Home Stay

Home stay is a great way to learn about New Zealand culture. New Zealand host families are carefully chosen for you to stay with. Your family will provide you with a single bedroom, three meals per day and clean bed linen and towels at least once a week.

Ask questions of your home stay family. It is great for your English conversation to talk to them as much as possible. If you have difficulty understanding what they have to say, ask them to speak slowly and explain any words you have difficulty with. If you still can not understand, ask the host family to write the message down for you.

It is customary in New Zealand that people who stay in your home help with simple chores like setting the table, drying the dishes, making their beds etc.

Showering is usually done everyday. It is common to shower for 5 minutes or less. Smoking is generally restricted to outside areas.

At Whitireia, home stay costs $150.00 per week, for 3 meals per day for 7 days per week.
Further information for students and hosts.


Managing your Time

To be a successful student, it is important to learn to manage your time and effort. Students from cultures where time is seen differently will notice that New Zealanders place a high value on punctuality.

 Some things you will need to consider are:

The way you allocate your time to classes, study, chores, recreation and social life.
Be aware of the essays and class assignments you must complete and when they are to be handed to your tutor. Decide on priorities and set time aside to work on them. Plan ahead and stick with your plan.
Try to get hold of your text books early. Use the study breaks to do some of your required reading. Remember, most students run short of time during the semester.
You should try to complete all your assignments on time. Be aware of what mark they are worth in your final assessment.
Allow enough time for study and revision towards the end of the semester.

Living costs

It is important to bring enough money for living when you come to New Zealand. Some things are very expensive, like a haircut, but other things, like a game of golf, are very cheap.

Approximate living costs

Telephone
Email
Banking postage and business

Students are allowed to work up to 15 hours a week if they are enrolled in a full time course, and it encourages you to enrol in Student Job Search, a free job placement service at Whitireia.

It recommends that you allow around NZ$200.00/week for living costs.


Social Customs and Activities
Visiting a New Zealander at Home

New Zealanders enjoy visiting each other in their homes. When they are invited for a meal, people often take a small gift such as a bottle of wine or a bunch of flowers.

You may wish to bring small, inexpensive gifts from your own country to give to your host if you are asked for a meal. If a guest is not hungry or thirsty, it is all right to say no to the offer of food or drink.