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SEMESTER 1/2011 • NUMBER 2

48 Hours:
Queenstown

Iconic Image
winners

Off the
Beaten
Track: Easy
Day Escapes

Insider’s Wonderous
Guide: warming
Student DJ winter Kai
IFSA-BUTLER INFORMATION • HEALTH & SAFETY • TRAVEL ADVICE • NZ STAFF TOP TEN • REMINDERS • HEALTH NOTICES • PUB-LESS QUIZ CONTINUES •
 From the Editor
I t may be hard to believe, but you’re now (probably)
into your last month in New Zealand. Exams are
looming, and I’m sure it’s quiet around campus with
everyone studying.
O ne of the things that isn’t talked about so much is
what it’s like to slot back in at home, after you’ve
been away for a semester having the time of your life.
We talk to you lots about culture shock, but what about
when you get back home and you have thousands of
pictures and stories of amazing new experiences and
not everybody is hugely interested? And it’s hard to get
Tim Tams!* How do you cope then?
I studied at the University of Richmond for a year, BF
(before Facebook) and for many of my friends it was
as if I disappeared and then suddenly reappeared a
year later. When I got back I tried to show people my
pictures, and almost every sentence I uttered started
with “In America...”, or for a little bit of variety, “When I
was in America...”. But they didn’t care (or, really, they
didn’t care as much as I thought they should. I’d had
such an amazing time! Met such amazing people! Just
look at the pictures!).
S o, I decided to find a place where people were
interested in my stories and pictures. My study
abroad office was such a place. Remember what you
were like before you left for NZ? You wanted to know
all you could from the people that had already done it.
Hello captive audience! So why not get involved and
Contents
3 Morning Tea &
NewZ in Brief
4 48 Hours in Queenstown
5 Fill in the ____s.
6 On & Off the Beaten Track:
Easy Day Escapes
The IFSA-Butler NZ Office is working to reduce our environmental impact. This issue of NEWZealand has been printed locally at Valley Print
on sustainably sourced paper. Please pass this publication on or recycle when you have finished enjoying its contents.
2
to talk to students wanting to study
abroad about everything you did.
M y study abroad experience got
me a job in the end too, which
I’ve now turned into a career. Your
study abroad office may help you
with learning how to narrate your
study abroad experience for potential employers.
Rather than just being (hopefully) a fabulous time,
your semester in NZ will help you to demonstrate
useful skills when applying for jobs/internships/
graduate school. Your classes will have given you an
international perspective (which is important in this
globalised world), and living on the other side of the
world for several months will definitely give you plenty
of examples of your problem-solving skills – all useful
points to add to a CV or talk about in an interview.
I n this issue, we get an insider’s look into student
radio from Otago-ites Allyson Coff and Will Roane,
in time for NZ Music Month this May. We share our
favourite day escapes, and find out how SSCs Alana
and Emily are faring after the quake and twister,
respectively. And we bring you some delicious winter
kai. We also remember Waatara Black who we got to
know and love at our marae visits, and who passed
away recently. A big thanks to all IFSA staff and
students who contributed to this issue. Good luck for
your exams everyone!
Amy Rutherford, Editor
* Though not impossible. From October to March you can get them
from Pepperidge Farm: http://www.ilovetimtamcookies.com/.
8 Profile: Allyson Coff 10 Review:
Student DJ Kiwi music &
film
12 Haere mai ki te kai:
Winter warmers
IFSA-Butler NZ
PO Box 1461
Wellington
Website: http://newzealand.ifsa-butler.org/
Email: ifsabutlernz@ifsa-butler.org
Phone: (04) 471-0145
 Morning Tea
SSC Alana Boyd sat down with a cup of tea and slice of carrot cake for
a phone chat with Mike Cash, camp manager at Shakespear Lodge
YMCA, Whangaparoa, where you have all your fun on Orientation.
Mike ’s fave morning tea.... Tea
and scones - English breakfast tea
of course, and butter and jam with
maybe a bit of whipped cream.
AB: Mike, your accent doesn’t
sound very Kiwi. Where are you
from originally?
MC: I was born in Devon. But I’ve
been in NZ for nine years and am a
Kiwi, with a passport now to prove it!
AB: And we are very stoked that
you are! We know Shakespear
Park is really a playground with
the coolest toys and activities,
so what do you like doing in your
spare time?
MC: I like to take the yachts out
and go for sail. I’m a keen DIY-er,
and like to tinker in the garage. Also
orienteering in the summer months. I
go across to competitions such as the
summer series in Auckland.
AB: So you’re a little bit
competitive?
MC: (Sarcastically) Not at all!
AB: Where did your DIY fancy
start, and what projects are you
most proud of?
MC: Outside of work, I made my
god-daughter, who is 2 ½ a walking
bike last year. It’s a wooden frame
and looks like a bike, but you walk on
it as a way of teaching balance. Then
in November some good friends got
married, and they wanted a wishing
Drop everything!...IFSA Butler NZ is on
Facebook, and we’re building our fanbase.
We’ll post photos, links, and useful info on
the page, so make sure you check it! www.
facebook.com/ifsabutlernz.
Our very own Darren Meeker attended
