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SEMESTER 1/2011 • NUMBER 2

48 Hours: Queenstown

Insider’s Guide:

Student DJ

Iconic Image winners

Off the Beaten

Track: Easy Day Escapes

Wonderous warming

winter Kai

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Contents3 Morning Tea &

NewZ in Brief

4 48 Hours in Queenstown

5 Fill in the ____s.

8 Profile: Allyson CoffStudent DJ

6 On & Off the Beaten Track:Easy Day Escapes

12 Haere mai ki te kai: Winter warmers

10 Review: Kiwi music & film

The IFSA-Butler NZ Office is working to reduce our environmental impact. This issue of NEWZealand has been printed locally at Valley Print on sustainably sourced paper. Please pass this publication on or recycle when you have finished enjoying its contents.

I t may be hard to believe, but you’re now (probably) into your last month in New Zealand. Exams are

looming, and I’m sure it’s quiet around campus with everyone studying.

One of the things that isn’t talked about so much is what it’s like to slot back in at home, after you’ve

been away for a semester having the time of your life. We talk to you lots about culture shock, but what about when you get back home and you have thousands of pictures and stories of amazing new experiences and not everybody is hugely interested? And it’s hard to get Tim Tams!* How do you cope then?

I studied at the University of Richmond for a year, BF (before Facebook) and for many of my friends it was

as if I disappeared and then suddenly reappeared a year later. When I got back I tried to show people my pictures, and almost every sentence I uttered started with “In America...”, or for a little bit of variety, “When I was in America...”. But they didn’t care (or, really, they didn’t care as much as I thought they should. I’d had such an amazing time! Met such amazing people! Just look at the pictures!).

So, I decided to find a place where people were interested in my stories and pictures. My study

abroad office was such a place. Remember what you were like before you left for NZ? You wanted to know all you could from the people that had already done it. Hello captive audience! So why not get involved and

to talk to students wanting to study abroad about everything you did.

My study abroad experience got me a job in the end too, which

I’ve now turned into a career. Your study abroad office may help you with learning how to narrate your study abroad experience for potential employers. Rather than just being (hopefully) a fabulous time, your semester in NZ will help you to demonstrate useful skills when applying for jobs/internships/graduate school. Your classes will have given you an international perspective (which is important in this globalised world), and living on the other side of the world for several months will definitely give you plenty of examples of your problem-solving skills – all useful points to add to a CV or talk about in an interview.

In this issue, we get an insider’s look into student radio from Otago-ites Allyson Coff and Will Roane,

in time for NZ Music Month this May. We share our favourite day escapes, and find out how SSCs Alana and Emily are faring after the quake and twister, respectively. And we bring you some delicious winter kai. We also remember Waatara Black who we got to know and love at our marae visits, and who passed away recently. A big thanks to all IFSA staff and students who contributed to this issue. Good luck for your exams everyone!

Amy Rutherford, Editor

* Though not impossible. From October to March you can get them from Pepperidge Farm: http://www.ilovetimtamcookies.com/.

From the Editor

IFSA-Butler NZPO Box 1461WellingtonWebsite: http://newzealand.ifsa-butler.org/Email: ifsabutlernz@ifsa-butler.org Phone: (04) 471-0145

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12 Haere mai ki te kai: Winter warmers

SSC Alana Boyd sat down with a cup of tea and slice of carrot cake for a phone chat with Mike Cash, camp manager at Shakespear Lodge YMCA, Whangaparoa, where you have all your fun on Orientation.

Mike ’s fave morning tea.. . . Tea and scones - English breakfast tea of course, and butter and jam with maybe a bit of whipped cream.

AB: Mike, your accent doesn’t sound very Kiwi. Where are you from originally?

MC: I was born in Devon. But I’ve been in NZ for nine years and am a Kiwi, with a passport now to prove it!

AB: And we are very stoked that you are! We know Shakespear Park is really a playground with the coolest toys and activities, so what do you like doing in your spare time?

MC: I like to take the yachts out and go for sail. I’m a keen DIY-er, and like to tinker in the garage. Also orienteering in the summer months. I go across to competitions such as the summer series in Auckland.

AB: So you’re a little bit competitive?

MC: (Sarcastically) Not at all!

AB: Where did your DIY fancy start, and what projects are you most proud of?

MC: Outside of work, I made my god-daughter, who is 2 ½ a walking bike last year. It’s a wooden frame and looks like a bike, but you walk on it as a way of teaching balance. Then in November some good friends got married, and they wanted a wishing

well for the wedding, so I made one. They were actually an ex-YMCA staff member and an ex-IFSA student!

My dad was a bit of a DIY-er – so he was the one to light the fire, and it was a natural progression coming to NZ where everyone is keen on DIY projects.

AB: Your wife Mel works as a psychologist so can you tell us a bit more about her?

MC: She’s a corporate person, working in the big mean world, and like me, a perfectionist. She is keen on outdoors as well, and getting into the bush. We don’t spend much time at home, and on our time off we like to travel to see friends and family in New Zealand and overseas, and spend time in the outdoors.

AB: You also run summer camps for kids during the school holidays, and they sound like awesome fun…

MC: Yes, they run for six days, with lots of water based activities, sailing, kayaking etc, and games in the evenings. We also do some speciality camps, such as sailing, where we have six days with the kids teaching them to sail. It was very successful this summer just been, so we will do it again next year.

AB: I’ve been told that you have some special dance moves that you pull out around the campfire

on these camps? *

MC: Yes, I have been known to get involved, and get the kids and staff into it.

AB: What about your pet chicken?

MC: She’s called Beatrice, and we’ve just got another one that was put on the park by a member of the public – but we haven’t named it yet.

