Haya,
Chinese lessons are fine... provided they speak English as well. Like if I live here in the future and have kids, I will send them for Chinese lessons. But speaking English won't be a problem for them...

Anyway, yes I agree. Chinese, Koreans etc should really go out and learn English if they want to live here. I think it's disgraceful that some people have lived here for 15+ years and can barely string a sentence of English together. One of these people is my friend's mother - and she's Malaysian.

But I am against Kiwis who swear at people and yell at them just because they're speaking their native tongue to each other. If I'm talking to another Chinese, I can damm well speak Chinese to them. I won't do it if there's a non-Chinese speaker in the group cos that is plain rude (another gripe) but I don't see why I have to accommodate total strangers on the road who happen to walk by and hear us talking.

Huix,
Yes, Auckland house prices are sky-high (though sliding a little these days). Welly's ok but the pay isn't necessarily higher. It's very very very windy, even a hot summer's day can be quite cold thanks to the wind. I've never been there in winter but I bet it's worse. Definitely colder than Auckland.

I personally found Welly to be a pretty drab, depressing city. That's just me, there're others who love it.

Try the South Island if you want cheap.

I have a feeling that you have a strong Chinese foundation, arh...what the heck, most China Chinese take Chinese as an elective despite having such strong foundation.

So that they can get higher grades for that subject?
Btw, if they keep on living in their own pack, I have no problem with it. If they don't want to improve thier english, I have no problem for that either. After all, they lose their competitiveness in job market if they forever live under thier own circle in NZ.

what i don't like about some extremist keep saying how good china is and how strong they are.... but why I see so many mainland chinese coming out form that country? Why keep on talking about attacking taiwan or attacking others becoz they have strong military force? wht makes them different from the japanese grasshopper army during WW2? dont they realize that the moment they start attacking others, they will kiss their a$$ good bye to their strong economy?
Wornbook,
Thks for the info. wow! never think welly is that bad.... that explain why many people choose auckland indeed. Just my research told me that welly house is cheaper and the paid is slightly higher than auckland. (at least, in IT)

Oh well, wornbook, you almost made me regret choosing Vic, but anyhow....it's me decision by the way, hahahaha

I'm taking Spanish by the way, thought about changing it to French or Japanese

Funny to hear you guys talk about the cold. It's blazing hot over here in Auckland.

If it makes you feel better, it's raining today. Not cold though.

But I suspect that's relative. I did spend 4 years in Dunedin after all.

oh my gosh..
this is really unbelievable..i just found out this forum and i've read through every pages and you guys gave lots of information about NZ.. 

well, hi to everyone!! haha! im new here and im going to NZ this April..
which about 3 to 4 weeks away.. i am an SPM leaver.
anyway,i was curious about something..i've got a scholarship (partial scholar) from International Pacific College (IPC),Palmerston North. (im not good as yours which in unis and evrythg) 

so,this interview was being organize by Selset New Zealand Centre,at Subang Jaya. i've read on which page i dont remmber..but someone had mentioned about selset..i was thinking whether this agent (selset) is legal or not..because,last two days my teacher told me to seek the scholarship that i've been offered and the agent as well.y'know,nowadays..lots of thing happen..so i have to take precaution..like,being a spy..haha! 

anyway, i do need your help..could i believe in selset..?
my dad was like worrying about this bcoz he has to let her daughter go..so he wants to make sure that i will be safe there..   

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Added on March 18, 2008, 1:58 amhi fantagero..
i see that you are new in NZ..
how's that? is it nice there?
OMG, i want to pack my bag ASAP and go there..haha! 
so, i would like to ask you something..
i'll be going there soon..so what should i bring..??
except my personal stuff,laptop,and all..
like really important thing..what will be that??
and i dont have to waste my money to buy clothes here,rite?
like what you guys had discussed before.. 

FOOD = yay! so i have to bring lots of mee maggie..haha!  
i'll discuss with my mother then about what to bring there..from what i know, there is a mini market nearby our residence..they have all the keropok and biscuits msia..like julies etc..i hope i can live with that..huu~

CLOTHES - new zealand is really windy huh? so how bout winter holiday? is thre lots of snow falling down (betul ke ayat ni??) i mean, we can make snow man and freezing like crazy..what is the temperature around Palmy during winter?

and, is there lots of Malay students study there? y'know..when it comes to Hari Raya..we can't go back home..
so just play the 'bunga api' together with the others student..haha!   

Not so much halal food outside. Mainly some turkish/middle eastern stuff. Most Malaysian food is not halal cos the places are owned/run by Chinese and Indians. There are a few halal ones but there's limited choice. I'm speaking for Auckland here, not sure how things are like in Palmy.

Perencah - if you intend to do cooking, bring some along. While NZ customs laws are strict, most of perencah will get through. I've said it before, as a rule of thumb, if you avoid bringing in meat, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, you'll be fine. 

Clothes - there's very limited choice in NZ and it's definitely not cheap. I recommend that you bring clothes from Malaysia. The only things you should buy here are warm clothing. Since you're coming in April, just bring a couple of sweaters and a jacket and you should be fine. Btw those sports windbreakers etc don't count as jackets but they are useful if waterproof.