the annual University Games. He played
well for the wedding, so I made one.
They were actually an ex-YMCA
staff member and an ex-IFSA student!
My dad was a bit of a DIY-er – so he
was the one to light the fire, and it
was a natural progression coming to
NZ where everyone is keen on DIY
projects.
AB: Your wife Mel works as a
psychologist so can you tell us a
bit more about her?
MC: She’s a corporate person,
working in the big mean world, and
like me, a perfectionist. She is keen
on outdoors as well, and getting into
the bush. We don’t spend much time
at home, and on our time off we like to
travel to see friends and family in New
Zealand and overseas, and spend
time in the outdoors.
AB: You also run summer
camps for kids during the school
holidays, and they sound like
awesome fun…
MC: Yes, they run for six days, with
lots of water based activities, sailing,
kayaking etc, and games in the
evenings. We also do some speciality
camps, such as sailing, where we
have six days with the kids teaching
them to sail. It was very successful
this summer just been, so we will do it
again next year.
AB: I’ve been told that you have
some special dance moves that
you pull out around the campfire
Ultimate Frisbee for the Victoria Wildcats,
his team winning Gold in a cliff hanger
‘Universe Point’ finish. Darren rated the
trip, travelling & socialising as “awesome”.
And Otago’s Abby Sandry says her Uni
Games was “the event of a lifetime”. From
having no prior experience in rowing,
on
these camps? *
MC: Yes, I have been known to get
involved, and get the kids and staff into
it.
AB: What about your pet chicken?
MC: She’s called Beatrice, and we’ve
just got another one that was put on
the park by a member of the public –
but we haven’t named it yet.
AB: What have you got planned at
Shakespear this winter?
MC: This June we are taking kids
to Ruapehu for a week of skiing and
snowboarding. I’ve only skied once -
cross-country skiing in Norway. I’ll be
doing a lot of the driving on this trip so
wouldn’t be able to show off my flash
skiing skills.
AB: Mike, do you miss us?
MC: We’re too busy to miss you!
Since August last year we have had
one week with no one here, so we
don’t really have time to think, it’s just
onto the next group, though we do
definitely look forward to you coming!
We look forward to working with older
kids who can look after themselves
and we can have fun with, so we can
relax and enjoy it a little bit more. And
of course we look forward to the food!
AB: Thanks Mike!
* My source remains unnamed.
she started training for the ‘Novi’ team in
March - enduring seven sessions a week &
5am starts! “We trained hard and headed
to Lake Karapiro for the Championships....I
came away with three golds...and helped
Otago bring home the overall Championship
trophy.” The moral here? ‘Just do it!’
3
 48 Hours:
Queenstown
When she arrived in Dunedin,
Emily Patrick didn’t think NZ
could get much prettier - that
was before she spent a weekend
in Queenstown. Now she’s
“absolutely in love”.
Queenstown is definitely a tourist town
and lives up to its title of Adventure
Capital of the World. The Remarkables
reflecting in Lake Wakatipu is a sight
that I think everyone should
see.
Day One, Bungy Jump
Day: Even though my
appointment wasn’t until the
afternoon, I convinced myself
not to think about it all day.
And I succeeded. It really
didn’t hit me until I was sitting
in my harness, ready to pull
the release strap.
There are tons of bungy jump
options in Queenstown but I
had decided to do the ‘Ledge
Swing’ which was at the top
of the gondola. I picked this
for two reasons: I knew that
the view from the top of the
gondola was unbeatable,
and I wanted to do a swing instead of
the free jump bungy because I didn’t
think I’d mentally be able to make myself
jump off a platform. Sitting down and
pulling a safety strap sounded much
more appealing to me. The fall itself
wasn’t scary at all. It was amazing.
Swinging back and forth and looking
at the view over Queenstown, Lake
Wakatipu and the Remarkables was
hands down one of the most amazing
experiences of my life.
I’m so glad that I actually did it, and
didn’t chicken out. The only part that
scared me a little was when they
were pulling me back up to the base
because that was the first time that I
looked up and I realized how far I had
fallen. That’s when my whole body
started to shake, probably a mixture of
nerves and adrenaline. The feeling of
accomplishment afterwards made it all
worthwhile,
though. If you haven’t gone
bungy jumping yet, GO DO IT!
Day two, Ride of the Rings day:
A horseback ride through Paradise,
which is near Glenorchy, about an hour
outside of Queenstown. The horseback
ride went through filming locations of
Lord of the Rings, Wolverine,
Prince Caspian, Willow and
America’s Next Top Model.
Aside from seeing the filming
locations, the scenery was
amazing. The Hobbit is
scheduled to start filming
there sometime in the next
few weeks. After our morning
horseback ride, we went
on the Million Dollar Cruise
through the harbor. Really
inexpensive and was a good
way to see Queenstown
from another perspective.
Even aside from all of
the adventure activities,
Queenstown has so much
to offer. There’s great shopping, great
restaurants, beautiful gardens and
plenty of short walks. It definitely lives
up to its title of Adventure Capital of the
World. Definitely my favourite weekend
trip so far in New Zealand. EP