AB: What have you got planned at Shakespear this winter?

MC: This June we are taking kids to Ruapehu for a week of skiing and snowboarding. I’ve only skied once - cross-country skiing in Norway. I’ll be doing a lot of the driving on this trip so wouldn’t be able to show off my flash skiing skills.

AB: Mike, do you miss us?

MC: We’re too busy to miss you! Since August last year we have had one week with no one here, so we don’t really have time to think, it’s just onto the next group, though we do definitely look forward to you coming! We look forward to working with older kids who can look after themselves and we can have fun with, so we can relax and enjoy it a little bit more. And of course we look forward to the food!

AB: Thanks Mike! * My source remains unnamed.

Drop everything!...IFSA Butler NZ is on Facebook, and we’re building our fanbase. We’ll post photos, links, and useful info on the page, so make sure you check it! www.facebook.com/ifsabutlernz. Our very own Darren Meeker attended the annual University Games. He played

Ultimate Frisbee for the Victoria Wildcats, his team winning Gold in a cliff hanger ‘Universe Point’ finish. Darren rated the trip, travelling & socialising as “awesome”. And Otago’s Abby Sandry says her Uni Games was “the event of a lifetime”. From having no prior experience in rowing,

she started training for the ‘Novi’ team in March - enduring seven sessions a week & 5am starts! “We trained hard and headed to Lake Karapiro for the Championships....I came away with three golds...and helped Otago bring home the overall Championship trophy.” The moral here? ‘Just do it!’

Morning Tea

4

Queenstown is definitely a tourist town and lives up to its title of Adventure Capital of the World. The Remarkables reflecting in Lake Wakatipu is a sight that I think everyone should see.

Day One, Bungy Jump Day: Even though my appointment wasn’t until the afternoon, I convinced myself not to think about it all day. And I succeeded. It really didn’t hit me until I was sitting in my harness, ready to pull the release strap.

There are tons of bungy jump options in Queenstown but I had decided to do the ‘Ledge Swing’ which was at the top of the gondola. I picked this for two reasons: I knew that the view from the top of the gondola was unbeatable, and I wanted to do a swing instead of the free jump bungy because I didn’t think I’d mentally be able to make myself jump off a platform. Sitting down and pulling a safety strap sounded much more appealing to me. The fall itself

wasn’t scary at all. It was amazing. Swinging back and forth and looking at the view over Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables was hands down one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

I’m so glad that I actually did it, and didn’t chicken out. The only part that scared me a little was when they were pulling me back up to the base

because that was the first time that I looked up and I realized how far I had fallen. That’s when my whole body started to shake, probably a mixture of nerves and adrenaline. The feeling of accomplishment afterwards made it all

When she arrived in Dunedin, Emily Patrick didn’t think NZ could get much prettier - that was before she spent a weekend in Queenstown. Now she’s “absolutely in love”.

48 Hours: Queenstown

There’s always a buzz in the crystal clear air of Queenstown. Located in the southern end of the South Island, it has seduced many, including several US presidents, and singer Shania Twain, who bought a $21.4 million property nearby in 2004. Come winter, it’s a magnet for alpine sports nuts and thrill seekers of every stripe. But don’t worry if you’re not up to diving off bridges or throwing yourself around in the snow. There’s great shopping, awesome scenery (The Remarkables really do live up to their name), and 160 licensed bars and cafés, all dedicated to showing you a good time. In short, the town has evolved from an 1860s goldmining camp to become one of the most dynamic & sophisticated holiday resorts in NZ.

STAY @ Nomads Queenstown: For the same reasons as above, and because it won the Goldren Backpack Award for best NZ hostel in 2010.

EAT at @ Thai Restaurant: Queenstown is something of a nightmare for the thrifty, so if you’re saving your cash for an adventure or adrenaline thrill, low-cost dining is what you need. Meals at @ Thai start at $6.

EXPLORE @ www.queenstown-nz.co.nz/information/thingstodo: The range of activities you can do in Queenstown is truly vast and will depend hugely on your budget, so check out the comprehensive list on this well designed website.

worthwhile, though. If you haven’t gone bungy jumping yet, GO DO IT!

Day two, Ride of the Rings day: A horseback ride through Paradise, which is near Glenorchy, about an hour outside of Queenstown. The horseback ride went through filming locations of

Lord of the Rings, Wolverine, Prince Caspian, Willow and America’s Next Top Model. Aside from seeing the filming locations, the scenery was amazing. The Hobbit is scheduled to start filming there sometime in the next few weeks. After our morning horseback ride, we went on the Million Dollar Cruise through the harbor. Really inexpensive and was a good way to see Queenstown from another perspective.

Even aside from all of the adventure activities, Queenstown has so much

to offer. There’s great shopping, great restaurants, beautiful gardens and plenty of short walks. It definitely lives up to its title of Adventure Capital of the World. Definitely my favourite weekend trip so far in New Zealand. EP

5

Last night I spent twice as long waiting for Megavideo to load a TV episode than the TV episode itself, so that I could pretend I get to watch real TV ever.

In Auckland you must eat the 60 cent ice cream at McDonald’s to survive. Fantastic!

You must try to go anywhere the ferries will take you.

At least once a day it rains.

Never forget my trip to the South Island. Once in a life time.

Kiwis say that Australia is a small insignificant island…but we all know they are lying.

My funniest memory was our tent collapsing on us. Yes, it actually managed to be funny at the time.

Best Auckland event was the Chinese lantern Festival.

With Amanda Balaban from Auckland

Fill in the____

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Waatara Black in April. Waatara had been involved with IFSA-Butler from its earliest days. In her role as Maori liaison, Waatara would organise the noho marae (overnight visits to marae) that are an integral part of the IFSA-Butler orientation program.