Don't need to bring stuff like biscuits lah. Plenty over here.

It doesn't normally snow in Palmy or anywhere in the North Island (apart from the mountains).

There's quite a few Malay students in NZ... mostly on MARA or JPA scholarships. There's also a few Malay migrant families around.
Speaking from experience, it's not just perencah that you can bring in. If you know what you're doing, there's plenty of food that they customs will let through.

emm..then i have to bring some of my fave dishes..
i guess, i'll be a great chef over there! 

there is no snow in Palmy?? ahhhhh...better find some good place to make my first snowman..huhu 

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Added on March 18, 2008, 6:28 pm
umm? what do you mean by private student??

paper file yah?? sure,i'll bring a bunch of that..haha! 
thanks anyway..

omputih tak suka makan cili yer?? i dont know that..

emm,how bout chocolate?? can we just eat choc there?
even it is w/out the gelatin (just like msia style-lah)
i mean,we can eat as many as we want..huahuahua 

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Added on March 18, 2008, 6:30 pmman, NZ is really nice from you guys stories..
sounds really interesting..
quite challenging though..
go go! fer it!!

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Added on March 18, 2008, 8:40 pm
whooosshhh..cannot just sebat-lah..it will be our own flesh then..huhu!
yeah,then maybe i can join massey muslim society if they do have that..

and yes! mine is private college..but thank God..i went to New Zealand edu. fair and Carol Tham approached me.
she is the one who asked me to go for the scholarship interview from IPC..
so i just went up there..and the interviewers like me, and directly he told me, "i'll give you the scholarship!"
and i was like...."aaaaaaahhhhh,how lucky i am!"
but this is just partial scholar,they just pay for the tuition fees..
and i have to cover about RM40-50,000 for my foundation year..
thanks to the scholar anyway..i'll study hard to get the highest scholar..huahahaha! 

ohh..hahaha! what with that choc? is that yours? menunjuk sgt..haha!
wow that s cool..really need to read thoroughly on the ingredients..
heemmm..i think i've tried that bluebird keropok when i was in london..cool!
all the pasta and spaghetti, those are my fave..
and i can cook that too..yeh!! 
just prepare the money, then you can have a nice lunch..yummy!   

snow? vacation? will think about it then..haha!
need to prepare lots of money too..
money.money...money..   

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Added on March 18, 2008, 8:59 pm
no MSG?? means, is not tasty like here in msia??
duhh~~ thanks a lot..
i dont need maggi there..

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Added on March 18, 2008, 9:07 pm
dadih is like a yoghurt, like a jelly too..
it have lots of flavour..
choc,strawberry,corn..

how to make dadih?
easy..you just need a creamer, jelly powder, water...
and the taste is so creamy and fantastic,bombastic! wallah~

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Added on March 18, 2008, 9:13 pmhey, new zealand is famous with their american football rite?
ALL BLACK?? yay!
where and when will be the game start?
huhu..im a big fan of football.

hey,that doesn't good at all..
me,eat choc for everyday..lagi2 sekarang ni,im doing practical in my dad's office..
so,sometimes make me boring..choc will make my life purfecto..haha!
got lots of it in my drawer..thank God my body didnt get bigger with tht choc..

yeah,i know how to cook simple dishes..but, my college have prepare our meal everyday
and i dont think they have kitchen in the hostel..
plus,we must stay there until we graduate..cannot live outside..
unless,homestay..

emm..yeah..they do mention about part time job before..
but they didnt allow foundation students to do part time job..
but mybe in my 1st year of degree i'll take part time..
then can cover my college fees also..and SHOPPING! haha 

so do you take part time there?
what kind of job?

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Added on March 19, 2008, 1:50 pm
is it rugby? not american football aa?
wait..really? emm..whatever..
i play american football before when i was in form 5 at my tuition centre, but w/out the protective ok..haha!

emm..im going to buy that ticket then.. huhu 

yay!! yay!! yay!! and YAYYY!!!!!!!!

i just got my offer letter from the IPC..
i mail them yesterday..and this morning i got a call from Selset..
they want to confirm it..
i'll be going to NZ  around 6th of April..haha!
going there SOONNNN!!!!!!!         

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Added on March 19, 2008, 2:04 pmwokeh...now i want to know something that really2 important..
about time..

let say, if in msia is 2pm, 19 march..then,how bout in NZ?

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Added on March 19, 2008, 2:10 pm
uummm..i dont know if we have to be punctual on our eating time.
bcoz i've seen their pictures..they were like relax and enjoy their eatting without rushing..
they are many choices of food..it's like buffet type
like thailand,japan,even msia dishes..but im not sure whether it is halal or not..
if not, then i just eat sushi la..haha! 

all the tudung,brooch and bj kurung is on my list..haha!
thanks to remind me..

hey,guy is simple..they dont have to wear diff bj melayu..coz x perasan pon..
but girls..yah~ at least 5 of baju kurung..haha   

its called fashion disaster.
please wear ur baju kurung with pride, its authentic beauty.

BTW, any places 2 buy guitar in city centre? new/second hand as long as makes sound.