There’s always a buzz in the crystal clear air EXPLORE @ www.queenstown-nz.co.nz/

of Queenstown. Located in the southern end
of the South Island, it has seduced many,
including several US presidents, and singer
Shania Twain, who bought a $21.4 million
property nearby in 2004. Come winter, it’s a
magnet for alpine sports nuts and thrill seekers
of every stripe. But don’t worry if you’re not up
to diving off bridges or throwing yourself around
in the snow. There’s great shopping, awesome
scenery (The Remarkables really do live up to
their name), and 160 licensed bars and cafés,
all dedicated to showing you a good time. In
short, the town has evolved from an 1860s
goldmining camp to become one of the most
dynamic & sophisticated holiday resorts in NZ.
information/thingstodo: The range of
activities you can do in Queenstown is truly
vast and will depend hugely on your budget,
so check out the comprehensive list on this
well designed website.
EAT at @ Thai Restaurant: Queenstown is
something of a nightmare for the thrifty, so
if you’re saving your cash for an adventure
or adrenaline thrill, low-cost dining is what
you need. Meals at @ Thai start at $6.
STAY @ Nomads Queenstown: For the
same reasons as above, and because it
won the Goldren Backpack Award for best
NZ hostel in 2010.

4
 Fill in the____
With Amanda Balaban from Auckland
Last night I spent twice as long waiting for Megavideo to
load a TV episode than the TV episode itself, so that I could
pretend I get to watch real TV ever.
In Auckland you must eat the 60 cent ice cream at
McDonald’s to survive. Fantastic!
You must try to go anywhere the ferries will take you.
At least once a day it rains.
Never forget my trip to the South Island. Once in a life time.
In memory of Waatara Black
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing
of Waatara Black in April. Waatara had been involved
with IFSA-Butler from its earliest days. In her role as
Maori liaison, Waatara would organise the noho marae
(overnight visits to marae) that are an integral part of the
IFSA-Butler orientation program.
The matching of Waatara with IFSA-Butler was perhaps
an unlikely duo. Brought up on a farm in the Waikato
region, Waatara had no formal tertiary education. But
as she used to say: “I don’t have any BAs, PhDs, ABCs
or any other letters after my name, but I have decades
of knowledge and wisdom gained from involvement in
community activism and education.”
As a long-time political activist, protest was part and
parcel of Waatara’s life during the 70’s and early 80’s as,
along with others, she sought to raise the awareness
of fellow Maori and Pakeha to historical injustices.
Waatara recognised that crucial to cultural renaissance,
and therefore the Maori quest for tino rangatiratanga
(self determination), was the nurturing of te reo (Maori
language). Accordingly, she was involved in the early
80’s in the establishment of kohanga reo (Maori early
childhood centres). She used these language skills,
honed over decades, to introduce US students to
Te Reo. Thus, just over 48 hours after arriving in the
country, students arriving at a marae would participate
in a pōwhiri (welcome), with two or three male students
(rangatira) confidently giving their mihi, their speeches
supported by all students enthusiastically singing waiata
– in te reo!
Each noho marae would also include Waatara’s
famous kōrero. Seamlessly inter-weaving theology,
anthropology, history and sociology, Waatara would
trace Maori history from its Creation story of Ranginui
and Papatūānuku, the migration of Maori through
Kiwis say that
Australia is a
small insignificant
island…but we
all know they are
lying.
My funniest memory was our tent collapsing on us. Yes, it
actually managed to be funny at the time.
Best Auckland event was the Chinese lantern Festival.
the Pacific to Aotearoa, and
through to the arrival of the
Tainui canoe from which her
Ngati Te Ata whakapapa
descends. Moving to
contemporary history, Waatara
would trace the impact of
the arrival of Europeans and
the process of colonisation that robbed Maori of their
health, land and culture, before covering the Maori
renaissance – cultural & political – of the last 30 years.
For Waatara, this recent history was not merely theory,
but consisted of a narrating of her own story. Organic
farmer, horse-trainer, whaea (mother/aunty) to troubled
young people, political activist, educator – Waatara’s life
was one of looking out for the marginalised, and also of
painting a vision of what a joint future in Aotearoa may
look like, for Maori and Pakeha.
Wataara would often conclude her kōrero with a
whakatauki (Maori proverb): “Nā tō rourou, nā taku
rourou ka ora ai te iwi - With my basket of knowledge
and your basket of knowledge all the people will thrive.”
Waatara’s message was that when one embraced the
best of Western culture and joined that with Maori (and
other indigenous) ways of knowing, one became a more
‘whole’ person, able to engage with the challenges of
the world – a pertinent message for all cross-cultural
students.
Over 14 years, thousands of students and many
IFSA-Butler staff came into contact with Waatara. Her
continuing legacy is surely the countless students
and staff who through her influence have seen and
experienced the world differently, and in doing so have
become more rounded world citizens.
Andrew Shepherd
5
 On & Off the Beaten Track:
Easy Day Escapes
Some spots and activities are worth putting aside a day to enjoy. We asked IFSA staff for their top
day trips in or near your cities. So set your alarm clock, fill your day pack and get ready to enjoy some
unique New Zealand destinations!
Wellington
Kaitoke Regional Park, with designer Anne Taylor
Wellingtonians, when you get that lovely ‘out of the box’ day
in winter - and they do happen! - my suggestion is to go to
Kaitoke Regional Park, about 45 minutes drive north of the
capital.

This spot boasts many beautiful walks, centuries-old native

forest, and the spectacular Hutt River, which supplies nearly
half of Wellington’s total water. This is also a sacred place of
pilgrimage for diehard Lord of the Rings fans because it’s
where the Rivendell scenes were shot. So don’t be surprised
if you’re walking down
Auckland a path and around
Snow Planet, with SSC Emily Nicholson the corner come
Auckland’s idea of winter is a lot of rain, with some wind a dreamy looking
and a pinch of frost dropped in. It’s only missing one couple dressed in
thing…. snow! So if you feel like an afternoon of skiing and long velvet robes,
snowboarding but don’t want to drive for hours and hours, holding wands. It’s
we have the answer: Snow Planet! happened to me a few
times there! Just smile
This is New Zealand’s one and only indoor snow resort, and trot out the Elvish
open 365 days a year, with perfect weather inside - a greeting that you’ve
chilly negative five degrees celsius. Make sure you kit up been rehearsing for
(gear up). Must-takes are warm clothing and gloves. If you just this possibility on “...don’t be surprised if you’re
own your own snow gear (snow pants and jackets) that’s
the drive up. walking down a path and around
sweet, but if you’re like me and warm clothes equate to
jeans, woollens and winter coats, then I would strongly the corner come a dreamy
Swimming in the river is
recommend you hire gear from the friendly staff. Going looking couple dressed in long
probably a hypothermia
home with a cold wet bum because your pants were not velvet robes, holding wands...”
risk this time of year
water proof isn’t fun... trust me.
but there is a loop track well worth doing, which takes about
Other equipment is available for hire or you can take your 40 minutes to complete, starting from the Pakuratahi Forks
own. With student ID, its only $19 plus gear hire. There is carpark. Enjoy the swing bridge (vertigo sufferers might not)
snowboarding and skiing available, as well as tobogganing then plunge into the dense bush before coming out at an old
and just frolicking in the snow. If you need a little guidance, reservoir and returning to the car park, via ‘Rivendell’.
why not book a lesson. The last time I attempted to
snowboard I spent 90% of the time on my bottom, but the Before you leave, you might be able to tempt some native
staff are lovely and really helpful. longfin and shortfin eels out from under the massive rock in
the river, directly down the steps from the car park. These
How to get there: amazing creatures have lived in New Zealand for millions
Snow Planet is only 20mins north of Auckland on State of years but pollution and other factors have meant that
Highway 1 North. Exit at the Silverdale offramp, turn their numbers are now dwindling. Prime steak goes down a
right at the first roundabout and cross the bridge over the treat but they will also rouse themselves for less flash picnic
motorway. Cross the next roundabout, then turn right into food. Pack a raincoat, warm hat and sturdy walking shoes,
Small Road. www.snowplanet.co.nz. because the weather can change quickly.

