Abi aus Neuseeland
Unsere Teilnehmerin Sina Schaal hat mit Ende des Schuljahres 2011 die neuseelaendische Abschlusspruefung NCEA Level 3 abgelegt, die in Deutschland als Abitur anerkannt wird. Sina hat nach Abschluss ihrer Mittleren Reife von Sommer 2011 fuer eineinhalb Jahre das Mount Aspiring College in Wanaka / Neuseeland besucht, von Beginn an mit der Absicht, dort den Schulabschluss anzustreben und damit auch das deutsche Abitur zu erhalten. Sina waehlte die Faecher Englisch, Mathematik, Deutsch, Spanisch, Geographie, Economics (Wirtschaft), Enterprise und Outdoor Pursuits. Sina hat die Pruefungen erfolgreich absolviert und ist damit unsere zweite Teilnehmerin mit NCEA Level 3 (Neuseelaendischer University Entrance) und anschliessender Anerkennung als Abitur.
Im Fach Enterprise (kein Pflichtfach, nicht an jeder Schule!) muessen die Schueler durch das Lions‘ Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) eine Firma gruenden. Dafuer muessen sie eigenes Geld investieren und betreiben diese Firma professionell fuer mindestens dieses Schuljahr. Sina brachte aus Deutschland die Idee mit ein „Facepaint“ mit den neuseelaendischen Farben (schwarz-weiss-schwarz) fuer die im Jahr 2011 stattfindende Rugby Weltmeisterschaft zu produzieren und durch Tankstellen etc. zu vertreiben. Zu diesem Zweck gruendete Sina zusammen mit drei einheimischen Klassenkameradinnen die Firma Back Black Enterprise. Back Black fand bei den zahlreichen Fans des neuseelaendischen Nationalsports Rugby reissenden Absatz. So wurde Back Black die erfolgreichste YES Firma in Southland im Jahr 2011. Nachdem Back Black fuenf von sieben Auszeichnungen in Southland gewonnen hat, wurden sie zu den National Awards in Wellington eingelanden. Dort gewannen sie den Award der „Most Profitable Company“ und einen „Excellence Award in Sales & Marketing“. Momentan sind die vier Inhaberinnen in Gespraechen mit dem Olympischen Komitee von Neuseeland um dessen Anerkennung als Fanartikel fuer die Olympischen Spiele 2012 in London zu erhalten.
Neben diesen Aktivitäten war Sina noch Whanau Leader und absolvierte die Ausbildum zum Ski Instructor. Im Winter 2012 arbeitet Sina als Skilehrerin bei der Skischule Schruns im Montafon und am 4. Juli 2012 beginnt sie ein Studium im Fach Adventure Tourism Management am Queenstown Resort College in Neuseeland.
Wir von TREFF gratulieren Sina zu ihren tollen Erfolgen in Neuseeland. Wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir ein klein wenig zur Erfüllung ihrer Träume beitragen konnten und wuenschen Sina viel Erfolg bei Ihrem Studium in Neuseeland und auf ihrem weiteren Lebensweg.
Interview mit Sina Schaal
Welches waren die wichtigsten Erfahrungen fuer dich?
I guess everything was an important experience in some sort of way. Learning how to set up a business from writing a businessplan over selling more than 5,000 units to writing the annual report was hard work but definitely worth the time. The national awards in Wellington where we met many important businesspeople, getting our product stocked nationwide in Farmer and all over the North Island through BP and actually seeing our product on TV felt awesome. I also made many friends all over New Zealand. The passion in the outdoors and business which were driving me through my time in Wanaka made me realize what I actually really want to do. Now I feel that it is the right choice to study in Queenstown, combining the outdoors and my business- skills. Without all these experiences I would probably be stuck in a travel agency or an office after university.
Was sind die Hauptunterschiede der Schulen in Deutschland und Neuseeland?
When I was at school in Germany, I hated pretty much every day and didn’t enjoy school at all. I probably couldn’t have done the Abitur in Germany. In the end, I was just waiting to finally be finished and go to New Zealand and make my dream come true. But I never expected to have such amazing experiences. Coming to New Zealand was the best thing I could have done. The whole time I felt like I was on a big holiday. And yes, School was so much fun. From the first day we had so much support from the school. At MAC (Mount Aspiring College in Wanaka), the year 13 students had a programme which was called “Students in the Community”. In this programme, we had to volunteer in the community by helping people or in different events. I, for example, volunteered for the Challenge Wanaka (Triathlon Wettkampf wie z.B. Roth in Deutschland), worked in the Salvation Army Shop, the Winter Games and made a fundraising raffle for the victims of the earthquakes in Christchurch. The school also helped us in making our careers choice. Altogether, we went on a tertiary trip to Dunedin for two days. On these days the University of Otago had an open day. We could sit in lectures or have a look at all the halls in which students in the first year stay. The seniors are involved in the whole school life. I was the leader of my Whanau (Haus an der Schule) so I worked really close together with my Whanau teacher and each morning before school we organized short games, whanau parties or a baking competition.
Was waren Deine liebsten Schulfächer?
I guess Enterprise and Outdoor Pursuits were the subjects I enjoyed most. Enterprise was really hard work as we spent hours on repacking our product or just with organizational things. But I was lucky enough to have a good team. By sticking together and work hard we managed to do better than we thought and could realize all our goals and even made some profit. In outdoor pursuits we went kayaking, climbing or skiing every Thursday. I did the Leadership Course so it sometimes was a real challenge. We learned so much and now I am able to paddle down a river or go climbing with an inexperienced group myself. We also had a day where we went to Treble Cone to take an avalanche awareness course. I also really enjoyed English. At the beginning I thought writing about how important people in history, such as Barack Obama or Martin Luther King, use language in a speech is boring and hard work. It wasn’t easy but I tried giving my best and after writing my report and making a speech to the class I ended up getting better marks than some local students in my class and it actually was really interesting.
Wie war die Betreuung und Unterstuetzung am Mount Aspiring College fuer dich und die anderen International Students?
Coming to an unknown country with a different language can be scary. But the staff at MAC and especially in the International Language Centre is extremely friendly and helpful. They know what to do with every little problem and can help finding some after school activities. They also organize regular trips to Dunedin or other places and for those, not doing exams, there is a big programme over 3 or 4 weeks with different activities. I was unlucky enough not to be able to take part in this and I can promise that I am really jealous! The staff at MAC and especially Claire Easterbrook were just awesome!
Wie bewertest du deinen Aufenthalt rückblickend?
During my whole time I was an active and known member in the Wanaka community and at school. I met the most amazing people, gained heaps of valuable skills, was passionate about things and found out what I want to do in my future life. I even became a little known in New Zealand as we were in lots of different newspapers and I made business contacts for my future. I can say that I never expected to have such an amazing time and I’m glad that I had made the decision to go to school in New Zealand after my “Mittlere Reife” in Germany.
Welche Tipps kannst du zukünftigen Teilnehmern geben?
Be open and friendly, give everything a go, accept challenges and give your best. Do as much as you can, see problems as positive things as they will always end well and teach you something for life. To improve your English talk as much as you can and don’t worry too much about the grammar or the right words. Your “School English” from Germany isn’t the real English, people will always understand and help you.
