Language Barriers

Profile:

Name: Masaru Kawashima

Nickname: "Mazzy"

Age: 19

(Masaru came to New Zealand when he was 15)

Bebo username: masaru_kawashima_mas

Hometown: Chiba, Japan (in the countryside near Tokyo)

NZ High School (2005-2008): Green Bay High School in West Auckland

NZ University (currently): Auckland University of Technology

Area of study: Bachelor of International Hospitality Management

Ideal occupation: Hotel manager

Favourite place in New Zealand: Auckland, particularly Waitakere

Favourite sport: Soccer
(Masaru plays goalie for a soccer team with Glen Eden United Soccer Club)

Favourite NZ meal: Roast lamb

Happiest moment: Being awarded the Top International Student award at Green Bay High School 2008 graduation

Most embarrassing moment:

As above!

Imagine turning up to high school one day and not knowing a single person there. Add not being able to even communicate to others into that mix and you'll go someway towards understanding the incredible challenge international and exchange students willingly face. And you thought just trying to find your classes was tough!

Masaru Kawashima, an international student from Japan, has experienced this demanding situation firsthand. On holiday with friends of his parents four years ago, Masaru fell in love with New Zealand.

"I wanted to move here straight away," he admits. "My parents let me because they knew how much I wanted to go."

Masaru's decision to move by himself at 15, not only to another country but also another culture and language, was an extraordinary one, and yet he says it was easy.

"After my year here was up, I didn't want to leave. I went back to Japan for two months and I spent the whole time convincing my parents to let me move to New Zealand permanently." He must have been quite persuasive because they agreed he could remain in New Zealand as a foreign student.

Foreign students in New Zealand secondary schools fit into two categories: those who come here as international fee-paying students and those who came through exchange organisations such as AFS or Rotary International.

Exchange students live in their chosen country with a host family (or families) for a prearranged amount of time (three, six, nine or 12 months). The organisation to which they belong has certain rules about student behaviour and breaking these rules can result in students being sent home early. The restrictions include being forbidden to drive, hitchhike, get a tattoo or have body piercing. Students are also advised to refrain from drinking alcohol and to avoid serious romantic activity. Obviously, regular school attendance is a requirement. 

Masaru, however, came to New Zealand as an international fee-paying student. International students are not limited to staying in New Zealand for a determined length of time, such as one year; rather, they usually complete the last few years of their secondary education here. International fee-paying students must pay a weekly food/board charge to their home-stays as well as a yearly (very expensive!) fee to their chosen school.

Part of the family

The students' chosen school usually arranges their accommodation with a local family. Masaru stayed with family friends for his first year and then Green Bay High School helped him arrange a new home-stay when he returned.

"I liked some of my home-stays but some were too strict. The best ones were ones that treated me like part of the family and not like a guest," says Masaru.

The downside of not being affiliated with an exchange organisation is that support and friendship networks aren't as strong among students.

What Masaru found most difficult, though, was learning English, and he says the most challenging aspect of acclimatising to New Zealand society was the language barrier. "It was really hard to talk to people and communicate. There was a huge language barrier. I had studied English for three years in Japan but I couldn't speak it at all when I got here."

Something he found strange about New Zealand culture and society when he first arrived here was that teenagers could legally drink, as the drinking age here is 18. In Japan the legal drinking age is 20. Masaru also reckons teenagers in New Zealand party more than teenagers in Japan. He was surprised at the high number of drink-driving accidents in New Zealand compared with Japan.

Masaru found Maori culture interesting, as it is so different to Japanese culture. "One of the most challenging things about moving here was getting used to the way people live here," Masaru says.

Less homework

Another culture shock for Masaru was the difference between New Zealand schools and Japanese schools. He chose Green Bay High School in West Auckland (Waitakere) because it was close to where his first home-stay lived. He chose to remain there because he enjoyed it and liked the people there. Once he got used to it, Masaru felt that New Zealand's more relaxed approach to schooling was better than Japan's very serious philosophy. "I think I actually learnt more at school in New Zealand because it's more relaxed," he says.

In Japan students often attend ‘cram schools' (Juku) in the evenings and on weekends in addition to their regular school classes. They also normally do extensive studying/homework at home. We don't know how lucky we are here in New Zealand; next time you're complaining about how much homework you have, think about the unfortunate students in Japan!

A highlight for Masaru was winning the award for Top International Student at the Green Bay High School graduation 2008. He received his award not only for academic excellence but also in recognition of his work in helping other foreign students to acclimatise when they arrived. "It was embarrassing having to stand up in front of all those people," he says, "but I was very happy to get the award."

Now 19, Masaru is studying a Bachelor of International Hospitality Management at Auckland University of Technology. "I go back to Japan once a year in the summer holidays, but I prefer to live here. My parents haven't been to visit yet, but I keep in contact with them through email."