungy jumping off the Sky Tower. It was scary and I wasn’t sure I could do it. But I did, and it was so exciting.
I’ve been doing some cooking, mostly pasta dishes, for my host dads, Graeme and David here in Kawerau. The first time I cooked, I was nervous. What if they don’t like it? But they did, and they encouraged me to try other dishes. I went with them to a mid-winter Xmas dinner and met their friend, Rosemary. She is a great cook and made a lemon trifle that was really great. Later I went to her house, and she taught me how to make a cheese cake and Anzac and Afghan cookies.
Something that has been a big surprise for me is how strong and alive Māori culture is in New Zealand. It was a surprise to me, because many of the Spanish-speaking countries in South America have lost their indigenous culture and language.
On my first day of school, when I was introduced to my home room, one of the Māori students bent his head and gave me a hongi. We shared the breathe. That week the NZ flag was flying. The next week, it was the Māori flag.
I went to Rautahi marae with Graeme one night. He’s doing a course at the wānanga, and this was part of a weekend course. I got to experience the pohiri. I stood and gave my pepeha. I learned something about the marae and the carvings inside. The kai was really nice!
This experience has been amazing. It’s not just about what I learned in school, but also about growing as a person, trying new things, and meeting new people. From bungy jumping to exploring Māori culture, every part of this journey has been special. I’ll remember these moments and what I’ve learned for a long time.
Thank you Tarawera High School teachers and students. Thank you Aotearoa New Zealand.