6
How to get there: Travel north on the motorway (State
Highway 2) through Upper Hutt. Turn left at Waterworks
Winners of the great
Road and look out for the Pakuratahi Forks sign. For maps
Iconic Images Challenge
and more info, go to http://www.gw.govt.nz/Kaitoke/.
This year’s Iconic Images competition drew in a
Dunedin bumper crop of excellent photographs. Thanks to all
Warrington and Karitane, with SSC Guy Ferguson of you who entered! Some agonising decisions had to
I thoroughly recommend that you all get up to both be made here at IFSA-Butler HQ – there was laughter,
Warrington and then up the coast to Karitane. I was lucky there were tears – but eventually we came up with
enough at the start of the semester to do two surf camps some great winning entries that reflect the diverse
at Karitane. It is a genuinely beautiful place. There are two attractions of Aotearoa New Zealand. Not only did all
beaches, one which faces south east and the other facing the entries remind us what a unique place this is, but
north east. Separating the two beaches is a lagoon which they also reinforced to us that IFSA-Butler students
leads out to the ocean. are a creative and gifted mob. It’s great to see that so
many of you have been getting out and exploring, and
Pick up fish and chips from Wakouaiti (five minutes north of
capturing some beautiful memories to take back with
Karitane), and go for a walk on the southern beach. If you
you.
are into surfing (as I know a few of you are) you are almost
guaranteed offshore surf due to the fact that the beaches Our winners...
face different directions. Also the northern beach is a point
Off the Beaten Track category:
break, break along a sand bar which stretches out from the
river mouth. Winner: Trees at Slope Point,
Catlins, Lindsay Lincoln (Otago)
Warrington is a quiet little settlement, where I have an
City & Campus category:
uncle, actually. It is a really safe beach for swimming
(though it is getting cold now). Again it is a great place to Winner: Wellington Night-time
go for a winter walk. If you are into getting shellfish, there Cityscape, Darren Meeker (Victoria)
is Paua (abelonies) at the northern end of the beach. Look
Field Trips & Labs category:
out for the hector dolphins which live up and down the
coast - we got the opportunity to surf with them on our Winner: Geology Field Trip
surf camp. The coastal drive from Warrington to Karitane Will Roane III (Otago)
is beautiful and definitely recommended so get out there,
guys - it’s a very easy day trip. Highly commended...
How to get there: Warrington is 20 minutes north of Fox Glacier
Dunedin on State Highway 1, and Karitane is a further 15 Lily Keyes (Massey Albany)
minutes up the road.
Lake Tekapo Observatory
Ben Harel (Victoria)
Lake Manapouri
Julia Signorella
(Otago)

And our
spot prize winners......
IFSA-Butler Next Top Model
Award:
Walking Along a Beach in Abel
Tasman, Arian Flores, (Victoria)
(Hu)man’s Best Friend Award:
Surfing Dog, by Emily Swaim
(Victoria)
Natural History Award:
Albatross, Emily Patrick (Otago)
Stunning Karitane

Photo: Murray Neill Photography, www.murrayneil.co.nz

7
 Profile: Allyson
Coff, Student DJ
Straight after she signed up for her courses, Allyson
Coff was off in search of the dream, at Otago’s
student radio station Radio One. She teamed up with
photographer Will Roane for this insider’s guide to
student radio, just in time for NZ Music Month (May).
I’d say it was a full 18 seconds between when I officially
found out I was spending my semester in Dunedin and a
“Dunedin music” search on Google. Music is a big part of
my life, and hosting a radio show and attending heaps of
concerts was something I knew I’d miss while exploring New
Zealand. With music as a necessity, I decided to immerse
myself in the Dunedin music scene, and check out what the
other side of the world had to offer!

After some research in the months leading up to my time in

Dunedin, I learned about the ‘Dunedin Sound’ (a type of indie
pop with recognizably jangly guitars); Flying Nun Records (a
notable independent record label started in Christchurch),
and bands such as The Chills and The Clean that have
been cited as influential to some of my favorite bands. I was
also pretty excited to find dunedinmusic.com, which, as its
name indicates, is a website with all sorts of info on music in
Dunedin such as gigs, bands, reviews and more. Seeing that
such a website existed was quite comforting. I also stumbled
upon the website for Dunedin’s student radio station, Radio
One. After looking it over and occasionally streaming the “When I came to the word ‘Aotearoa’,
station, I was convinced that despite being on the other side which despite seeing and hearing multiple times,
of the world, Dunedin, the city I would learn to call home, has my brain failed to recognize its proper pronunciation.
a stellar taste in music!
“Ah-oh-teraa” was what I managed to stutter out.....”
Since day one, I had planned to have a radio show in New into Radio One. We spot your potential, we trust your taste in
Zealand. After registering for classes on the first day, I music and we believe you’d make a great Radio personality”.
decided it was time to pay Radio One a visit. As I walked
into the office I saw posters of some of my favorite bands Wahoo! New Zealand airwaves here I come! A few days later
covering the walls - I could barely contain my excitement, I started training. The first day I just played music without
seriously! After awkwardly introducing myself by saying I voice breaks. There are a bunch of similarities with my station
have a radio show back home and was hoping to do a show back home, but a lot of things are also done differently, and
in Dunedin as well, I was given an application. While I filled it the equipment is different so it took some time to get used
out, I met some of the Radio One characters, and knew right to. The next time I came in for training they told me I would
away I enjoyed the vibe of the station. After recording a voice be doing voice breaks, eek! The show started off decently,
sample, they told me they would get back to me, as they a bit nerve racking - especially because I’m used to hosting
were swamped with stuff going on for O-week. I was pretty a show with two of my friends, not all alone! The show was
pumped about a potential show, but didn’t want to get my going well, until we got to the ‘Community Notice Board’,
hopes up. something I was unfamiliar with. I was given a piece of paper
and told to read it at 3:30. I thought, hmm, okay sounds easy
Photos: Will Roane

