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Hi Im Dahyun living in South Korea.
I think it would be a good experience for you to travel many other countries or studying abroad where has different culture with yours.You can learn more about the world and things that you had never experienced before.

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Hi, I’m Norah and I’m from Auckland New Zealand. Though I haven’t experienced many huge changes in my life. If I were to be put in a place other than my comfort zone, my biggest advice would be to find familiarity. This can be when meeting new people or just to find stability with things that you are comfortable with. Generally, if you try your best and people can see that you are trying, you will be able strive — even in a new environment. You can do it and Good Luck!!
Norah :))

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Hi, I’m Amy. I am 14 and I live in Whangarei, New Zealand.

It is hard to move to a new environment that you are not used to with new people and new routines but it’s doable! You will eventually overcome any challenges you face whether you think it is doable or not. There are many different coping strategies that you can use when you need it which can help you take a break from your new normal when you need it.

When I was 10, I moved from Australia to New Zealand to live permanently close to my family. There’s many differences in the two cultures, some being the language, weather, accents, etc. I think I found -and still sometimes find- the Maori language the hardest difference to get used to. I found that I couldn’t seem to understand it very well compared to all my classmates who had been taught it for 5 or so years already -it was very much out of my comfort zone. In my first year of schooling in NZ I tried to be resilient and listen to what they were trying to teach me but I didn’t always understand.

I think this course has helped me become more open-minded and accepting of different cultures and traditions. I feel like if I had done this course before moving to NZ I would have understood that there would be differences in how they live and work which might have helped me adapt and be more open-minded towards their culture. I think it has made me a little more resilient too as well as teaching me about different cultures and how to read how their systems work and how to act respectfully towards them. If you were looking to go overseas I think this course would help.

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Hello, I'm Jacob I'm 16 years old and I am from the Philippines.

My best advice for you is no matter what obstacles come your way whether it be NCEA exams, work, or others, you are capable of anything that you put your heart and mind to, with hard work and dedication any goal you have you can make it a reality, so if you ever feel at your lowest just remember that no matter what you are capable of anything you want.

a small tip (not that it's important) but by surrounding yourself with the "right crowd" you will only accede, you will know when you find the right crowd despite there being no such thing when you see that you all support one another and boost each other's capabilities.

hopefully, you found this useful in any way shape, or form, and good luck to you.

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Hi, I’m Letitia. I’m 15 and I live in Whangarei, New Zealand. It's definately not easy going into a new environment that's out of your comfort zone.

A couple of months ago I got a job at a supermarket as a checkout operator. When I first started I was very scared as I would have to interact with complete strangers and meet and socialise with the staff. This was very out of my comfort zone as I was only used to talking to people I knew. Now I am so grateful that I pushed myself because my character has changed a lot since then. I am a lot more confident and am able to have conversations with strangers and people I hardly know, not only at work but also at school and in my personal life.

I think that this is a great example of how being a part of a new environment can be pertrifying at first, but after relating to the people, keeping an open mind and being yourself, you can adjust to your surroundings and to the people.

Of course it all sounds so easy but when you are actually experiencing it, it can be a lot harder to cope and adjust. When I’m stressed I usually do something that takes my mind off it, like reading, listening to music, or watching Netflix.

I wish that I had known when I started my job that all of the staff would be friendly, welcoming and supportive, especially all of the students that work there who are around my age. I love being able to go up to them and just have random conversations.
If you find yourself nervous and apprehensive of doing something different or out of your comfort zone, think of the end result and all of the experience/skills you will gain.

Hope this helps :D
-Letitia

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hey! i'm elysia, pleasure to meet you! :) i'm a student from auckland, new zealand.

seems like you're about to head on a big adventure being an international student, i wish you the best of luck! i get it! lots of change to what you'd call 'home' is really scary, and it can take forever to get used to. it may not be fun to start off with, but it will get better, trust me!

i've had experience of transferring schools quite often, and everytime it's my first day, i get the heebie-jeebies too. will i get bullied? will i be judged? those negative thoughts will always cloud your head, but it's your choice whether you let them get to you or not! ways i coped was having a good balance of being outside of my comfort zone by talk to new people, joining new clubs, as well as still keeping to myself and keeping tabs with my old friends. it's hard to see the positivity sometimes, so i suggest having a sit-down at the end of the day, and just writing a list of at least 5 things you're grateful for! slowly, you'll find as you get used to it, your list will grow from 5 to 10,000! :)

once again, i hope you have an amazing time being an international student, and i hope this makes you feel better about it <33

~ elysia

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Hey! My name's Tony, and I'm from Auckland, New Zealand. It definitely isn't easy to move out from your comfort zone from what you're used to. It's the little things that make you feel at ease, perhaps your room, your teddy bear, your friends, your family or maybe your attachment to your country. I recommend bringing along with you something sentimental that reminds you that no matter where you are, you are at home. That trying new things, new places and new people isn't scary. it's a new, learning experience that is ready to be tackled by you. It may seem scary, I know. Everyone goes through changes, and this is only one stepping stone for you. I know you can do this, And I know that you will come back home stronger, wiser, and appreciative for your experience. I would do anything to try anything again.
I hope this makes you feel more confident, friend!
Tony

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Hello and Kia Ora, my name is Trinity and I am from New Zealand.
One thing I like about living in New Zealand is that we have tons of different people from different cultures.

