International Students Comments

Outdoor Recreation Course 

Johannes Aberg (Sweden)

Real cool course! You get to do heaps of cool activities like kayaking, climbing, tramping and more. It's perfect for an exchange student like me because the activities are typical for NZ. You get real close to your class mates because of the camps which is great, it makes the classes much more fun.

Thomas Hug (Switzerland)

A great course, different kind of school! It includes lots of working in the outdoors, but a bit of theory as well. I'm sure most of the exchange students are going to like it because it's not always sitting in the classroom and the pressure to pass isn't that big. Camps are great, you get to know a lot of new people.

Carol Savatier (France)

I think Outdoor Rec is a great subject for exchange students because it allows us to do a lot of activities and have a lot of new experiences in the outdoors.  I really enjoyed learning to kayak, I think it is a great sport and I hope to be able to kayak sometime back in France.  It is also a great course to challenge yourself. The first week we did the High Ropes Course and learned to access to our limits!

Anna-Sophia Laube (Germany)

In my opinion this course was a really good opportunity for me to get to know different outdoors activities, see places and make friends. Things you always wanted to try, but you never knew where you can do and where you can get the gear from are possible here. It's not just held during normal school hours which makes it even more enjoyable since you can spend more time to practice. The organization is really good using all the time given in the best way. I wouldn't have been able to go on camps like the ones we have done as my host parents/organization wouldn't allow it without suitable supervision. With this course I could try a lot of new things and do them together with my friends.

Caroline Forslund (Sweden)

I'm really happy I chose ODR!  I've made heaps of new friends and had heaps of fun. ODR has given me the opportunity to try new things and step out of my own comfort zone, to achieve things I didn't know I could do before. I really enjoyed the kayaking and I'm always going to carry that experience with me. There's not another subject I enjoy as much as ODR.

Runa Wohlthat (Germany)

Outdoor Recreation is highly enjoyable course for everybody who likes being outdoors, trying new things and being together with awesome people!  You don't have to have done any before, just give everything a go and you will find that it is sooo much fun.

Explore the New Zealand outdoor world with kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, orienteering and mountain biking.

Tracy Tai (Hong Kong)

It is a good way to explore the outdoors. I have really enjoyed this course as it has helped me learn skills and understand my strengths and weakness as a person. It is a team building course that builds trust and confidence in other people. If you had the chance to take it as a subject, I'd say go for it. You learn so much about yourself and it is a good way to meet new people.

Nele Bicker (Germany)

At most of New Zealand's schools, your subjects at school are choices and you can choose subjects that you really like to do or maybe try out something that you have never done before. But you also have to choose carefully, because there are usually only 5 to 6 choices to make from more than 30 different subjects.

One of my choices was to take part in the new Outdoor Recreation Class at James Hargest College. And after 4 months being involved in this course, I still think that it was a very good, exciting and fun choice! Outdoor Recreation is for people who love being outside, experiencing nature and who really get to know a bit more about New Zealand and it's culture. I have had lots of fun learning how to kayak and what it is important to do to keep safe and have fun in the outdoors by orienteering and tramping. I really enjoyed the kayaking camp and I am looking forward to our next tramping camp. I think the Outdoor Recreation Course is great for Exchange Students, because you have to trust and communicate with people that only can speak English and this is a good way to build up self confidence and learn about New Zealand.