International News
China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong - July 2011
In July this year Mrs Margie Smith (Director of International Students) travelled to China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong to meet with international students’ agents and families of past and present international students at St Paul’s.
A highlight of the trip was a dinner held in Taipei for current families, potential families, and agents. Attending the dinner was Miller Lien (a teacher from Taipei) who, along with fellow teacher Sophia, visited St Paul’s and Tihoi in 2010. The inspiration for their visit to New Zealand came after reading a book written and published in Mandarin by Joanne Yin, the mother of past students William (Hamilton 1995–1999) and Patricia (Harington 1997- 1998) Han. Joanne published the book in 1997, describing William’s time and experiences at Tihoi Venture School. Joanne, who lives in Chedworth, Hamilton, was also at the dinner and had planned her 2011 trip to Taipei to coincide with Mrs Smith’s visit. Miller gave a presentation of his visit to St Paul’s and Tihoi, and both Joanne and Miller spoke very highly of St Paul’s. The school has strong ambassadors in Taiwan and this function highlighted the value of developing and continuing relationships with our international community.
A copy of Joanne Yin’s book is held in the Hornsby Library at St Paul’s.
Margie Smith
Director of International Students
Northfield Mount Hermon Visit - February 2011
Early in February, St Paul’s had the pleasure of hosting ten students from Northfield Mt Hermon School (NHM) near Boston Massachusetts for two days during their trip around New Zealand. The ten students were billeted with St Paul’s families, experiencing Kiwi family life. By the time their visit was over, students from NMH were happily swapping memorabilia such as house tops and rugby balls for t-shirts from USA and relating their first taste of pavlova, with promises to keep in touch with each other.
Good Reports - Term 1 2010
Four International Students were recently invited to Headmaster's Good Report Morning Tea. This morning tea was held to celebrate all those students who had attained "Good Reports" for Term1.
From left to right: Young Min Goo Year 9 Fitchett, Panasann Pattanakulchai Year 10 Sargood, Pat Srisa-An Year 10 Clark and Yui Yokoyama Year 11 Williams.
2010
We start 2010 with 10 new International Students, bringing the total to 19. The students come from a wide range of countries such as Korea, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mexico, Tuvalu and China, bringing with them a host of different experiences, cultures and traditions.
2009
Our students in 2009 had a very successful academic year. All year 13 leavers have gone onto tertiary education either within New Zealand or overseas. Also of note was Yui Yokoyama (Williams House) from Japan being selected for representative rugby. Well done, Yui.
The Brazilian guy
by Gabriel Itagiba
In schools there are many “guys” – the nerd guy, funny guy, strange guy, arty guy and all bunches of other guys. Well since I arrived at St Paul's I became the “Brazilian guy”. Every time I was introduced to someone they would be like ”Yes! So you are the new Brazilian guy!” Yes. and they were right , I’m the guy, but that wasn’t all for my “guy classification” . I was in fact the NEW Brazilian guy, because I wasn’t the first and I think that I also won’t be the last.
I am in class and all these strange people are asking these strange questions like “Do you eat dogs? You speak Spanish right? Oh, I mean Brazilian”. Trying to answer these questions would be impossible to me because I’m too confused, and I probably already forgot what language I actually speak. But these were the not so weird moments. I mean they were 10x times better than when people would come out of doors screaming random stuff, like GINGA! Or RONALDINHO!!
Yes living in another country is really weird, and things didn’t get any less complicated when I discovered I would have to go through some challenges like the good old English spelling test, which I know that my class mates can record how good I am, or people just understanding what I’m trying to say, but all of that was okay because if something went really terrible I could just say “I’m from Brazil”.
So what I’m trying to say today is simple:
- I’m not good in spelling tests
- Yes I’m from Brazil
- No I don’t speak Spanish or Brazilian
- And yes I know “GINGA and Ronaldinho”
Good morning ladies & gentlemen, an important announcement!
Bom dia senhoras e Sehores um comunicado importante
I speak Portuguese, quite easy right? And this is my Brazilian life.
I’m the youngest of five children. My mom comes from an Italian family and my dad from a Russian family, so that makes me kind of a child from the UN, but I must say that I was born a Brazilian, in the crowded city of Sao Paulo, that would be St Paul's in English for you kiwis, ironic maybe? Not happy enough in Sao Paulo or St Paul’s, I went to the British school named St Paul’s too. I wasn’t really happy having all those St Paul’s places in my life and it was then I decided to study in St Paul's Collegiate School in NZ.
I have never had to work in my life, because in Brazil, unfortunately there are heaps of poor people, who have scored the students’ jobs. I would like to work here but I can’t because my visa does not allow me, and that makes me feel like an illegal Mexican crossing the border to America.