About two years ago I moved back to the south island (I lived up north for a bit) and everything changed, suddenly all my old friends looked like complete strangers. Everything looked and felt so familiar yet so different. When I first started high school I knew nobody.

Over time I made a ton of friends, and got comfortable in my new town.
I tried to stay open minded, and I learnt when things are looking tough and scary, I could always overcome it.

When I'm stressed, I always take a break from whatever I'm doing and do something I enjoy. Whether that is going for a walk, reading a book, or listening to music.

I wish I had known before I moved that I would never be alone. Whatever happened I would always have my family to help. I also wish I had been more confident in myself back then.

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Kia Ora my name is Charlotte Cates I'm 15 years old and I live with my whanau in whangarei, New Zealand.  We have lots of different cultures and people from all over the world enjoying our lovely landscapes and our kind welcoming people.

I've never really had any big changes in my environment and I've always lived in the north of New Zealand.

When I changed schools from intermediate to high school, I remember my first day at wghs, I didn't know where any of my classes were and I couldn't find any of my friends, I was really nervous and stressed.
My coping statigies that work for me are listenin to the music i like, going for a walk and doing boxing.
I wish I knew on my first day how helpful and kind everybody is at girls high school.

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Hi, I'm Sophie and I'm from Christchurch, New Zealand. There are some many different cultures and values out there so go and experience something new. I think it would be amazing opportunity to travel to another county but it would also be terrifying.
My tip for you is to stay positive with an open mind, you are
going to come across some strange foods, different cultures and values but all
you can do is try it out.
Don't compare yourself to the others, remember everyone is their
own person so you can’t actually become them and trust me you don't want to.
You being you is what others love about you!
Everyday have a goal and stick to it don't tell anyone your
goal just keep it to yourself and work on it thought out the day because when
you achieve it at end of the day you will feel so good about yourself and boost
your self-esteem.

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Kia Ora, I'm Ellen-Rose and I'm from Whangarei, New Zealand.
There are so many different cultures out there to experience, so make the most of it.

1.
A huge learning for me was to find ways to relate to people. People from any culture really appreciate you making an effort to learn about their customs and respect them. Even just greeting something in their countries national language can leave an impression. It shows you aren't ignorant, and that you are trying to learn, and build connections. It shows respect to the people of that culture, and leads on to a mutual respect of each other.
Find ways to connect with each other, as that will help to  build relationships and connections. Because it is human nature to gravitate towards people who are like yourself, by focusing differences, can mean you are less likely to build a meaningful connection to a person.

2.
There are so many different coping strategies that a person can use. And while there are similarities between us all, there are also differences. Meaning that while one coping mechanism works for one person, doesn't mean it works for someone else.
I find listening to music, reading, and distracting myself with other thing I enjoy really good.
If things are feeling overwhelming, you can also find people to talk to. Open lines of communication are vitally important, as humans are designed to be social creatures.
Find things you can normalise, and enjoy that you can look forwards to and focus on.
Find time in your day for yourself, where you can reflect and process different experiences.
As I said, these strategies may not work for everyone, but I hope they help!

3.
My experience in overseas culture wasn't an exchange program, but still an amazing one. And as with any experience, not without its challenges. Navigating places where you don't know the language, customs and socially acceptable standards as well can be terrifying, and at times you feel like you have no idea what's going on. This can be very challenging, but is 100% worth experiencing in the end.
I hope this advice helps!

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My name is Tessa and I am 15, living in Christchurch New Zealand. I think it would be really amazing to experience life in another country but also terrifying.

My tip is think positive! If life is hard, just remember, it is what it is! Wishing you were somewhere else won't make the problems go away. In fact, it will just make you have a bad time and you won't learn anything from your difficult experience. Just think of one positive thing, and then think of some more positive things, and soon you'll realise it's not as bad as it seems! :)

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Hi, my name is Neve, I'm 15 years old and I'm currently living in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Being a competitive swimmer I do competitions all over the south island. Normally I would go to the swim meet with my parents but one time we went to a competition as a club. It was 5 days long, and I was terrified. I spent a lot of time messaging my mum almost in tears because I was so stressed out and couldn't sleep.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I still did it. No matter what you think, you can always do it. No matter how hard the going gets you will always be able to do your best.