The matching of Waatara with IFSA-Butler was perhaps an unlikely duo. Brought up on a farm in the Waikato region, Waatara had no formal tertiary education. But as she used to say: “I don’t have any BAs, PhDs, ABCs or any other letters after my name, but I have decades of knowledge and wisdom gained from involvement in community activism and education.”

As a long-time political activist, protest was part and parcel of Waatara’s life during the 70’s and early 80’s as, along with others, she sought to raise the awareness of fellow Maori and Pakeha to historical injustices. Waatara recognised that crucial to cultural renaissance, and therefore the Maori quest for tino rangatiratanga (self determination), was the nurturing of te reo (Maori language). Accordingly, she was involved in the early 80’s in the establishment of kohanga reo (Maori early childhood centres). She used these language skills, honed over decades, to introduce US students to Te Reo. Thus, just over 48 hours after arriving in the country, students arriving at a marae would participate in a pōwhiri (welcome), with two or three male students (rangatira) confidently giving their mihi, their speeches supported by all students enthusiastically singing waiata – in te reo!

Each noho marae would also include Waatara’s famous kōrero. Seamlessly inter-weaving theology, anthropology, history and sociology, Waatara would trace Maori history from its Creation story of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, the migration of Maori through

the Pacific to Aotearoa, and through to the arrival of the Tainui canoe from which her Ngati Te Ata whakapapa descends. Moving to contemporary history, Waatara would trace the impact of the arrival of Europeans and the process of colonisation that robbed Maori of their health, land and culture, before covering the Maori renaissance – cultural & political – of the last 30 years.For Waatara, this recent history was not merely theory, but consisted of a narrating of her own story. Organic farmer, horse-trainer, whaea (mother/aunty) to troubled young people, political activist, educator – Waatara’s life was one of looking out for the marginalised, and also of painting a vision of what a joint future in Aotearoa may look like, for Maori and Pakeha.

Wataara would often conclude her kōrero with a whakatauki (Maori proverb): “Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi - With my basket of knowledge and your basket of knowledge all the people will thrive.”

Waatara’s message was that when one embraced the best of Western culture and joined that with Maori (and other indigenous) ways of knowing, one became a more ‘whole’ person, able to engage with the challenges of the world – a pertinent message for all cross-cultural students.

Over 14 years, thousands of students and many IFSA-Butler staff came into contact with Waatara. Her continuing legacy is surely the countless students and staff who through her influence have seen and experienced the world differently, and in doing so have become more rounded world citizens. Andrew Shepherd

In memory of Waatara Black

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AucklandSnow Planet, with SSC Emily Nicholson Auckland’s idea of winter is a lot of rain, with some wind and a pinch of frost dropped in. It’s only missing one thing…. snow! So if you feel like an afternoon of skiing and snowboarding but don’t want to drive for hours and hours, we have the answer: Snow Planet!

This is New Zealand’s one and only indoor snow resort, open 365 days a year, with perfect weather inside - a chilly negative five degrees celsius. Make sure you kit up (gear up). Must-takes are warm clothing and gloves. If you own your own snow gear (snow pants and jackets) that’s sweet, but if you’re like me and warm clothes equate to jeans, woollens and winter coats, then I would strongly recommend you hire gear from the friendly staff. Going home with a cold wet bum because your pants were not water proof isn’t fun... trust me.

Other equipment is available for hire or you can take your own. With student ID, its only $19 plus gear hire. There is snowboarding and skiing available, as well as tobogganing and just frolicking in the snow. If you need a little guidance, why not book a lesson. The last time I attempted to snowboard I spent 90% of the time on my bottom, but the staff are lovely and really helpful.

How to get there: Snow Planet is only 20mins north of Auckland on State Highway 1 North. Exit at the Silverdale offramp, turn right at the first roundabout and cross the bridge over the motorway. Cross the next roundabout, then turn right into Small Road. www.snowplanet.co.nz.

WellingtonKaitoke Regional Park, with designer Anne Taylor Wellingtonians, when you get that lovely ‘out of the box’ day in winter - and they do happen! - my suggestion is to go to Kaitoke Regional Park, about 45 minutes drive north of the capital.

This spot boasts many beautiful walks, centuries-old native forest, and the spectacular Hutt River, which supplies nearly half of Wellington’s total water. This is also a sacred place of pilgrimage for diehard Lord of the Rings fans because it’s where the Rivendell scenes were shot. So don’t be surprised if you’re walking down a path and around the corner come a dreamy looking couple dressed in long velvet robes, holding wands. It’s happened to me a few times there! Just smile and trot out the Elvish greeting that you’ve been rehearsing for just this possibility on the drive up.

Swimming in the river is probably a hypothermia risk this time of year but there is a loop track well worth doing, which takes about 40 minutes to complete, starting from the Pakuratahi Forks carpark. Enjoy the swing bridge (vertigo sufferers might not) then plunge into the dense bush before coming out at an old reservoir and returning to the car park, via ‘Rivendell’.

Before you leave, you might be able to tempt some native longfin and shortfin eels out from under the massive rock in the river, directly down the steps from the car park. These amazing creatures have lived in New Zealand for millions of years but pollution and other factors have meant that their numbers are now dwindling. Prime steak goes down a treat but they will also rouse themselves for less flash picnic food. Pack a raincoat, warm hat and sturdy walking shoes, because the weather can change quickly.

On & Off the Beaten Track: Easy Day Escapes

Some spots and activities are worth putting aside a day to enjoy. We asked IFSA staff for their top day trips in or near your cities. So set your alarm clock, fill your day pack and get ready to enjoy some unique New Zealand destinations!

