Hello, I am Mitsuki Ohta, a 3rd year student. I have been studying at Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand for about two months now. I am blessed with a wonderful host family and I am living a fulfilling life. I would like to introduce some of the things that have happened to me in New Zealand.

 

 

 

Helping with a Rally

Soon after I arrived in New Zealand, I received information that my friend’s host father was participating in a rally. First of all, a rally is a car race held on various natural roads, such as unpaved roads and mountain paths. Unlike regular racing, rallies are not held on circuits where you drive multiple laps around a fixed course. Instead, they take place on ordinary or unpaved roads (gravel, snow, mud, etc.) in timed sections, where drivers compete for the best time. Rallying is particularly popular in New Zealand, and I had wanted to see one ever since I was in Japan. When I heard that my friend’s host family was involved in rallying, my friend introduced me to them, and I was able to help out at the event.

The rally was held in a place called Timaru, about a three-hour drive away. The weather was sunny, and the natural scenery was beautiful. It was exciting to see all the rally cars from different categories gathered in the service park. My friend’s host father's car got a crack in the part leading to the turbine due to an impact while driving, which caused a loss of power. To fix this, the engine had to be lowered, so it couldn’t be repaired in time. My goal was to help them finish the rally event, but I was only able to assist with refueling at the service park. Still, I was happy just to be involved in a rally for the first time. It was a memorable experience, and I am very grateful to my friend and their host family.

Sports

In New Zealand, I mainly play volleyball and do downhill mountain biking. At first, I planned to play badminton when I came here, but I haven’t been able to because of the high price of shuttles and the lack of availability. At the gymnasium I usually go to, there aren’t many people who are better at badminton than me, while in volleyball and basketball, there are many skilled players. Volleyball also requires communication, so I play it to make friends. I'm still not very good at it, so I practice by playing with local people who are skilled, or with members of the local community introduced to me by my host family.

Another sport I’ve started here is downhill mountain biking. I began last month after hearing from friends and Philip-sensei that there was a mountain bike track at Signal Hill. Unlike road biking in Japan, using your body and shifting your center of gravity on the bike is especially important. The fear and thrill I feel when I manage to turn a corner quickly is exciting. I’m hooked! I haven’t had any serious injuries yet, but I do slip and fall easily and get thrown off, so I’m trying to enjoy it safely and be careful not to get seriously hurt.

 

I am getting used to life in New Zealand, but there are still times when I encounter language difficulties, and the stress of studying abroad can get me down. Still, I am truly glad to have this experience that I could only have here. I will enjoy the remaining nine months of my stay in New Zealand, never forgetting to appreciate the people around me.

Mitsuki Ohta