Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1933. Volume 4. Number 6.

New Zealand Students and Foreign Students

New Zealand Students and Foreign Students.

Few students in New Zealand seem to realise the marked difference between the students in New Zealand and in other countries. New Zealand page 7 students differ from the students in other countries in outlook, manner, interests, and in ways of expressions. I say this after meeting English students visiting South Africa for conferences, and after meeting European students in South Africa and Australia, and after studying with African students. These differences may lead to real misunderstandings between New Zealanders and foreigners.

Such expressions as "Dirty Dog, Dirty Cow, Go to Hell" may be taken in a different spirit by foreigners, even if they were not said with intention to offend.

Some time back a European student came to New Zealand and found life so unpleasant among the students that he decided to end his life in a tragic way. Now, I feel sure that another tragedy will be witnessed if no change takes place with a certain group of students in New Zealand. There are students who fling expressions with no regard to other people's feelings.

I have been collecting the impressions of foreign students in New Zealand. One European student informed me that students in New Zealand did not take any interest in him. He informed me that his class males did not speak to him. Another European student told me that students, as well as people in New Zealand, were always telling him that his country is going to the dogs. I also have heard many people saying this of this country. Now, this student felt this remark very much, just as any New Zealander would feel hurt if such a remark was made about New Zealand.

Such being the difference between New Zealand and foreign students, where lies the solution of these differences?

New Zealand students' must endeavour to study the outlook, temperament and disposition of their visitors. Foreign students will reciprocate the compliment by studying the characteristics of New Zealanders, and thus common understanding will be established.