“...don’t be surprised if you’re walking down a path and around

the corner come a dreamy looking couple dressed in long velvet robes, holding wands...”

7

How to get there: Travel north on the motorway (State Highway 2) through Upper Hutt. Turn left at Waterworks Road and look out for the Pakuratahi Forks sign. For maps and more info, go to http://www.gw.govt.nz/Kaitoke/.

DunedinWarrington and Karitane, with SSC Guy Ferguson I thoroughly recommend that you all get up to both Warrington and then up the coast to Karitane. I was lucky enough at the start of the semester to do two surf camps at Karitane. It is a genuinely beautiful place. There are two beaches, one which faces south east and the other facing north east. Separating the two beaches is a lagoon which leads out to the ocean.

Pick up fish and chips from Wakouaiti (five minutes north of Karitane), and go for a walk on the southern beach. If you are into surfing (as I know a few of you are) you are almost guaranteed offshore surf due to the fact that the beaches face different directions. Also the northern beach is a point break, break along a sand bar which stretches out from the river mouth.

Warrington is a quiet little settlement, where I have an uncle, actually. It is a really safe beach for swimming (though it is getting cold now). Again it is a great place to go for a winter walk. If you are into getting shellfish, there is Paua (abelonies) at the northern end of the beach. Look out for the hector dolphins which live up and down the coast - we got the opportunity to surf with them on our surf camp. The coastal drive from Warrington to Karitane is beautiful and definitely recommended so get out there, guys - it’s a very easy day trip.

How to get there: Warrington is 20 minutes north of Dunedin on State Highway 1, and Karitane is a further 15 minutes up the road.

Winners of the great Iconic Images Challenge This year’s Iconic Images competition drew in a bumper crop of excellent photographs. Thanks to all of you who entered! Some agonising decisions had to be made here at IFSA-Butler HQ – there was laughter, there were tears – but eventually we came up with some great winning entries that reflect the diverse attractions of Aotearoa New Zealand. Not only did all the entries remind us what a unique place this is, but they also reinforced to us that IFSA-Butler students are a creative and gifted mob. It’s great to see that so many of you have been getting out and exploring, and capturing some beautiful memories to take back with you.

Our winners...

Off the Beaten Track category:

Winner: Trees at Slope Point, Catlins, Lindsay Lincoln (Otago)

City & Campus category:

Winner: Wellington Night-time Cityscape, Darren Meeker (Victoria)

Field Trips & Labs category:

Winner: Geology Field TripWill Roane III (Otago)

Photo: Murray Neill Photography, www.murrayneil.co.nz

Stunning Karitane

Highly commended...Fox Glacier

Lily Keyes (Massey Albany)

Lake Tekapo Observatory Ben Harel (Victoria)

Lake ManapouriJulia Signorella

(Otago)

And our spot prize winners.. . . . .IFSA-Butler Next Top Model Award: Walking Along a Beach in Abel Tasman, Arian Flores, (Victoria)

(Hu)man’s Best Friend Award: Surfing Dog, by Emily Swaim (Victoria)

Natural History Award: Albatross, Emily Patrick (Otago)

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Profile: Allyson Coff, Student DJ

Straight after she signed up for her courses, Allyson Coff was off in search of the dream, at Otago’s student radio station Radio One. She teamed up with photographer Will Roane for this insider’s guide to student radio, just in time for NZ Music Month (May).

I’d say it was a full 18 seconds between when I officially found out I was spending my semester in Dunedin and a “Dunedin music” search on Google. Music is a big part of my life, and hosting a radio show and attending heaps of concerts was something I knew I’d miss while exploring New Zealand. With music as a necessity, I decided to immerse myself in the Dunedin music scene, and check out what the other side of the world had to offer!

After some research in the months leading up to my time in Dunedin, I learned about the ‘Dunedin Sound’ (a type of indie pop with recognizably jangly guitars); Flying Nun Records (a notable independent record label started in Christchurch), and bands such as The Chills and The Clean that have been cited as influential to some of my favorite bands. I was also pretty excited to find dunedinmusic.com, which, as its name indicates, is a website with all sorts of info on music in Dunedin such as gigs, bands, reviews and more. Seeing that such a website existed was quite comforting. I also stumbled upon the website for Dunedin’s student radio station, Radio One. After looking it over and occasionally streaming the station, I was convinced that despite being on the other side of the world, Dunedin, the city I would learn to call home, has a stellar taste in music!

Since day one, I had planned to have a radio show in New Zealand. After registering for classes on the first day, I decided it was time to pay Radio One a visit. As I walked into the office I saw posters of some of my favorite bands covering the walls - I could barely contain my excitement, seriously! After awkwardly introducing myself by saying I have a radio show back home and was hoping to do a show in Dunedin as well, I was given an application. While I filled it out, I met some of the Radio One characters, and knew right away I enjoyed the vibe of the station. After recording a voice sample, they told me they would get back to me, as they were swamped with stuff going on for O-week. I was pretty pumped about a potential show, but didn’t want to get my hopes up.

For the next few weeks, I would occasionally run back to the office to check in, checking if any progress had been made on my application, (patience isn’t exactly my strong suit). I asked about which gigs to go to, and which New Zealand bands I should check out, and received some extremely helpful information. Then, finally I received the following e-mail: “Hi! What a great volunteer application you turned

into Radio One. We spot your potential, we trust your taste in music and we believe you’d make a great Radio personality”.

