“I’d bungy jumped before but this was the highest drop I’ve experienced.”

Now in her third year of study, Lisa came to New Zealand in 2007 from Honefoss, west of Oslow. She was originally thinking of Australia as a ‘down under’ study destination, but changed her mind after meeting New Zealanders while working in Greece.

“I was also very keen to see the country where Lord of the Rings was made.”

She started researching New Zealand universities and was delighted to find the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management at AUT, a university based in New Zealand’s biggest city. As well as a wide range of subjects, including events management, the degree had a strong practical emphasis including running a restaurant on campus.

The students spend their last semester working in the hospitality industry on a special cooperative project.

“I’ve been working part time at Westin, a hotel chain, where I do a range of jobs from serving drinks to looking after the dining area to chatting to customers. I’m going to do my coop here as well.”

Coop must include an academic goal, such as writing a literature review on how design and ambience can affect customers’ spending. It must also include three professional goals, such as writing training manuals for various service procedures.

The degree involves a mix of internal and external assessment with results from assignments and projects throughout the semester making up part of your grade, alongside a final examination.

“It means you have to keep up with the class all the way through, you can’t just learn a lot of stuff before the exam and expect to pass. It may sound harder, but it means you go into an exam with a grade percentage and that really takes the pressure off if you’ve done okay during the semester in the subject.”

The biggest surprise for Lisa was the academic English levels required. Although a good English speaker, she struggled the first weeks.

“But I did get my head around it quite fast really. Having to speak English 24/7 certainly makes a difference to your understanding - and very soon I found myself even dreaming in English!”

She was amused to find two American international students in her first year hostel found New Zealand English hard as well.

“I had to think around words where the Americans would presume they knew the words. I had to use my imagination more and so in many ways I found it easier.”

Another surprise was the age difference between her and other new students in her student apartment block. New Zealand school leavers tend to move straight onto university, which means they’re 17 or 18; Lisa was 24.
“I did feel a bit out of place because of the age difference in the apartments. However in class there are students of all ages.”

She has since met other international students who came to New Zealand without accommodation lined up and had no problem finding flats, so she advises older students to do that.
“Start off in a backpackers and look around. Aside from anything else, flats seem better value for money if you’re not wanting extra support.”

Lisa’s passion is events management. As well as her study, she is gaining practical experience through helping the Norwegian Student Association in New Zealand organise the celebration of Norway’s national holiday on 17^th May, and organising pub quizzes and trips out of Auckland, such as snowboarding on Mt Ruapehu.

Next year she hopes to get into a Masters in Events Management in either Sydney or Melbourne in Australia.

“Australia is a bigger country than New Zealand so there tends to be more large events over there, and it is another country ‘down under’ that I’ve always wanted to live in.”