For the next few weeks, I would occasionally run back to the
office to check in, checking if any progress had been made
on my application, (patience isn’t exactly my strong suit). I
asked about which gigs to go to, and which New Zealand
bands I should check out, and received some extremely
helpful information. Then, finally I received the following
e-mail: “Hi! What a great volunteer application you turned
enough. After announcing the songs I just played I began to
read the notices. When I came to the word Aotearoa, which
despite seeing and hearing multiple times, my brain failed to
recognize its proper pronunciation. “Ah-oh-teraa” was what I
managed to stutter out. Oh boy, I’m sure those listening will
find it bizarre that the girl on the radio can’t pronounce the
name of the country she’s living in! Whoops.

8
Luckily, I have since learned to look over the notices and ask
for help on how to pronounce the Maori words. Significant
improvement has been made. I’ve also gotten used to Check out the NZ Music
saying “dot N Zed” rather than “dot N Zee.” Month website to find out
gigs in your town - some of
I have since had four radio shows! They have all been super them are free!
fun, and I’ve enjoyed playing some of my favorite music from www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz.
back home, as well as my newfound kiwi favorites. Thanks
to the wondrous powers of the Internet, my friends and
And tune into student radio to get
family have been streaming the show from all over the world!
your authentic NZ music experience...
I’m pretty pumped for my upcoming shows, as I continue to
become more and more familiar with the station. I definitely
Radio One 91.0FM: The University of
recommend listening to Radio One, as they play some rad
Otago’s student radio. Began broadcasting
music that you won’t hear anywhere else! And as much as
in 1984, and from the mid-1990s has been
I miss going to concerts back home, I have truly enjoyed
operating throughout the year in a new
getting to know the music of New Zealand. I have a feeling
annex to the Student Union building. DJs
I will find myself missing the music scene here. I highly
play “everything from punk-pop futurefunk to
recommend checking out a few New Zealand gigs, there
bangin’ bhangra beats, catchy synth singles to
are some very talented musicians here. Happy New Zealand
cosmic soul death disco”. Check out their live
Music Month!
performances during NZ Music Month on 91
FM or streaming from http://www.r1.co.nz/.

95BFM: Emerged at University of Auckland

in 1969, as Radio Bosom, a capping stunt.
It was set up in a boat, which ran aground,
and broadcast illegally on speakers around
the Student Union. Now as 95BFM, it serves
up NZ music, news and views, and aims to
be “challenging without being inaccessible”.
www.95bfm.com.

VBC 88.3 FM: A non-profit student radio

station based at Victoria University of
Wellington, launched in March 2007. Check
out the music vids at www.vbc.org.nz.

Allyson’s top MUNT 88.5 FM: The student radio station

Dunedin bands: for the Massey University Wellington Campus
in Wellington. Shows include Punk, Reggae,
Alizarin Lizard Rock revival, Indie and Electronic. http://www.
Left or Right streamingthe.net/Munt-FM-Massey-University-
Knives at Noon Wellington/p/3812.
Thundercub
The Chills Radio Active 89FM: An alternative radio
Tono & the Finance Company station broadcasting in Wellington. Begun as
Victoria University’s student radio station it
More great NZ was bought by Radio Active Limited in 1989.
music: Now boasts a strong following in the capital,
with 45000 people tuning in weekly. www.
An Emerald City radioactive.fm.
Lawrence Arabia
Shapeshifter RDU 98.5FM: A student radio station
The Mint Chicks operating from the University of Canterbury.
The Naked & Famous Long running shows include Girl School, The
The Phoenix Foundation Mixtape Sessions, The Joint, Guitar Metal,
The Ruby Suns Dollar Mix, Hauswerk and Vintage Cuts.
www.rdu.org.nz.