Wahoo! New Zealand airwaves here I come! A few days later I started training. The first day I just played music without voice breaks. There are a bunch of similarities with my station back home, but a lot of things are also done differently, and the equipment is different so it took some time to get used to. The next time I came in for training they told me I would be doing voice breaks, eek! The show started off decently, a bit nerve racking - especially because I’m used to hosting a show with two of my friends, not all alone! The show was going well, until we got to the ‘Community Notice Board’, something I was unfamiliar with. I was given a piece of paper and told to read it at 3:30. I thought, hmm, okay sounds easy enough. After announcing the songs I just played I began to read the notices. When I came to the word Aotearoa, which despite seeing and hearing multiple times, my brain failed to recognize its proper pronunciation. “Ah-oh-teraa” was what I managed to stutter out. Oh boy, I’m sure those listening will find it bizarre that the girl on the radio can’t pronounce the name of the country she’s living in! Whoops.

“When I came to the word ‘Aotearoa’, which despite seeing and hearing multiple times,

my brain failed to recognize its proper pronunciation. “Ah-oh-teraa” was what I managed to stutter out.....”

Ph

oto

s: W

ill R

oan

e

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Luckily, I have since learned to look over the notices and ask for help on how to pronounce the Maori words. Significant improvement has been made. I’ve also gotten used to saying “dot N Zed” rather than “dot N Zee.”

I have since had four radio shows! They have all been super fun, and I’ve enjoyed playing some of my favorite music from back home, as well as my newfound kiwi favorites. Thanks to the wondrous powers of the Internet, my friends and family have been streaming the show from all over the world! I’m pretty pumped for my upcoming shows, as I continue to become more and more familiar with the station. I definitely recommend listening to Radio One, as they play some rad music that you won’t hear anywhere else! And as much as I miss going to concerts back home, I have truly enjoyed getting to know the music of New Zealand. I have a feeling I will find myself missing the music scene here. I highly recommend checking out a few New Zealand gigs, there are some very talented musicians here. Happy New Zealand Music Month!

Radio One 91.0FM: The University of Otago’s student radio. Began broadcasting in 1984, and from the mid-1990s has been operating throughout the year in a new annex to the Student Union building. DJs play “everything from punk-pop futurefunk to bangin’ bhangra beats, catchy synth singles to cosmic soul death disco”. Check out their live performances during NZ Music Month on 91 FM or streaming from http://www.r1.co.nz/.

95BFM: Emerged at University of Auckland in 1969, as Radio Bosom, a capping stunt. It was set up in a boat, which ran aground, and broadcast illegally on speakers around the Student Union. Now as 95BFM, it serves up NZ music, news and views, and aims to be “challenging without being inaccessible”. www.95bfm.com.

VBC 88.3 FM: A non-profit student radio station based at Victoria University of Wellington, launched in March 2007. Check out the music vids at www.vbc.org.nz.

MUNT 88.5 FM: The student radio station for the Massey University Wellington Campus in Wellington. Shows include Punk, Reggae, Rock revival, Indie and Electronic. http://www.streamingthe.net/Munt-FM-Massey-University-Wellington/p/3812.

Radio Active 89FM: An alternative radio station broadcasting in Wellington. Begun as Victoria University’s student radio station it was bought by Radio Active Limited in 1989. Now boasts a strong following in the capital, with 45000 people tuning in weekly. www.radioactive.fm.

RDU 98.5FM: A student radio station operating from the University of Canterbury. Long running shows include Girl School, The Mixtape Sessions, The Joint, Guitar Metal, Dollar Mix, Hauswerk and Vintage Cuts. www.rdu.org.nz.

Allyson’s top Dunedin bands:

Alizarin Lizard Left or Right Knives at Noon Thundercub The Chills Tono & the Finance Company

And tune into student radio to get your authentic NZ music experience...

Check out the NZ Music Month website to find out gigs in your town - some of them are free! www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz.

More great NZ music:

An Emerald City Lawrence Arabia Shapeshifter The Mint Chicks The Naked & Famous The Phoenix Foundation The Ruby Suns

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In ReviewKiwi Music & Movie

&Barnaby Weir: Tarot Card Rock Ben Harel, Wellington

Once in a band with Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie, Barnaby Weir now cranks out his own style in Tarot Card Rock. This album embodies Barnaby Weir’s solo exploration away from Wellington band, The Black Seeds. The Black Seeds, whose former members include Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords, have poppy reggae-esque tunes with notes that remind the listener of being under a palm tree with a beer.

Weir’s solo album is a long way off from his Seed-y predecessors. In combinations of acoustic guitar, a country-twang vocal lead, and occasionally a horn section, Weir sets up an album with laid-back tones and subtle varieties. The entire sound is reminiscent

of Wilco meets Johnny Cash. ‘Till We Get Over’ borrows almost directly from the Jack Johnson infamous and monotonous strum (“dun-dah chack, dah-dun-dah-dun chack”). While most songs are pure folk/country, ‘I’m Coming Home’ is a standard jazz-blues through and through, with cheesy love lyrics.

‘Do You Remember Fun?’, arguably the catchiest song on the album, suffers from a lacklustre verse with uninspired lyrics, depriving the song of the poppy energy which drove The Black Seeds’ music to popularity.

In the end, Barnaby Weir’s solo attempt is scarred by some glaring musical weaknesses: low energy and lack of novelty. The dragging tempos and an uninspiring vocal performance lead to an album which appears almost… lazy. It provides a strained listening experience which affects both its enjoyment and subsequently its popularity. Furthermore, its lyrics and melodies are nothing fresh, break no rules, introduce no new sounds, and overall contain no novel elements which are necessary for listener interest. I would rate this album as a dud, but would enthusiastically encourage interested listeners to check out Weir’s original source of fame, The Black Seeds.

