Kia ora! My name is Milla, I am 17 and I am from Germany. For the past five months of my life, I have lived in New Zealand and it has been incredible. I have had unforgettable experiences, by finding new friends, learning about a completely new culture and I found a new home. But let’s start from the beginning.
I never really thought about doing an exchange year however in May 2023, my teacher asked me if I plan to do one. In my head, the cons were always way bigger than the pros for this kind of experience. Being away from family and friends, being alone, getting homesick or getting rejected by the new people you meet. But since my teacher asked me, I couldn’t stop imagining myself in another country meeting lots of great people and actually experiencing a life in another country.
At the same time, we started the topic `New Zealand’ in my English class. We learned about the pretty nature as well as the country’s history and culture. I knew that if I wanted to go on an exchange year, I would want to go to an English-speaking country to improve my English skills, but on the other hand I love to learn new languages and about different religions and cultures. I noticed that Aotearoa seemed to have both and would be perfect. So when I applied in September, I wrote everything down that impressed me about New Zealand and also that the Māori culture seemed truly interesting to me.
In April 2024 I got the email about my match with a host family. When I found out my host family were Māori, I got even more excited! Before I arrived here, I face timed twice with my host mum Jesse, so I already knew her a bit when I landed in Gisborne. In the first weeks everything felt surreal and like a dream. I could hardly believe, that I actually was on the other side of the world and that I would live here
for the next 5 months. So many new things happened and I met so many people, I didn’t even have time to be homesick.
After three weeks, one of my host-mum’s cousins sadly passed away. Even though it was sad, it was an opportunity for me to experience a tangi. In Germany, funerals are often celebrated in a small family circle, so I only attended two funerals in my lifetime before. I was a bit nervous beforehand and practiced the hongi with my host-mum. When we arrived we first did the pohiri, which is like a welcome and first meeting ritual. The close family lined up and we greeted each other. The dead body was in a bed in the front of the marae. I’ve never seen a dead body before and I think I will always remember the moment I saw her. Even though there were so many people, the whole time it felt quite emotional and intimate despite there being so many people. The two nights we stayed there, we slept in a marae nearby, which was also really special for me. This was my first Māori event and I was truly fascinated.
In school I was allowed to choose the subjects I was interested in, so I chose a Te Reo class and a Kapa Haka class. I was Year 12, but because I was a beginner, I chose to go to the Year 9 class. I tried my best to learn as much as possible: I learned my pepeha, the school haka and lots of stories, for example about Paikea. I really loved those classes.
On the 24th August 2024 the Māori king Tūheitia sadly passed away. With the age of 69, he died during recovery of a cardiac surgery. My host mum works for her iwi and the iwi took a bus load through to pay their respects. I was privileged enough to go and share in this experience. The emotion in the air, when we entered the pohiri with all the women crying out their pain was so powerful and also overwhelming in that moment. I have never experienced this kind of emotion before. I am so grateful for having these experiences and also meet all the people from my host family’s iwi. In October we attended the new Māori Queen’s first Poukai as queen and on her own marae. This also was really special for me. Even though I couldn’t understand most of the kōrero, I love the sound and melody of Te Reo. I can listen to it literally for hours.
All in all I can’t express how grateful I am for the privilege of being here in Aotearoa, in my host family. This country shocked me by its beautiful nature, important history and always friendly and welcoming people. Tēnā koutou, for the ever lasting memories. These five months will forever be a part of who I am and who I will be.
Could you share your culture with a student like Milla? Find out more and become a volunteer host family in 2025!