9
 In Review
& Kiwi Music & Movie
Barnaby Weir:
Tarot Card Rock
Ben Harel, Wellington
Once in a band with Flight of
the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie,
Barnaby Weir now cranks out
his own style in Tarot Card Rock.
This album embodies Barnaby Weir’s solo exploration
away from Wellington band, The Black Seeds. The Black
Seeds, whose former members include Bret McKenzie of
Flight of the Conchords, have poppy reggae-esque tunes
with notes that remind the listener of being under a palm
tree with a beer.
Weir’s solo album is a
long way off from his
Seed-y predecessors. In
combinations of acoustic
guitar, a country-twang vocal
lead, and occasionally a
horn section, Weir sets up an
album with laid-back tones
and subtle varieties. The
entire sound is reminiscent
of Wilco meets Johnny Cash. ‘Till We Get Over’ borrows
almost directly from the Jack Johnson infamous and
monotonous strum (“dun-dah chack, dah-dun-dah-dun
chack”). While most songs are pure folk/country, ‘I’m
Coming Home’ is a standard jazz-blues through and
through, with cheesy love lyrics.
‘Do You Remember Fun?’, arguably the catchiest song
on the album, suffers from a lacklustre verse with
uninspired lyrics, depriving the song of the poppy energy
which drove The Black Seeds’ music to popularity.
In the end, Barnaby Weir’s solo attempt is scarred by
some glaring musical weaknesses: low energy and lack
of novelty. The dragging tempos and an uninspiring
vocal performance lead to an album which appears
almost… lazy. It provides a strained listening experience
which affects both its enjoyment and subsequently
its popularity. Furthermore, its lyrics and melodies
are nothing fresh, break no rules, introduce no new
sounds, and overall contain no novel elements which are
necessary for listener interest. I would rate this album as
a dud, but would enthusiastically encourage interested
listeners to check out Weir’s original source of fame, The
Black Seeds.
10
Tiki
Emily MacDonald & Meredith Mayer,
Wellington
Tiki is a mash up of dub step and
techno, with a slight dabble in trance.
It has potential to be a decent album,
but we were left unenthused. First
we examined the lyrics. Currently
Meredith is reading me the lyrics whilst the music is playing
in the background. It’s making me want to punch myself
in the face. This may have something to do with the lyrics,
but this also might be because Meredith isn’t very good
at rapping. Let’s talk about his dubstep skillz: He focuses
on mentioning it as much as possible in his lyrics, but it’s
not very present in the actual music. It would be music for
a summer’s night out, where there is alcohol and lots of
dancing. Maybe a night out with the hens? (NO ROOSTERS
ALLOWED!!!!!) Anyway, the transitions between songs are
good, and it’s cool to hear some Māori influence in the
music. The best track is
probably the last one, which
has a good build up. We’ve
come to the conclusion that
Tiki is worth checking out,
but he’s not our cup of tea. If
you like this kind of stuff, give
him a listen. He tries, but no
Rusko, he is. Trust us, we’re
experts.
Whale Rider
Rethna Eddy
Imagine one girl’s modern, heroic fairytale set in one of
the world’s most beautiful countries. Even though I had
heard great things about Whale Rider, I did not realize how
much the movie would change when you are studying
abroad in the country where it was filmed. The movie takes
place in a coastal region of New Zealand, and the premise
of the story focuses on the main character, Pai, who is
unluckily born into a family where tradition is ultimate.
When Pai was born, her mother
and her twin brother died during
childbirth. Her father, Porourangi,
is devastated and leaves Pai with
her grandparents to be raised. Pai’s
grandfather is disappointed that
his son Porourangi does not want
to fulfill the role of being the chief

of his Māori tribe, the Paikea, which
means ‘whale rider’ - not seeing the
potential in Pai to become the leader
of the tribe. Instead, he decides to train
young boys to see who the true leader
is. Pai deals with the mistreatment that
her grandfather puts her through until
she gets the respect she deserves,
which happens when whales become
beached on the coast where they live,
which is a bad sign for their tribe.
Before watching Whale Rider, I did
not realize the intimate relationship
that comes from within Māori
families. I have never seen such an
intimate relationship in a family that
was not expressed at all between
the grandfather and the daughter.
This story is about one girl’s triumph
over her grandfather’s old fashioned
attitudes towards females and their
abilities. I found the cinematography
to be really beautiful and it captured
the natural beauty that New Zealand
boasts so readily. The acting was
extremely well done and the film
did not need the extra assistance of
special effects for the message to be
delivered to the audience. The story
is strong, and embodies an important
message to men and women alike.
There are points in the movie that bring
an audience together. You want to
be able to support Pai through all the
verbal abuse that she is subjected to in
this film. Her portrayal of the emotions
was flawless.
Alana’s Earthquake Story
New Canterbury SSC Alana Boyd was
getting ready for the new term when ‘Old
Bucky’ struck, leaving a thoroughly ‘munted’
city in its wake. We asked her to describe
that day, and how she’s doing now...
Firstly, my sincerest apologies to the city of
Wellington, whose quaking infamy we stole from under your noses.
Trust us – we never planned to steal your thunder! It all started last year
with 4 September’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake, and then the devastating
6.3 on 22 February this year.
The day of February’s earthquake was quite surreal and it took some time
for news of the central city to trickle through to our relatively unaffected
suburb of Riccarton, which is near the university. We felt helpless in those
first few hours and days, unsure how we could help besides making sure
our friends and family were safe and well. Christchurch is one of those
places where you can always find connections to someone through so-
and-so who went to school with so-and-so, and it’s a way of life which
also compounded the pain of the heart-wrenching casualty toll.
But a silver lining began to emerge as the community reached out to each
other, through groups like the Student Volunteer Army, which ran like a well
oiled machine, physically and emotionally helping the affected suburbs,
and giving students a chance to proactively take on and succeed at a
solely student-led project, in a way that only we could.
The country poured its heart out, as seen in the pallets of baking that
came through our doors. (Confession: some of it found its way to our flats,
simply because it became too much to go around, before it went stale!).
The SVA organised students by Facebook, who turned up each morning
to ‘HQ’ (the UC Student Association’s marquee in the carpark) to dig silt,
give out baking and information. It was overwhelming to see the courage
of the people we worked for. Their houses and businesses had been
wiped out but they did not see themselves as victims, instead insisting on
helping in a very Kiwi ‘no fuss’ kind of way. Of course there was sadness,
but the ‘one-eyed Cantabrian’ saying proved its worth as the community
pledged to hold the fort and rebuild what was broken.
Things are relatively back to normal now.
University life has adapted to having classes
in tents, an ever changing timetable, regular
reminders of the patience and flexibility
needed from everyone while things get
back up and running. The only negative for
me is the reduction to only ONE provider
of caffeinated beverages on campus - the
café called ‘InTentCity 6.3’! We’re used
to small aftershocks sometimes, and I
actually kind of enjoy them – it’s like the
earth’s saying “yo, wassup dude! I wanna
party!”. Thanks to everyone across the
country for your support and care during
this roller coaster ride. This is a survival
and revival story we owe to you.
11
 Haere mai ki te kai!
With winter drawing in and frost starting to form on your bedroom walls (if
you’re an Otago student!), you’ll be needing some delicious hot food fast . We
asked IFSA staff for their favourite winter warmers...
made sweet or savoury, great when you have barely any
ingredients left in the cupboard. It’s not an exact recipe,
but it always seems to work out so it’s amazing. I use the
exact same recipe to make savoury scones and add grated
carrots, salami, grated cheese, parsley, spring onion (or
a little red onion), or anything you have in the fridge. For
Cheese scones add cheese. Top both savoury and cheese
scones with a bit of grated cheese. The scones are best
straight from the oven, or microwave for 20-30 seconds
each. Also good to dunk in soup!