TikiEmily MacDonald & Meredith Mayer, Wellington

Tiki is a mash up of dub step and techno, with a slight dabble in trance. It has potential to be a decent album, but we were left unenthused. First we examined the lyrics. Currently Meredith is reading me the lyrics whilst the music is playing in the background. It’s making me want to punch myself in the face. This may have something to do with the lyrics, but this also might be because Meredith isn’t very good at rapping. Let’s talk about his dubstep skillz: He focuses on mentioning it as much as possible in his lyrics, but it’s not very present in the actual music. It would be music for a summer’s night out, where there is alcohol and lots of dancing. Maybe a night out with the hens? (NO ROOSTERS ALLOWED!!!!!) Anyway, the transitions between songs are good, and it’s cool to hear some Māori influence in the music. The best track is probably the last one, which has a good build up. We’ve come to the conclusion that Tiki is worth checking out, but he’s not our cup of tea. If you like this kind of stuff, give him a listen. He tries, but no Rusko, he is. Trust us, we’re experts.

Whale Rider Rethna Eddy

Imagine one girl’s modern, heroic fairytale set in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. Even though I had heard great things about Whale Rider, I did not realize how much the movie would change when you are studying abroad in the country where it was filmed. The movie takes place in a coastal region of New Zealand, and the premise of the story focuses on the main character, Pai, who is unluckily born into a family where tradition is ultimate.

When Pai was born, her mother and her twin brother died during childbirth. Her father, Porourangi, is devastated and leaves Pai with her grandparents to be raised. Pai’s grandfather is disappointed that his son Porourangi does not want to fulfill the role of being the chief

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of his Māori tribe, the Paikea, which means ‘whale rider’ - not seeing the potential in Pai to become the leader of the tribe. Instead, he decides to train young boys to see who the true leader is. Pai deals with the mistreatment that her grandfather puts her through until she gets the respect she deserves, which happens when whales become beached on the coast where they live, which is a bad sign for their tribe.

Before watching Whale Rider, I did not realize the intimate relationship that comes from within Māori families. I have never seen such an intimate relationship in a family that was not expressed at all between the grandfather and the daughter. This story is about one girl’s triumph over her grandfather’s old fashioned attitudes towards females and their abilities. I found the cinematography to be really beautiful and it captured the natural beauty that New Zealand boasts so readily. The acting was extremely well done and the film did not need the extra assistance of special effects for the message to be delivered to the audience. The story is strong, and embodies an important message to men and women alike. There are points in the movie that bring an audience together. You want to be able to support Pai through all the verbal abuse that she is subjected to in this film. Her portrayal of the emotions was flawless.

Firstly, my sincerest apologies to the city of Wellington, whose quaking infamy we stole from under your noses. Trust us – we never planned to steal your thunder! It all started last year with 4 September’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake, and then the devastating 6.3 on 22 February this year.

The day of February’s earthquake was quite surreal and it took some time for news of the central city to trickle through to our relatively unaffected suburb of Riccarton, which is near the university. We felt helpless in those first few hours and days, unsure how we could help besides making sure our friends and family were safe and well. Christchurch is one of those places where you can always find connections to someone through so-and-so who went to school with so-and-so, and it’s a way of life which also compounded the pain of the heart-wrenching casualty toll.

But a silver lining began to emerge as the community reached out to each other, through groups like the Student Volunteer Army, which ran like a well oiled machine, physically and emotionally helping the affected suburbs, and giving students a chance to proactively take on and succeed at a solely student-led project, in a way that only we could.

The country poured its heart out, as seen in the pallets of baking that came through our doors. (Confession: some of it found its way to our flats, simply because it became too much to go around, before it went stale!). The SVA organised students by Facebook, who turned up each morning to ‘HQ’ (the UC Student Association’s marquee in the carpark) to dig silt, give out baking and information. It was overwhelming to see the courage of the people we worked for. Their houses and businesses had been wiped out but they did not see themselves as victims, instead insisting on helping in a very Kiwi ‘no fuss’ kind of way. Of course there was sadness, but the ‘one-eyed Cantabrian’ saying proved its worth as the community pledged to hold the fort and rebuild what was broken.

Things are relatively back to normal now. University life has adapted to having classes in tents, an ever changing timetable, regular reminders of the patience and flexibility needed from everyone while things get back up and running. The only negative for me is the reduction to only ONE provider of caffeinated beverages on campus - the café called ‘InTentCity 6.3’! We’re used to small aftershocks sometimes, and I actually kind of enjoy them – it’s like the earth’s saying “yo, wassup dude! I wanna party!”. Thanks to everyone across the country for your support and care during this roller coaster ride. This is a survival and revival story we owe to you.

Alana’s Earthquake StoryNew Canterbury SSC Alana Boyd was getting ready for the new term when ‘Old Bucky’ struck, leaving a thoroughly ‘munted’ city in its wake. We asked her to describe that day, and how she’s doing now...

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Haere mai ki te kai!

Mussel Chowder - Office manager Debbie CampbellThis is a special soup that would be perfect served with crusty bread, for a farewell dinner. It takes a bit of preparation but it’s worth it - and you get to taste the amazing green lipped mussels, which are unique to New Zealand. This mussel is are found in the wild, in the coastal waters of New Zealand, and also farmed. They are said to be benficial for arthritis and osteoarthritis sufferers. They cost around $3 per kg.

To prepare: Scrub raw mussels in shells with a brush in cold water. Don’t soak in tap water as it will kill the mussels. Throw away any that are cracked, have chipped or broken shells, or float in water. If any are open, tap shell - if the mussel is alive, it will close its shell. If the shell doesn’t close, discard.

