Hello,
My name is Hitomi, and I am currently on a one-year Sabbatical Training program at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin, New Zealand. Usually, I work as an ICT staff member at the Kanazawa Campus. Now, I’m here in New Zealand with my husband, our 11-year-old daughter, and our 5-year-old son. At Otago Polytechnic, I’m studying Event Management, attending classes, and gaining practical experience through several projects and internships. These opportunities allow me to work alongside local staff and learn directly from the New Zealand work environment.

After classes on weekdays, I pick up my children from their local primary school. On weekends, our family enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Dunedin, its mountains, beaches, museums, arts, parks, and more. We also actively participate and volunteer in local community events, which have provided us with wonderful opportunities to connect with people and enrich our experience here.

In this report, I’d like to introduce some of the unique foods I’ve experienced during our stay. I hope this gives future students, their families, and anyone preparing to study abroad a glimpse into New Zealand’s food culture.

Let me start with “Fairy Bread”, a popular menu item at children’s birthday parties in New Zealand. It’s made by spreading margarine on slices of white bread and sprinkling colorful ice cream toppings (sprinkles) on top. As you can imagine, it’s sweet and crunchy, and the kids absolutely loved it. I learned the recipe from Mikayla, one of the supervisors at my internship, who’s a Dunedin local.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next one is a classic Kiwi snack, potato chips with Kiwi Onion Dip. This dip is easy to make; just mix Nestlé’s reduced cream (a canned unsweetened cream) with powdered onion soup mix. It tastes very good, especially with salt and vinegar flavor chips, and is highly addictive. Once you start, it’s hard to stop! In New Zealand, all kinds of candy are affectionately called “Lollies”, and they’re loved by both kids and adults. In the photo, you can see colorful, chewy gummy lollies and Pineapple Lumps. These are soft pineapple-flavored candies coated in chocolate, and they’re so delicious you’ll find it hard to eat just one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “cheese roll” is a popular snack you can find in almost any café. It’s reasonably priced and tasty. Some are made with plain white bread. The cheese roll is found on the South Island of New Zealand, where it is loved as a kind of soul food. It’s just bread with cheese filling inside, rolled up, toasted, and topped with butter. One bite gives you a warm and happy feeling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a Christmas meal in New Zealand. Many families celebrate Midwinter Christmas in August — the middle of winter in the Southern Hemisphere — by enjoying Christmas dinners. I was invited to a Christmas dinner hosted by my internship organization.
The dinner began with salads and bread, followed by a main course of ham, pork, and chicken served with roasted vegetables. The side was an orange-colored sweet potato called Kumara, a local favorite similar to the Japanese sweet potato. It’s widely available in supermarkets and absolutely delicious when roasted. My family enjoys eating kumara as well.
For dessert, we had “Pavlova”, a traditional New Zealand dessert said to have originated here. It’s a meringue with a crisp outer shell and soft, marshmallow-like center, topped with whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruit. It’s a festive treat that’s light and sweet. It has a familiar taste for Japanese visitors too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, no visit to a New Zealand café is complete without trying a Flat White. This espresso-based drink with finely steamed milk originated in New Zealand or Australia and is a local favorite. It has less milk than a latte, allowing the rich flavor of the coffee to shine through. If you find yourself in a Kiwi café, I highly recommend giving it a try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life in New Zealand has been filled with beautiful nature, warm people, and delicious discoveries. Exploring the local food culture has been one of the many joys of our stay, and I hope this journal helps future students and their families feel more connected to what awaits them here. May your own study abroad journey be just as rich, flavorful, and memorable.

Hitomi Nanto

 Hello, this is Ayane ito, a 2nd year student. Let me begin with a quick question — have you ever heard of DMG MORI?
 In short, DMG MORI is one of Japan’s leading machine tool manufacturers with a strong global presence. My name is Ayane Ito. I am a 2nd year student, and during the summer vacation, I participated in the Digital Manufacturing Hands-on Seminar hosted by DMG MORI during this summer break. I would like to share what the experience was like.

 First, a brief introduction to DMG MORI. As mentioned above, it is a major manufacturer of machine tools, and many of you may already be familiar with the name. The company designs and produces tools such as Numerical Control lathes, 5-axis machining centers, and milling machines, which are used worldwide thanks to their outstanding practicality and precision.
 The Digital Manufacturing Hands-on Seminar organized by DMG MORI offers participants the opportunity to learn about the latest machine tools and automation systems. The program is open to technical college students and includes both online lectures and a two-day in-person practical session. Participants can observe real, working industrial machines up close — close enough to touch them. For me, the highlight of the program was being able to operate the machines myself.