Emily’s Super Easy & Super Yummy

Kumara & Pumpkin soup
Mussel Chowder - Office manager Debbie
Campbell 3-4 good sized chunks buttercup pumpkin
1 chunk kumara (sweet potato)
This is a special soup that would be perfect served
1 can coconut cream
with crusty bread, for a farewell dinner. It takes a bit of
1 tsp curry powder
preparation but it’s worth it - and you get to taste the
amazing green lipped mussels, which are unique to New * Place vegetables in a pot, cover with
Zealand. This mussel is are found in the wild, in the coastal water and boil until cooked.
waters of New Zealand, and also farmed. They are said to * Mash up in the water it is cooked in.
be benficial for arthritis and osteoarthritis sufferers. They Add coconut cream and curry powder. Heat
cost around $3 per kg. but do not boil, then garnish and serve.

To prepare: Scrub raw mussels in shells with a brush in

cold water. Don’t soak in tap water as it will kill the mussels. Emily’s Lemonade Scones
Throw away any that are cracked, have chipped or broken
3 cups of self rising flou
shells, or float in water. If any are open, tap shell - if the r
1 small bottle of cream
mussel is alive, it will close its shell. If the shell doesn’t close,
lemonade to mix (usually
discard. less than a
small bottle).
To cook: Put mussels in a large cooking pot. Pour a small * Pre-heat oven to 200 deg
rees celcius.
amount of water (less than 1 cup) into the pot and slowly Mix flour and cream well unt
il evenly
heat water. You’ll know mussels are cooked when the distributed.
shell opens. This can take anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes, * Sparingly add the lemona
de and keep
depending on the size of the mussel. Be sure to discard any mixing until you have a moi
st dough.
mussels that don’t open. Do not overcook. Then remove * Pat out the moist mix ont
mussels from shells. o a baking
tray which
has been
Kumara & Pumpkin Soup, and Lemonade Scones greased or
- SSC Emily Nicholson covered
with baking
This yummy soup is quick and easy to make. Make a big pot paper). Cut
on a chilly winter day and freeze the left over soup in single into scones
serve sizes (glad bags and boxes are great for this). Then & bake for
you can duck home between classes for a warm, easy, approx. 10
healthy, lunch! Also great with garlic toast. minutes, and
cooked in
Don’t be fooled by the title, lemonade scones are not really the middle.
sweet. This is a quick and easy, yum recipe that can be

12
 Alana’s Pumpk
in soup
Serves 6
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion,
diced
4 cloves of ga
rlic, crushed
1kg pumpkin,
peeled and ch
cubes opped into 2c
m
5 cups chicke
n or vegetabl
1-2 tsp curry e stock
powder
Black pepper
and salt to ta
½ cup of fres ste
h chopped pa
rsley to garn
* Melt the bu ish
tter in a larg
gently cook th e pot and
e onion and ga
soft. Add pump rlic until
kin, stock, cu
s &p, and simm rry powder,
er for 15 minu
blend through tes. Mash or
with a hand bl
have one. ender if you
* Sprinkle wi
th parsley to
gluten free op serve. For a
tion, use glut
and replace th en free stock
e curry powd
er with nutmeg
.

Debbie’s Special Mussel Chowder

Serves 6
100g bacon (diced)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 green pepper (red, seeded, chopped)
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
5Tbs flour
salt and pepper
400g roughly chopped cooked mussel meat
(from about 2kg of raw NZ green lipped
mussels in shells)**
extra mussels for decoration
600mls milk
cups flour
* Gently fry the bacon in dry
saucepan, until it starts to brown. Add
the onion and cook until golden.
* Add the green pepper, potatoes, bay
leaf, water and salt and pepper.
* Bring to the boil and simmer until
potatoes are tender.
* Mix the flour with ½ cup of the milk
and stir into the chowder. Stir until
boiling.
* Add the rest of the milk and the
mussels and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes.
** Mussels can be substituted for
other seafood eg: shrimps, fish, clams,
squid etc turning this into a seafood
chowder.
Emily ’s Twister
Story
Hold the phone!...NZ had
another natural disaster on
3 May, this time in Albany.
SSC Emily Nicholson was there...
NZ is well known for multiple seasons in one day,
and Auckland does not disappoint in this respect.
You can often tell how long a person has lived in
Auckland based on how prepared they are for the
weather changes. Real Aucklanders carry a sneaky
handbag umbrella, wear multiple layers, and always
apply sun block.
But on 3 May, we got a true surprise, something
none of these things could prepare us for - a
tornado! Around 3pm a tornado appeared in the
Albany area in the North of Auckland. The tornado
caused major damage to the Albany Mega Centre
(the Albany mall). Roofs were torn off, cars were
tossed, trees uprooted.. and let’s not forget the
strong winds… Tornados are not a common
occurrence in NZ. Sadly one life was lost. Had the
tornado hit half an hour later the mall would have
been full of students and the number injured or
worse could have been much higher.
If you are ever worried about what to do in an un-
expected situation in Auckland, the website www.
getthru.govt.nz is a great source of information. For
up-to-the minute news updates, websites such as
stuff.co.nz and nzherald.co.nz are wonderful.

