Hello, this is Kasumi Ozawa from Study Abroad Section. I would like to share with you about the visit of our valued partner from New Zealand.

On Friday, October 4th, 2024, with a pleasant autumn breeze, Ms. Kerrie Hodgson from Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand, with whom we have a long-standing partnership, visited ICT. The main purpose of her visit was to share information with the students who will be studying abroad next year and to meet the students directly in order to ensure that they have a fulfilling study abroad experience. Our relationship with Otago Polytechnic began in 2002, and Ms. Hodgson has served as a bridge between Otago Polytechnic and ICT from the beginning. We are very grateful to Ms. Hodgson, who has been a trusted partner to us, and we extended our warmest welcome to her.

Otago Polytechnic has campuses in Oakland, Cromwell, and Dunedin, and our 3rd year students are enjoying their study abroad experience in Dunedin, where their headquarters are located. Twenty-one students will be studying abroad next year, and as preparations begin, they are thinking about the life that awaits them in New Zealand. Meeting and talking with Ms. Hodgson must have made their ideas about study abroad more realistic. Ms. Hodgson greeted the students, introduced them to Otago Polytechnic, and told them about New Zealand and Dunedin. The students' eyes seemed to light up when she told them that they could see wild penguins, fur seals, and albatrosses in Otago Bay. I think seeing wildlife and feeling beautiful nature is one of the things that students want to do in Dunedin. I am sure that her important message, “‘Don't be afraid to try things and be proactive’ is the key of studying abroad”, has reached the hearts of the students.

The students moved to the cafeteria for lunch and to have smaller conversations with Ms. Hodgson. Only a few students actively asked questions, which I thought was an issue for the future. The key to a successful study abroad experience is to express their thoughts and feelings to the fullest extent, without hesitation. I hope that the students will make use of what they thought and felt during her visit in their preparation for and during their study abroad.

昼食を取りながら２年生と会話をするホッジスン氏

We admire Ms. Hodgson as “She is more Japanese than Japanese”. We have a lot of trust in her because of her sincere hospitality and dedication to our program. We hope that she will continue to act as a bridge between our two schools and enhance our partnership.

Kasumi Ozawa

Hello, I'm Tenzing Deguchi, currently studying abroad in Dunedin, New Zealand, during my 3rd year in ICT. I'm really enjoying my time here, especially with all the sports and music activities I do with my friends. But without a doubt, the best memory of my study abroad experience so far has been the ski trip to Queenstown.

Early in the morning on Wednesday, August 21st, 2024, the teachers and students gathered on campus, and we took a bus about 160 km to Wanaka. On the bus, we had a blast singing karaoke, using a speaker we brought along to play music. On the way, we stopped to eat New Zealand’s famous meat pies and played in a park before getting back on the bus. After a while, we arrived at “Puzzling World”. Puzzling World is like an optical illusion museum, with a lot of art that plays tricks on your eyes. There were rooms and mazes we could actually walk into and interact with. It was so much fun watching my normally tall friend suddenly appear short!

At the Mexican restaurantメキシカンレストランにて

Our accommodation was nearby, with six of us in one room. After unpacking, we immediately headed to Lake Wanaka, which was right in front of us. Since we’re a group of energetic boys, it didn’t take long for an impromptu shoving match to start by the water, which got super intense and fun. In the end, Natsuki lost and had to return with wet clothes and shoes. That night, we had Mexican food and stopped by a supermarket to grab snacks and dessert (ice cream, of course).

On the second day, we went to Cardrona Alpine Resort—this was the main highlight of the trip. We've had a lot of fun skiing and snowboarding during our stay at Hakusanroku Campus, but everyone agreed that this was our best skiing experience yet. New Zealand doesn’t get as much snow as Japan, so the ski resorts are at higher altitudes, and most of the snow is artificial. The snow was light and powdery, and while there were a lot of people, the breathtaking scenery more than made up for it. We skied under a bright blue sky, with stunning mountains stretching out to the horizon. Since there weren’t any trees on the slopes, we could ski anywhere we wanted, which really ignited our sense of adventure. However, amidst all the excitement, one of my friends lost his phone. We tried using Snapchat’s location feature, but it wasn’t helpful, and he was devastated as he hadn’t seen his phone in two hours. Thankfully, one of the ski shops had it—apparently, a kind tourist had found and handed it in. That night, we made burgers for dinner, went to the supermarket again, and played card games before going to bed.

On the last day, we headed down to Queenstown to ride the luge carts, which are like go-karts that race downhill. Before that, we stopped at a famous local McDonald's for a bite. I couldn’t finish my Big Mac, so I took it to-go. Feeling all excited, I was carrying the Big Mac and fooling around when I tripped and broke my front tooth. At that moment, my mind went blank, and I had this terrible vision of living out the rest of my life with a goofy smile and no chance of finding love, which really brought my mood down. During the luge ride, I was the only one who crashed my cart into a wall and got thrown out, which made me feel even more clumsy and sad. But then we went bungee jumping, and it was so thrilling that I completely forgot about everything. I was the first to jump, and although I was a bit scared at first, once I was strapped into the harness, I got excited and just went for it. It felt like flying through the sky, and it was the best feeling ever. On the bus ride back, I slept, and before I knew it, we were back at school.

It was hands down the most fun I’ve had during my time in New Zealand.