On March 26 & 27 Angie attended the orientation weekend for all Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars in New Zealand for the 2007-2008 school year. Countries represented included the US, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Trinidad and France. In addition, there were three NZ outbound students will be studying in Senegal, the US (Columbia University), and Brazil. It was an amazing experience being part of such an international delegation. All geographical barriers seemed to disappear over dinner as we discussed food and wines (with our French expert!), fields of study, and compared our experiences and perceptions of being here in New Zealand.
A highlight for me was learning more about the native Maori culture, which is strongly integrated in New Zealand. The Maori language is taught in many primary schools, many public signs are bilingual, Maori greetings & words are used in public broadcasts, and there is a Maori TV channel. What surprised me most was a deliberate resurgence. The Maori cultural leaders have a strategic plan to ensure that the Maori language and culture does not disappear over time. Just one of the strategies includes a goal for the number of PhD's in Maori Studies annually. In fact, the Rotary Scholar from France is here pursuing a PhD in Maori Studies.
No comments:
Post a Comment