13
 Heading Home:
B Reflections...
On Endings and Beginnings
By Andrew Shepherd, former UAK SSC and IFSA-Butler orientation staffer
Departing - Ending Well
It is important to recognise the various emotions
that can arise with the end of the semester and the
promise of home. It may help to ask yourself some
basic questions:
1) What are you most looking forward to about going
home?
2) What are you most fearing about going home?
3) What are you most going to miss about New
Zealand?
One of the requirements for emotional processing is
the need for personal space. This often gets lost in
the frenetic activity of the end of semester, but it’s
worthwhile trying to set aside time in a quiet location
to do so. If you journal or blog it may be helpful to
think about these questions and to write down some
of the emotions that you are feeling. Also talk with
friends or others who can
provide a listening ear.
Homecoming -
Beginnings
Arriving home brings with
it new challenges.… so,
how do you move through
a reverse culture-shock and
make the transition into this
new-old world...and talk to
others about the changes
you’ve experienced as a result of the study-abroad
experience?
1) Look after yourself
• Get some physical space and catch-up on sleep.
• Have a doctor’s check-up if after a few days back
you’re still not feeling 100%.
• One of the strategies for coping with cultural
adjustment is to have a gradual, controlled transition -
hence our four-day Orientation in New Zealand before
arriving at your respective universities. Apply this
same principle for your return home.
• Don’t binge on people, food, music, TV, but instead
gradually wean yourself back onto these.
14
• Take the time to look & listen (observe) before speaking.
• Have a support network. Think of the people who can help
you through the tensions & emotions you are experiencing
on returning home. Other IFSA-Butler students may be able
to help.
2) Convey your Experience
• Be prepared for the question ‘How was New Zealand?’
& other questions asking about your time in NZ. Use the
personal space both prior to departure & back in the States
to reflect pon the highlights, lowlights & key elements of the
semester. Work out: What is the key theme/idea you want to
communicate about your experience?
• Ask yourself, how much does the person asking the
question really want to know? Will a simple ‘New Zealand
was ____ .’ suffice? Or is the person genuinely interested in
the hearing about the whole experience, ‘warts and all’?
• Be creative in the way you communicate your experience,
both for your sake & for those you are communicating with:
• Use a small photo album with the best 20-30 shots,
instead of 600 photos – and/or multi-media slide-show/
video presentation!
• Host a NZ party for friends & family with NZ music (Tiki
Taane, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Boh & Bic Runga, Ladyhawke...) &
NZ food (try making a pavlova!).
• Write an article about your semester experience for the
school newspaper or your community/church newsletter.
3) Moving into the future
One of the key aspects about study-abroad programs is that
they provide environments for transformational education.
When we study in an overseas setting, outside of our usual
context, our perspective about ourselves, others and the
world is challenged and enriched. The result of studying
overseas may have led to changes in the way you think and
behave, and altered your values and plans for the future.
Reflect on the changes within yourself and think about what
actions you want to take that flow from these changes.
Take pro-active steps and set goals to make these planned
changes a reality as you move into the future.
All the best with your endings & beginnings. Kia kaha! AS
(Read my full story in any of the issue 2 newsletters on our
website).
 End of Semester Checklist:
o Check and double check the time, date and location of your finals.
DO NOT miss your final, but if you do for any medical or emergency
reasons, make sure you document the reason why immediately with
your host university international office and with us.
o Remember, IFSA-Butler does not support any variations to your
set examination timetables except in urgent medical or bereavement
circumstances.
o Check your final grades (on your university website) and get in touch
with us immediately if you think you will need to query them! If you
can’t access them before you leave, make sure you take home
evidence of all of your coursework just in case you need to query your
What I’ve learnt
grades from America. Be aware of the query deadlines and rules set about my city ’
by your host university.
As she gets ready to pack her
o Rush Transcript Requests need to be in to the NZ office before you bags, we asked student Rethna
leave for home. Find the form on the IFSA-Butler NZ website. Eddy about Auckland.
o Make sure all of your bills and any incurred fines, from library to I chose my city (or
speeding, are paid. If you leave a fine at your university, your transcript
had it chosen for me)
will be withheld until it is paid!
because...it’s the biggest city
o If you have to leave your flat before a final bill arrives, ensure you leave in NZ, so I wanted to experience all
your fellow flat mates with some funds to cover your part of the bill. that Auckland had to offer in terms
o If you have an individual internet connection, phone line, or any other of things to do, and I also heard
rental in your name, cancel the account before you leave. Students that there were beautiful islands
who have tried to do this from America have had months of hassles. around Auckland, so that was added
o If you bought a car and are selling it on, check that the new owner’s incentive.
name is registered as the car owner and your name is off the My first impressions
documentation. were... I loved that it was so
o Clean your room/flat to standards set by your accommodation warm all the time and that there are
provider. Some providers hire a cleaner no matter what, but if not, cute areas of the city like Parnell
make sure you don’t get a chunk taken out of your housing deposit and Posonby. I feel that there is a
because you left blue tack on the wall. lot of character in the restaurants
o Your accommodation has a specific ‘check out’ procedure. Follow it! and cafes that are here. It seems
as though there is something for
o Pack ahead of time so you don’t have any last minute surprises. The
airlines are strict on weight restrictions so consider shipping a box
everyone here. I really enjoy the area
home in advance. that is on K Road, and how there are
always places here that warrant a
o If you are keen to ship a bag or a box, or even a guitar, Seven Seas visit.
Worldwide has a good reputation. Go to www.sevenseasworldwide.
com for a free quote. It can be costly, but they ship door-to-door from What I didn ’ t know
NZ to the USA via sea-economy which takes up to 3 months. The NZ then but know now is...
Post is another option. Inquire at your local branch for rates. the large Asian influence here.
o Have extra stuff that still has life in it? Organise a collection of The best aspect of
household goods. Talk to your SSC for local options. my city is...the fact that is so
o Be sure you have arranged your transport to Auckland to catch central in location and there is an
your international flight home. Confirm your flights a few days before aspect of the city that appeals to
departure. every different type of person.
o Wondering what’s next? If you’ve found that living abroad is something The worst aspect is...
you’d like to try again in the future, there still some options out there. that stores close so early.
Consider a working holiday visa - www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/
stream/work/workingholiday/. BUNAC provides work, volunteer and What I’ ve tried out
teaching opportunities - www.bunac.org/. Continue your education by for the first time here
returning for a graduate program... Join the IFSA-Butler alumni network - is...Valentino’s gelato, and I am
www.ifsa-butler.org/for-alumni.html such a fan!

15
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