Overseas exchange

[Mole_C]

How about Canada? Nicer than the US, good skiing winter and good mountain biking summer if your into either of those. My mate went there last year and loved it

[hXc]

A trip to Europe would be incredibly broadening, educational, and may just provide the kick in the pants he needs to get politically aware, something that is vital for a future PM. The US doesn't have a Democratic Political system. Most European countries do, and the Scandinavian countries would be thrilled to get a Kiwi in their classrooms and grill him for his perspective on their country and his world view.

Pah...Democracy sucks! Anarchy rules!
Does this mean I have to go to 1970's London?

[hXc]

How about Canada? Nicer than the US, good skiing winter and good mountain biking summer if your into either of those. My mate went there last year and loved it

Not into them. And I always thought it was Canadia. That's where Waylander comes from, right?

[yungatart]

Zac, Jim is right. You need to go where you will learn the most, both about you and the world that you live in. You need to be challenged, your mind broadened along with your horizons. We will help you stump up with the money, wherever you go..(we'll just add it to that never decreasing debt of yours), but I would prefer you to go out of your comfort zone, ie a non - English speaking, non - Westminster political system.
It will be the making of you - now harden up!!

[hXc]

...but I would prefer you to go out of your comfort zone, ie a non - English speaking, non - Westminster political system.
It will be the making of you - now harden up!!

Suva, Iraq, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Afganistan etc etc.
Antartica could be a bit lonely though?

[yungatart]

Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, Dubai, France, Spain, Brazil, Venezuala, Japan.....

[Ixion]

I think the language difficulty is overrated. I have spent some time waffling about in various parts of Asia, including some where a non-Asian was unusaual enough to have people coming out their homes to stare.

I speak not a word of any Asian language (except that I do know how to say "Stop that elephant" in mandarin - which is very useful and comforting).

I have not found it to be a problem.

[Ixion]

Sweden, Norway, Germany, Italy, Dubai, France, Spain, Brazil, Venezuala, Japan.....

Borrrinnnngggg

Kurzakstan. Georgia. Lithuania. Patagonia. Cuba . The Orkneys. Greenland. Iceland. Belize. Chad. Sudan. The opportunities are endless.

[James Deuce]

Iceland would be cool. I've always wanted to go there. Weirder people than even the Finns. Look at Bjork and The Sugarcubes for instance.

[Ixion]

Just DO it.

Use the technique I found very good in India. Go to the railway station. Select a platform at random. Get on the first train that comes along, regardless of where it is going. Rinse, lather repeat. Very interetsing experiences . Substitute airport.

You may have to take a firm line with officious conductors who think you should have obtained a ticket before boarding. As I patiently explained to them, how can one take a ticket when one knows not whither one is bound. In the end they always saw my point of view (I was always perfectly happy, of course, to pay the appropriate fare to where-ever I did find myself headed)

[James Deuce]

Pah...Democracy sucks! Anarchy rules!
Does this mean I have to go to 1970's London?

No, Post Victorian through to the mid-'30s England would be the place to go to Study Anarchy as a Political Movement.

You're wrong though. Dadaism rules.

[McJim]

Hey dude - I'll talk to you when I'm down in Napier - forget the agencies mate - My mum sent me to work on a vinyard in Italy when I was 14 - proper character building - hard graft in 42 degree sunshine - great food - great girls and fabulous wine.

[yungatart]

Hey dude - I'll talk to you when I'm down in Napier - forget the agencies mate - My mum sent me to work on a vinyard in Italy when I was 14 - proper character building - hard graft in 42 degree sunshine - great food - great girls and fabulous wine.

Can she send me too? What were the guys like..mmmm, Italian men ....

[R6_kid:Me]

i went to new caledonia on a defence force exchange when i was 14, i had to have studied french for a yaer (i learnt f-all but did the classes anyway) travel etc was all paid for care of the tax-payer. Was 10 days there in return for having a French kid here for 10 days. Of course all our activities were pretty much pre-planned but it was a wicked time.

New Caledonia is an awesome place to meet good looking girls, learn french (good when you come back for picking up hot girls), out of the city some of the beaches are 'paradise' like, and you can practice your maths too because some shit there is way over-priced. It's a cheap alternative to going to Froggie-france and also far less polluted.

Personally i'd love to go to the US or Aussie and spend a few months on a large station/ranch working with live-stock. Of course all the hot chicks are in Europe, and if you are lucky you'll even get to drop in on a round or two of the MotoGP.

According to my well travelled English teacher the hottest girls are in Spain, so thats always a good option.

Alternatively if you want to learn some appreciation for what you've got here in NZ you could always sign up to do some social work in South America etc, there are a lot of agencies around that do that sort of thing, i think Oxfam runs something to that effect.

Otherwise get a working-holiday overseas... might pay to wait til your 18 (or 21 in some cases) to fully enjoy that type of experience though.

[Ixion]

One most invaluable tip. If you intend to sojourn in any of the Aisian or African countries, do ensure that you obtain and take with you a "pith helmet" (strictly, a solar topi).

I can , from personal experience, unreservedly recommend them , they are absolutely wonderful in hot climates. I would never travel without mine, it makes ALL the difference. I obtained mine, many years ago, in Middle Road Singapore, before it was pulled down, but you can obtain effective replicas, in several designs, at the Army Surplus store in K Rd (where one obtains gaiters, opposite the billboard of the chick with the bodacious bristols - you can't miss them).

Quite seriously, if headed for hot climes, get one before you leave, you will never regret it.

(A good mosquito net is also absolutely essential - from the same place)