To cook: Put mussels in a large cooking pot. Pour a small amount of water (less than 1 cup) into the pot and slowly heat water. You’ll know mussels are cooked when the shell opens. This can take anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the mussel. Be sure to discard any mussels that don’t open. Do not overcook. Then remove mussels from shells.

Kumara & Pumpkin Soup, and Lemonade Scones - SSC Emily Nicholson

This yummy soup is quick and easy to make. Make a big pot on a chilly winter day and freeze the left over soup in single serve sizes (glad bags and boxes are great for this). Then you can duck home between classes for a warm, easy, healthy, lunch! Also great with garlic toast.

Don’t be fooled by the title, lemonade scones are not really sweet. This is a quick and easy, yum recipe that can be

With winter drawing in and frost starting to form on your bedroom walls (if you’re an Otago student!), you’ll be needing some delicious hot food fast . We asked IFSA staff for their favourite winter warmers...

Emily’s Super Easy & Super Yummy Kumara & Pumpkin soup

3-4 good sized chunks buttercup pumpkin 1 chunk kumara (sweet potato) 1 can coconut cream 1 tsp curry powder

* Place vegetables in a pot, cover with water and boil until cooked.

* Mash up in the water it is cooked in. Add coconut cream and curry powder. Heat but do not boil, then garnish and serve.

Emily’s Lemonade Scones3 cups of self rising flour 1 small bottle of cream lemonade to mix (usually less than a small bottle).

* Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Mix flour and cream well until evenly distributed.

* Sparingly add the lemonade and keep mixing until you have a moist dough. * Pat out the moist mix onto a baking tray which has been greased or covered with baking paper). Cut into scones & bake for approx. 10 minutes, and cooked in the middle.

made sweet or savoury, great when you have barely any ingredients left in the cupboard. It’s not an exact recipe, but it always seems to work out so it’s amazing. I use the exact same recipe to make savoury scones and add grated carrots, salami, grated cheese, parsley, spring onion (or a little red onion), or anything you have in the fridge. For Cheese scones add cheese. Top both savoury and cheese scones with a bit of grated cheese. The scones are best straight from the oven, or microwave for 20-30 seconds each. Also good to dunk in soup!

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Debbie’s Special Mussel Chowder

Serves 6

100g bacon (diced) 1 large onion (finely chopped) 1 green pepper (red, seeded, chopped) 2 medium potatoes, cubed 2 cups water 1 bay leaf 5Tbs flour salt and pepper 400g roughly chopped cooked mussel meat (from about 2kg of raw NZ green lipped mussels in shells)** extra mussels for decoration 600mls milk cups flour

* Gently fry the bacon in dry saucepan, until it starts to brown. Add the onion and cook until golden.

* Add the green pepper, potatoes, bay leaf, water and salt and pepper.

* Bring to the boil and simmer until potatoes are tender.

* Mix the flour with ½ cup of the milk and stir into the chowder. Stir until boiling.

* Add the rest of the milk and the mussels and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes.

** Mussels can be substituted for other seafood eg: shrimps, fish, clams, squid etc turning this into a seafood chowder.

Alana’s Pumpkin soupServes 6

1 tbsp butter 1 large onion, diced 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 1kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1-2 tsp curry powder Black pepper and salt to taste ½ cup of fresh chopped parsley to garnish* Melt the butter in a large pot and gently cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add pumpkin, stock, curry powder, s &p, and simmer for 15 minutes. Mash or blend through with a hand blender if you have one.

* Sprinkle with parsley to serve. For a gluten free option, use gluten free stock and replace the curry powder with nutmeg.

Emily ’s Twister StoryHold the phone!...NZ had another natural disaster on 3 May, this time in Albany. SSC Emily Nicholson was there...

NZ is well known for multiple seasons in one day, and Auckland does not disappoint in this respect. You can often tell how long a person has lived in Auckland based on how prepared they are for the weather changes. Real Aucklanders carry a sneaky handbag umbrella, wear multiple layers, and always apply sun block.

But on 3 May, we got a true surprise, something none of these things could prepare us for - a tornado! Around 3pm a tornado appeared in the Albany area in the North of Auckland. The tornado caused major damage to the Albany Mega Centre (the Albany mall). Roofs were torn off, cars were tossed, trees uprooted.. and let’s not forget the strong winds… Tornados are not a common occurrence in NZ. Sadly one life was lost. Had the tornado hit half an hour later the mall would have been full of students and the number injured or worse could have been much higher.

If you are ever worried about what to do in an un-expected situation in Auckland, the website www.getthru.govt.nz is a great source of information. For up-to-the minute news updates, websites such as stuff.co.nz and nzherald.co.nz are wonderful.

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Heading Home:Reflections... On Endings and Beginnings

By Andrew Shepherd, former UAK SSC and IFSA-Butler orientation staffer

BDeparting - Ending WellIt is important to recognise the various emotions that can arise with the end of the semester and the promise of home. It may help to ask yourself some basic questions:

1) What are you most looking forward to about going home? 2) What are you most fearing about going home? 3) What are you most going to miss about New Zealand?

One of the requirements for emotional processing is the need for personal space. This often gets lost in the frenetic activity of the end of semester, but it’s worthwhile trying to set aside time in a quiet location to do so. If you journal or blog it may be helpful to think about these questions and to write down some of the emotions that you are feeling. Also talk with friends or others who can provide a listening ear.

Homecoming - Beginnings

Arriving home brings with it new challenges.… so, how do you move through a reverse culture-shock and make the transition into this new-old world...and talk to others about the changes you’ve experienced as a result of the study-abroad experience?