The machine we used during the workshop was the 5-axis machining center “DMU50 3rd Generation.”
 It moves the drill and the workpiece along the X, Y, and Z axes, combined with two rotational axes, to create complex shapes with remarkable precision. The drill head moves freely, almost like a robotic arm straight out of a science fiction film. It was incredibly satisfying to see it move precisely to the programmed coordinates and cut the metal exactly as intended.


 As for the automation systems we learned about — I won’t spoil too much here. I highly recommend experiencing it for yourself by joining the Digital Manufacturing Hands-on Seminar. What’s more, participation is free of charge, with transportation and accommodation expenses covered. The seminar is held in various locations across Japan, making it accessible for students nationwide. It is also a valuable opportunity to interact directly with professionals working in the manufacturing industry.

 That concludes my inside report on DMG MORI.

 Thank you for reading, and I look forward to sharing more next time!

Ayane ito

 Hello! I’m Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. Today, I’d like to introduce this year’s Halloween Events.
 As the Halloween season approached, the Hakusanroku campus building was festively decorated by students and learning mentors. They created handmade Jack-o’-lanterns and added playful touches, such as illustrated plastic bags attached to air conditioner vents, brightening up the entire building.

 On Friday, October 31st, 2025, the day of Halloween, several students and faculty members attended classes in costume. Students dressed as Pokémon characters, maids, cowboys, and more, while teachers appeared in Japanese school uniforms or even banana costumes, creating a unique and lively atmosphere in the classroom.
 For lunch, a special Halloween menu was served such as Vampire’s Feast Pizza (stuffed with cheese and absolutely delicious!), creepy-colored pasta shaped like caterpillars PLUS about 10 varieties of candy available for everyone to enjoy. Students had a great time savoring these treats.
 As the classes came to an end, even more students joined in with creative costumes. One student a horse headpiece paired with a sumo outfit, another dressed up as an Arabian sheik accompanied by his bodyguards, and another student transformed ordinary red clothes into cape-like design for unique look. During the Halloween parade, students struck confident poses on stage, captivating the audience. Laughter and cheers filled the atmosphere, making the event lively from start to finish.
 After the parade, the learning mentors held a Piñata game, a tradition from Mexican celebrations where participants break a decorated container to release treats. Blindfolded students relied on the voices of their peers to guide them as they swung at the piñata. When the container finally broke and candy scattered everywhere, the room erupted in excitement.

 Later, during the Learning Session (Night School), learning mentors hosted a Campus Hide-and-Seek game. Students were divided into four groups, taking turns as “seekers” while the others hid. All the lights in the building were turned off, and seekers used their phone flashlights to search classrooms, labs, restrooms, and even inside shelves. Hidden students tried to stay silent, but some couldn’t help screaming when discovered! Those who remained hidden until the time limit received candy as a prize.

 This year’s Halloween event was a wonderful opportunity for students and faculty to come together and have fun. The entire campus was filled with seasonal spirit, and smiles spread through classes, meals, and activities all day long.

Yuri Makada

 I am Michihiro Hayashi, advisor for the Design & Fabrication Club. This year, as part of the summer vacation assignment, students worked on 3D CAD modeling. The theme was “Things to Take on an Outing”. There were more than 30 submissions from 1st and 2nd year students. The submissions covered a wide range of genres—if you took all of them on a trip, it would surely be a fun and convenient excursion! After careful evaluation by the judges, four outstanding entries were selected for awards.
 Let’s take a closer look at the award-winning pieces.

2nd year student Madoka Nakazawa: My Smartphone

 Although the geometric shape of a smartphone is simple, this model is highly decorated. Using a combination of arcs and straight lines, the student skillfully recreated a cute character. The bead strap is well represented, and even the shining sun—usually difficult to model in CAD—was given a hand-drawn look. The cracked screen detail was an impressive touch.

Comment from Madoka 
Production time: Worked a little each day, about a week in total.
Focus points: Paid attention to details like the camera lens area and the character’s facial expression. The cracked screen is definitely the highlight.

 

 

1st year student Taiki Sasaki: My Glasses

 This model of eyeglasses is extremely realistic—almost like something from an optical shop catalog. Not only the overall shape, but also the rims, bridge, end pieces, nose pads, hinges, and temples were faithfully reproduced. Even the complex curved surfaces were carefully modeled. Wearing these glasses might make you feel smarter—perhaps reflecting the creator’s intention.

Comment from Taiki 
Production time: About 6 hours.
Focus points: Closely observed my own glasses, especially the three-dimensional feel of the rims that hold the lenses.

