Ernst Haeckel Gymnasium Werder (Havel)

The day started differently for each of us – some got up early, while others left the house at the very last minute. We met at 8:55 a.m. at New Lynn Station to take the 9:10 train together. After a short ride, we got off at Grafton Station and walked from there to the Auckland Museum.

In front of the museum, we first took a group photo before being led to our own room, where we received a short welcome and introduction. Afterwards, the large group was divided. In my group, we learned about the Mana Newspaper. Our guide explained very clearly how it was created and what importance it had. He answered all our questions in detail, which made the session really interesting.

Next, we took part in a workshop led by an archaeologist. He told us how the Māori came to New Zealand and showed us various ancient tools they used. The most impressive moment was when he played a nose flute at the end – the sound was unique and created a very special atmosphere.

After the workshop, we had a lunch break before we were allowed to explore the museum on our own. There were many exciting exhibitions, including a recreated volcanic eruption that felt very realistic. Some of us used the time to look at different parts of the museum – others found more creative ways to use the stairs.

At the end of the day, we could choose whether to go back to school or stay in the city for a while. My friends and I decided to stay a bit longer. We got something to eat and discovered a photobooth where we took some funny souvenir pictures.

Everyone spent the evening individually – a great ending to an exciting and educational day.

Family members:

New Zealand host families can vary greatly. Some families consist only of the parents and the child who is hosting you, while others have two or more siblings. It is also possible that another exchange student from a different country is staying with the same family at the same time.

Everyday life:

The day begins with breakfast, which everyone eats on their own. Then the students go to school while their parents go to work. At school, your exchange student will take you to your classroom, or you may even have lessons with them. During breaks, you can either stay with your exchange student or talk to the other New Zealand students. After school, you go home and do something with your family or meet up with friends. The students at Lynfield College either come with us, go home and do their homework, or go to work. Dinner is then eaten together. Afterwards, everyone retreats to their rooms and goes to bed at the appropriate time. Of course, we don’t have school at the weekend, and the host families often have an outing or something else planned for you. Otherwise, the daily routine is the same.

Personal experience:

My host family gave me a warm welcome and helped me settle in. We got to know each other well through lots of messages before I arrived in New Zealand, so we have no problems with each other and already know quite a bit about each other. Here’s an example of their hospitality: in the messages before my arrival, I learned that my exchange student’s father not only plays the guitar like me, but also builds guitars. When I arrived at my host family’s house, there was already an acoustic guitar he had built in my room, and he said I was welcome to play it. A few days later, I asked him if I could try one of his electric guitars. Not only did he agree, but he also allowed my friends, who had dropped by spontaneously and whom he didn’t know, to play his guitar.

Today was such a cool day! Our group visited the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and an rainforest with collapsed caves. We had to get up really early at six in the morning to pack our things and get ready. Everyone was still a bit tired, but you could already feel that everyone was in a good mood because we were all excited about the trip.

For breakfast, we had pancakes with syrup, so good! And it was Milos birthday today.

He turned 16, and of course, we all sang for him. It was really nice and made everyone smile, so we started the day with a good vibe.

After breakfast, we quickly packed our stuff and got on the bus. The ride took a while, but it didn’t feel that long. We talked, listened to music, laughed, and just chilled together. Some people even fell asleep because the bus was so comfortable. It was just such a relaxed and fun start to the day.

When we arrived, we first had some time to look around in the souvenir shop and the café. Some of us bought postcards or little souvenirs, and others got a cup of hot chocolate. After that, we went into the cave for our guided tour.

The tour guide told us to use our imagination and look for shapes in the rocks, like an organ, or even a kiwi bird doing bungee jumping. It was really fun trying to spot them. Then we got into a small boat, and suddenly everything was completely silent.

Above us were thousands of glowing blue lights, like a thousand liftle stars. It was so breathtaking, I’ll honestly never forget this moment.

Afterwards, we got back on the bus and drove a few minutes to our picnic spot. Soon we’ll continue our trip with a walk through the forest.

After our picnic, we went on a short walk through the forest, which took about 40 to 50 minutes. It was really relaxing, and the air was warm and a bit humid. On the way, we also walked through two small caves, which was pretty cool.

Our guide, Simon, showed us an edible plant and explained which leaves you could actually use as toilet paper in the wild, everyone thought that was super funny!

Afterwards, we got back on the bus and drove to Lynfield College, where our host students were already waiting for us. The rest of the afternoon everyone spent individually with their host families. It was the perfect way to end such an amazing week.

The day started with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. After that, we went on a hike to a waterfall. The path led over rocky ground and through low bushes, and the sound of the water could already be heard from a distance. At the bottom, fine mist rose into the air as the water crashed down onto the rocks. After the hike, we walked back and then drove up the mountain by car. From the top, there was a wide view over the landscape, with snow on the peak and a clear sky above. In the evening, we went bouldering. The climbing hall had many different routes, and everyone was focused on climbing. It was a full and varied day.