The 'Kiwi' Difference

After just two weeks in Dunedin, Otago Polytechnic international exchange student Ben Koebele from Germany knew he wanted to call New Zealand home.

“The people are so incredibly friendly here, they really seem to care.  When you go into a shop everyone asks how you are and they just want to chat with you - that’s the kiwi difference, that’s what makes New Zealand special.”

Passionate about travel and adventure and sport tourism from a young age, Ben is keen to turn his passion into a viable career option, “I want to travel the world and show people the world while doing exciting things.”

It’s no surprise then that Ben jumped at the chance of studying Tourism Management in New Zealand after listening to a liaison representative from Otago Polytechnic at his own campus in Germany.

“New Zealand was by far my first ‘country’ of choice because of the landscape; and Otago Polytechnic was first on the list of study options because I really liked the variety of courses offered.”

So far Ben’s been here for just over a month and is touched with how much support he has received and equally impressed with the high level of personalised teaching.

 “The people at Otago Polytechnic’s International Centre are really awesome. You can call them 24/7 with any problem and they will help you. It’s awesome how they take such good care of you here.”

“The small-sized classes have really blown me away. I’m finding that you learn so much more in a small-group setting because it’s very intense and you have to take part in discussions.”

“In Germany there were at least 30 people with the lecturer lecturing at the front of the class with a power-point presentation and it’s like you were being talked at. In contrast, here at Otago Polytechnic you are really part of the classroom environment.”

“I think a lot of students in Germany would enjoy studying here at the Polytechnic because the courses are so much more personalized.”

Ben’s Bachelor of Applied Management (Tourism Management) will see him based in Dunedin for the next six-months while he learns about the management and entrepreneurial skills as required by leaders in the business world and undertaking further specialized study focusing on the needs of the tourism industry locally, nationally and internationally.

The second-semester will be an industry based work placement somewhere in New Zealand which Ben secretly hopes will turn into full time employment.

Ben believes people from Germany would “absolutely love” to come to New Zealand.

“A life in New Zealand has a lot to offer. Obviously, there’s a lot to see; the different landscape, animals and plant life, and the climate too.

“And everything’s so close together. You can go skiing during the day and then in the evening be back at the beach. It’s really awesome. Most of all though, I really like the way of life here. It’s more laid back and relaxed and not so focused as in Germany.”

In the future, Ben hopes to gain permanent residency and make his dream of working and living in New Zealand a reality, while “improving the international tourism relations between Germany and New Zealand.” Ben says with a laugh, “or something like that!”

“Most of all, I hope to have fun in my job. I think that is the most important thing. I hope to be able to travel around and not be cooped up in an office all day long. I want to go outside and have some action!”