Apirana Skipworth AFS Pasifika Scholarship awardee from the Pasifika Porirua Chapter answers some questions before he heads of on exchange

  What country are you going on exchange to?

I am going to ARGENTINA!! - The Land of the Tango, Evita Peron, and apparently the world's best steak!!

  What City/area are you going to?

I will be living with a small family consisting of a Father, Grandmother, and Son in San Luis, the capital of the San Luis Province.

  What are you most looking forward to experiencing in your host country?

I am most looking forward to experiencing school in Argentina. I attend "Porirua College" in New Zealand,

I have experienced "Hiro Senior High School" in Japan, and cannot wait to attend "No.5 Ing. Alvarez de Condarco" in Argentina.

One of the main reasons I am looking forward to schooling in Argentina is so that I can be able to distinguish (and find similarities)

between three schools in not only three different countries, but three different continents: Australiasia, Asia and South (Latin) America

  What do you expect to be your biggest challenges?

I believe my main challenge would be the language barrier, which i think would definitely slow the connection between myself and my host family,

but with practice and help from my host family, I believe I can overcome the challenge. I have put it to myself that for the first couple of months,

my motto will be "la práctica hace al maestro" (practice makes perfect).

  Do you speak the language?

Unfortunately no, but it would be great to return home with the skill to hold a Spanish conversation.

 What can you say? (words/Phase)

Thanks to Uncle Google, I have begun to learn some basic Spanish, such as greetings (hola, buenos diaz/trades/noches)

and my very first sentence which I think will be very helpful during the beginning of my exchange:

"Lo Siento, mi espanol es muy basico" I’m Sorry My Spanish is very basic

I hope at the end of the exchange, it would instead be:

"Sí, mi español es muy bueno, vamos a hablar" Yes, My Spanish is very good, let's talk.
  
What are you going to miss most from NZ?

It would definitely have to be my friends and family!! I think just seeing familiar faces would best sum it up.

  Apart from language what part of the countries culture do you think is going to be the hardest to adapt to?

Going into a small family. My host family of three is definitely different to my family of 8, and the routines may be different,

but I think that's what helps make a good exchange: being in a different environment and adapting to a new life away from your own.

  What bit of Kiwi culture will you try to teach them about?

Definitely some of the Maori Culture!

I would love to teach my host family how to do their mihi (introduction in Maori stating name, family etc.). Wouldn't that be cool?