1st year student Reo Sakai: My Lantern

 The overall shape is well balanced, and the model includes functional details such as the mechanism for lighting and extinguishing the lantern, the fuel compartment, and the screw-on lid. These were created so their functions could be explained clearly. If the flickering flame inside a dim tent were rendered in CG, it would make a stunning video—possibly even a top entry in a CG contest.

Comment from Reo 
Production time: Worked 2–3 hours a day for 2–3 days.
Focus points: Paid attention to texture settings and the screw shape of the lid. The lid could probably be 3D printed and used in real life.

 

 

1st year student Hiroki Yatsuo: My Bag

 This piece features many curved surfaces, which are difficult to model, yet they are well balanced. Details such as zippers and metal buckles were carefully crafted. Modeling the parts where the belt passes through the buckle and attaches to the bag required complex operations. There were likely many functions and techniques not taught in class, so the student must have researched and learned independently—a valuable experience for future projects. If the belt were bent three-dimensionally (with depth), the model would look even more realistic, so I encourage trying that next time.

Comment from Hiroki 
Production time: Worked a little each day, about 3–4 days in total.
Focus points: Focused on the curved zipper and the shape of the belt buckle.

 Although I only introduced the award-winning works, the other submissions were also excellent. Since the theme was “Things to Take on an Outing,” many students modeled bags, glasses, smartphones, and portable batteries. Interestingly, international students chose to model knives, perhaps reflecting humanity’s innate survival instincts and the usefulness of such tools in nature.
 I plan to continue this contest next year and look forward to seeing even greater improvements in students’ 3D CAD skills.

Michihiro Hayashi

Hello.

I'm Inaba, and my husband and I are in charge of Student Support for ICT students in Dunedin. This time, I, Wakako (the wife), would like to briefly introduce Dunedin and our life here.

We regularly check in with students to support ICT students in making their Otago Polytechnic study abroad experience more fulfilling.

My husband worked at a Japanese energy company for 15 years before coming to study in the MBA program at the University of Otago, which he completed this year. Our family loved life in Dunedin so much that after graduation, he found employment with a local company and we've continued living here.

Dunedin is compact, without the hustle and bustle of a big city, yet not too rural—it's a "just right" kind of town. We often hear from young students that there aren't many places for entertainment, but it's blessed with nature. With beaches and trekking courses just a short distance away, it's perfect for refreshment. I think it's a calm environment where you can really concentrate on your studies.

We've been meeting regularly with ICT students since April, and at first, we noticed they felt confused by the new environment and different culture. However, they've gradually adapted and transformed into confidently enjoying their lives, which makes us feel they're becoming quite resilient.

Next, I'd like to introduce what kind of life we actually lead from a private perspective.

We're a family of five: husband, wife, and children (eldest daughter 7 years old, eldest son 5 years old, youngest son 3 years old).

On holidays, the whole family enjoys various types of activities such as visiting parks, shellfish gathering, fishing, and free museums. Since we lived in Tokyo before coming to Dunedin, we're often overwhelmed by the scale of nature here. Just a five-minute drive from our home, we can see many sheep, horses, and cows leisurely grazing in pastures that stretch far into the distance.

Our home is also located partway up a mountain, and from our garden we can see the mountain scenery. In the morning we hear birds singing, during the day sunlight pours down, and when there's a sun shower, rainbows often appear—it's an environment where we constantly feel nature close by.

Dunedin is welcoming spring and moving toward summer. In summer, we have so many things we want to enjoy: swimming at the beach, casual trekking, playing with water and pools in the garden, and more. It's been over a year and a half since we started our life in Dunedin, and we've gotten used to various aspects of clothing, food, and housing, and feel we now have the capacity to enjoy it all.

Recently, we've been challenging ourselves with making homemade natto (fermented soybeans) and miso. Through trial and error, we've become able to make natto more consistently and deliciously than before. As for the miso, we prepared it about half a year ago, so it's about time to take it out and taste it. We're also growing vegetables in the garden, and it's very enjoyable for the family to tackle various things together that we probably wouldn't have tried if we were still in Japan. We are gaining new knowledge and experiences.

By the way, our children, who had zero English ability when we first came to Dunedin, have reached the point where they can communicate in daily life almost without any problems in English after only a year and a half (kids are really amazing!). They have long since surpassed me (a wife in my late thirties) in English ability, but I'm trying hard to keep up by attending lessons and such.

We want to continue enjoying our Dunedin life positively as a whole family.

To everyone reading this article, please do reach out to us when you visit Dunedin!

Wakako Inaba