Student Stories

My stay in New Zealand

By Maxime Génin from France, 2008

The School

I was very happy with KingsWay School. Indeed, my buddy, was really very welcoming and nice. He was my buddy for the whole of my six week stay and he and I became good friends. I was never alone and when I had a problem or a question he was always there to help me and show me what I must do.

The students were very nice too. I knew almost everybody in my grade at the end of my stay. They were very nice and during the lessons, they welcomed me. More, because of the friendship between me and the students, I was invited to a birthday party, but I didn't even know the person, who was having the birthday. And I really had a lot of fun. I was also able to go to a Ball.

I was probably the most surprised by the teachers, because in France, it is different, whereas here in Kingsway school, they were very welcome and they often helped me to understand the lessons. I was never bored because I could always participate in a lot of things. I did a lot of tests during my stay (2 in mathematics, where I gained an archieved and an excellence, a sport's assessment where I gained an achieved, one in sciences where I gained a merit and a speech in English, which I gained a merit, so I had to revise and I didn't have a lot of time with nothing to do. I achieved a lot in 6 weeks.

So, at school, I think I can say that all was perfect and that I really had a good time and I enjoyed a lot my stay in Kingsway school.

 

Walking the way of the King

By Niklas Thoma (German Exchange Student)

As I first came to New Zealand I was quite amused with everybody introducing themselves to me and I just couldn’t remember any of the names. Two things I can remember from the first day was a student saying “Look there, that’s Stef, but you don’t have to get to know her” and second was was another student introducing himself as the “most popular boy in school”.  That was about all I heard from ever.

I came to New Zealand not as a Christian. I believed in God and am from a family of believers, but have never experienced something like a Christian school; in fact I don’t even know one Christian of my age which lives in my area in Germany.

I was gutted when my homestay mum told me what a Christian really is and that coming from a family of believers doesn’t make me a Christian.  I also didn’t like the idea that the school wanted me to cut my hair. Not even the School Ball, which is a very cool experience, could make up for these things. It took me about 6 months to understand that God brought me to New Zealand and to KingsWay for a reason and still after that it took me quite a while ‘till I actually started to have a desire to learn about God and to live for Him.

Looking back at this year from the eyes of a non-Christian I would say it was a total waste of time, not even the exams count in Germany. But looking back at this year from a Christian perspective, I can say it was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

It was not always easy to get along with and heaps of things really annoyed me.  (You don’t know how glad I am that we don’t have school uniform in Germany) Mainly I can say I was well-trained here and I am ready to go back to Germany.  I am going back home as a different person - as a faithful person and I am going back with God.

KingsWay changed my life, my faith and my world view but as we say in Germany, “You should stop when things are at their best” – and I have to stop (and go) now. God bless KingsWay, with all its teachers, its entire staff, all its students and all my friends.