1) Look after yourself

• Get some physical space and catch-up on sleep. • Have a doctor’s check-up if after a few days back you’re still not feeling 100%. • One of the strategies for coping with cultural adjustment is to have a gradual, controlled transition - hence our four-day Orientation in New Zealand before arriving at your respective universities. Apply this same principle for your return home. • Don’t binge on people, food, music, TV, but instead gradually wean yourself back onto these.

• Take the time to look & listen (observe) before speaking. • Have a support network. Think of the people who can help you through the tensions & emotions you are experiencing on returning home. Other IFSA-Butler students may be able to help.

2) Convey your Experience

• Be prepared for the question ‘How was New Zealand?’ & other questions asking about your time in NZ. Use the personal space both prior to departure & back in the States to reflect pon the highlights, lowlights & key elements of the semester. Work out: What is the key theme/idea you want to communicate about your experience?

• Ask yourself, how much does the person asking the question really want to know? Will a simple ‘New Zealand was ____ .’ suffice? Or is the person genuinely interested in the hearing about the whole experience, ‘warts and all’?

• Be creative in the way you communicate your experience, both for your sake & for those you are communicating with:

• Use a small photo album with the best 20-30 shots, instead of 600 photos – and/or multi-media slide-show/video presentation!

• Host a NZ party for friends & family with NZ music (Tiki Taane, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Boh & Bic Runga, Ladyhawke...) & NZ food (try making a pavlova!).

• Write an article about your semester experience for the school newspaper or your community/church newsletter.

3) Moving into the future

One of the key aspects about study-abroad programs is that they provide environments for transformational education. When we study in an overseas setting, outside of our usual context, our perspective about ourselves, others and the world is challenged and enriched. The result of studying overseas may have led to changes in the way you think and behave, and altered your values and plans for the future. Reflect on the changes within yourself and think about what actions you want to take that flow from these changes. Take pro-active steps and set goals to make these planned changes a reality as you move into the future.

All the best with your endings & beginnings. Kia kaha! AS(Read my full story in any of the issue 2 newsletters on our website).

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o Check and double check the time, date and location of your finals. DO NOT miss your final, but if you do for any medical or emergency reasons, make sure you document the reason why immediately with your host university international office and with us.

o Remember, IFSA-Butler does not support any variations to your set examination timetables except in urgent medical or bereavement circumstances.

o Check your final grades (on your university website) and get in touch with us immediately if you think you will need to query them! If you can’t access them before you leave, make sure you take home evidence of all of your coursework just in case you need to query your grades from America. Be aware of the query deadlines and rules set by your host university.

o Rush Transcript Requests need to be in to the NZ office before you leave for home. Find the form on the IFSA-Butler NZ website.

o Make sure all of your bills and any incurred fines, from library to speeding, are paid. If you leave a fine at your university, your transcript will be withheld until it is paid!

o If you have to leave your flat before a final bill arrives, ensure you leave your fellow flat mates with some funds to cover your part of the bill.

o If you have an individual internet connection, phone line, or any other rental in your name, cancel the account before you leave. Students who have tried to do this from America have had months of hassles.

o If you bought a car and are selling it on, check that the new owner’s name is registered as the car owner and your name is off the documentation.

o Clean your room/flat to standards set by your accommodation provider. Some providers hire a cleaner no matter what, but if not, make sure you don’t get a chunk taken out of your housing deposit because you left blue tack on the wall.

o Your accommodation has a specific ‘check out’ procedure. Follow it!

o Pack ahead of time so you don’t have any last minute surprises. The airlines are strict on weight restrictions so consider shipping a box home in advance.

o If you are keen to ship a bag or a box, or even a guitar, Seven Seas Worldwide has a good reputation. Go to www.sevenseasworldwide.com for a free quote. It can be costly, but they ship door-to-door from NZ to the USA via sea-economy which takes up to 3 months. The NZ Post is another option. Inquire at your local branch for rates.

o Have extra stuff that still has life in it? Organise a collection of household goods. Talk to your SSC for local options.

o Be sure you have arranged your transport to Auckland to catch your international flight home. Confirm your flights a few days before departure.

o Wondering what’s next? If you’ve found that living abroad is somethingyou’d like to try again in the future, there still some options out there. Consider a working holiday visa - www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/work/workingholiday/. BUNAC provides work, volunteer and teaching opportunities - www.bunac.org/. Continue your education by returning for a graduate program... Join the IFSA-Butler alumni network - www.ifsa-butler.org/for-alumni.html

End of Semester Checklist:

What I’ve learnt about my city ’ As she gets ready to pack her bags, we asked student Rethna Eddy about Auckland.

I chose my city (or had it chosen for me) because.. .it’s the biggest city in NZ, so I wanted to experience all that Auckland had to offer in terms of things to do, and I also heard that there were beautiful islands around Auckland, so that was added incentive.

My first impressions were.. . I loved that it was so warm all the time and that there are cute areas of the city like Parnell and Posonby. I feel that there is a lot of character in the restaurants and cafes that are here. It seems as though there is something for everyone here. I really enjoy the area that is on K Road, and how there are always places here that warrant a visit.

What I didn ’t know then but know now is.. .the large Asian influence here.

The best aspect of my city is.. .the fact that is so central in location and there is an aspect of the city that appeals to every different type of person.

The worst aspect is.. .that stores close so early.

What I’ve tried out for the first time here is.. .Valentino’s gelato, and I am such a fan!

NewZealand is edited and distributed by the NZ Office, Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University, for IFSA-Butler Students and Staff only. Articles and ideas are welcome! Email: ifsabutlernz@ifsa-butler.org © IFSA-Butler New Zealand 2010

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