Overview

Eligibility

Living and Learning

Dates, Deadlines and Fees

Welcome camp

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High School Abroad in New Zealand:  Living and Learning

Host Families:
All Pan Atlantic Foundation host families are carefully selected, and students are placed in small towns, some rural locations and some city homes.

Your host family will be an important part of your exchange.  You’ll take meals together, participate in lively conversations and social activities.  They’ll want to interact and engage in your experience and will open their home to you because they are interested in learning more about your culture.  New Zealand host families are caring and nurturing.   On the weekends, students may go to sporting activities, spend time with family and friends or simply relax and enjoy their surroundings.  The best way to learn about a new culture and language is to be fully immersed in it and what better way than to jump right in with your family!

Pan Atlantic Foundation will connect you with your host family prior to departing the U.S. so you’ll have a chance to “meet” before arriving in your new host country.

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​Daily Life:
During a typical day, you’ll make your way to school and after, you may join in a game of rugby or netball.  Teenagers in New Zealand will often spend time shopping or hanging out with friends, but they also enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, surfing and playing sports.  The most popular sports include cricket, rugby and soccer.  It may take some time, but you’ll settle into the casual Kiwi cultural!

School life in New Zealand:
High Schools in New Zealand are for grades 9-13.  The school year starts at the beginning of February and finishes at the beginning of December, the opposite of most schools in the U.S. in terms of start and end dates.  Classes typically begin between 8:30-9:00 and end around 3:30. Generally, if there is space in the class, students can choose from all that is on offer provided they fit the criteria (or prerequisite) to study that subject.

​All schools offer sports, however, what is offered varies from school to school.  R
​rugby, netball and cricket are typically offered at all.  Students can also participate in sports and clubs outside of school such as drama, choir or a Maori cultural group.