OPINION

The staggered opening of international borders this year has provided the opportunity for our region to reconnect with whānau, friends and visitors from overseas, restarting a cultural exchange that has been largely restricted for the past two-and-a-half years.

Among those eagerly awaiting the opportunity to return to our shores have been cohorts of international students, patiently waiting for their chance to begin or restart their Kiwi experience in Te Tai Tokerau.

Last week we were finally able to officially welcome more than 70 international students back into our region, with a uniquely Kiwi “welcome back” event at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

The event marked a symbolic moment for Northland’s international education sector, after a large absence of offshore students for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through the event, students were able to learn about the history of Aotearoa New Zealand, take part in cultural performances and enjoy a classic Kiwi lunch of fish and chips, connecting with our culture and history.

Anyone who has travelled overseas, whether through an overseas exchange, a “big OE” or a holiday abroad will have had experiences that open your eyes to the world beyond New Zealand.

The range of cultures, languages, customs and traditions which shape other countries help expand the minds of those visitors who are lucky enough to experience them.

Gaining an understanding that English is not always the dominant language, that a Sunday roast isn’t a weekly event or that summer holidays aren’t always spent at the beach help us understand the world around us, and discover and appreciate societies and cultures which differ from our own.

For the international students returning to Taitokerau Northland, this is exactly what they’re here for. The chance to experience our culture, learn our languages and grow their understanding of what New Zealand, and specifically Northland, is all about.

Integrated into the communities of schools across the region such as Whangārei Girls’ High School, Springbank School, Northtec and Kerikeri High School, students are immersed in the daily lives of their peers from New Zealand.

They then take home with them experiences, memories and stories which they will share with their own communities, spreading the word of all that Northland has to offer and enticing future visitors.

Beyond the chance to share the Northland experience with overseas visitors, the international student programme run through Study Northland promotes the importance of global citizenship to our own communities.

The cultural exchange works in both directions, and as international students live and take home their Northland experience, our local students and communities are equally able to connect, learn and grow through the international student exchange.

This intercultural learning grows the global competency of our youth, opening their eyes to the world around them and enabling them to interact with and grow their understanding of different cultures.

A 23-strong exchange group from Otani High School in Kyoto recently returned home after spending time at their sister school, Whangārei Girls’ High School, where students were billeted to host families to provide both communities with the chance to learn about one another’s cultures.

These bilateral ties are important and create connections between host families and students which often generate ongoing relationships and future visits in both directions.

With post-Covid reconnection now happening through international travel across the world, the return of international students offers Taitokerau Northland the opportunity to regenerate cultural exchange and grow the global competency of our region.

Jo Lees is Study Northland project manager at Northland Inc