Things that I find helpful when I'm stressed  are:
1. Talking - a problem shared is a problem halved.
2. Writing - a great way to get all of your feelings down. It can help you understand what you're feeling and why.
3. Physical activity - it gives you a way to channel your emotions and leaves you feeling good and like you accomplished something.
4. Write down 5 positive things for the day - write down good things that have happened to you during the day, it helps you realize that to every bad thing that happens there's always going to be more positive things.

Have fun, get out there, and do your best!
- Neve

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Hey There! Kia Ora! I am Evan a student from Jakarta, Indonesia. I am currently 16 and 1/2 years old. Currently I am in my senior year at UPH College studying Business.

I first moved out of my home at the age of 15 since I go to a boarding school 2-3 hours away from my home. At first I felt homesick being away from my friends and family as well as surrounded by people I didn't know but slowly by slowly I manage to adapt to my surrounding and cope the stress being away from home.

1. Take a deep breath

Whenever you felt anxiety or stress in your mind or chest just remember to take a deep breath. I find this very helpful especially in stressful time.

2. Have A Daily Routine

Having a daily routine makes it easier to get through your day in your new environment for example. In my home I always drink coffee in the morning, when I moved to my dorm at boarding school I try to do the same thing every morning. This makes our new environment somewhat familiar to the environment we have back home.

3. Pick up new hobby / activity

All my friends and colleagues that live in the dorm pick up new hobby / activity to battle the boredness we have especially in the weekends. Me myself like to go to the gym or play basketball with my friends whenever I have some free time in my hand. boredness is the friend of homesick and by battling this we can minimize the homesickness we have in our mind and heart.

Before I come to boarding school. I didn't know any of this tips and tricks which makes my first few months in the dorm felt like hell in earth. I wish I have known this tips and tricks before I come to the dorm of my boarding school so my transition and adaption to my new environment will be much easier.

Thank you and Good Luck in your journey. I will see you in the top!

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this picture is from "wolf chidren" anime.

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hi! I'm Kimmy. I'm from Thailand
Well, you'll find and encounter a lot of new things being an exchange student. Diffferent cultures, ways of communication, etc. The best way to deal with differences is to be open minded, respectful and non judgemental. It might be hard at first but eventually, you'll kearn more than language during your exchange course. You'll learn and understand people in that culture more which is important becuase you're living with them ! You'll explore many different point of views, opinions, thoughts from people from different cultures. When things are tough and overwhelming, you can try taking some time off people, observing natures(New Zealand got so many beautiful landscapes!!) and maybe try taking a nap. A good rest really helps after a stressful day. And before flying, try searching about New Zealand streotypes, what to do and what to avoid so that you don't accidentally offended someone because of cultural diferences.

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Sawasdee krub. I’m Purinut Suchinai, my nickname is Nut and I’m 16 years old and learning at Bangkok Christian College. I really wanted to introduce you to our school and I’ll be delighted to tour you around it. Here, we aren’t really Christians even though the name said it, Thailand is a mostly Buddhist country and this here is just another school of the country. As of right now, BCC is the oldest private school in Thailand at 170 years and running. Now, let’s talking about your learning experience. Here, you’ll be accepted into a tight community of friends that’ll interact with you a lot, and you can be assured that you’ll definitely make some friends here even though you’re not good at Thai because most of us here speaks English very well. Also, the school is very huge and you can run around and explore even more if your want. The cafeteria here also has a variety of foods you can choose from from traditional foods to stuff like hamburg steak to tonkatsu pork. I feel like you’ll have a good time here and I’ll be looking forward to your arrival!
Best wishes, Nut

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Hellooo, my name is Connor and I'm currently living in Hastings, New Zealand.
First thing's first.... you're amazing. There is no way that that couldn't be true. I personally have never been incredibly confident about myself and my abilities.
However, a bit over a year ago I went on an Outward Bound course, where we went to the top of the South Island (of New Zealand) and did various activities (all related to personal growth and the out-doors). It was hard as the people who went with me weren't very nice, but it taught me that I had to believe in myself and be confident in who I am.
I believe in order to get what you want in life you must know what you have to offer. I wrote a list on that course outlining my best qualities. This was an insight into me as that list was much longer than I would have thought it to be. Doing this made me realize that I am actually pretty awesome and I know it sounds egotistical to say but I am. And you are too. This list allowed me to stand up for myself and be confident in who I am and it was one of the best things that I have ever done.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that in order to get the most out of something you've got to be confident and this is the way I did it and there are so many other ways you can do it.
So yeah... I hope this helps!!
Love you all.

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hello! i am cathy, 15 years old, born and living in jakarta, indonesia! i’m currently in high school.

i have experiences cultural differences when travelling to different countries. one that i remember the most was when i visited tokyo, japan.

what i learned was that when we visit other cultures, we should try to adapt to their culture. when we learn more about their culture, it can help us interact with the local people much easier.

some ways i cope when i am feeling overwhelmed by change and difference is to find some time to be alone, and let my thoughts quiet down. i really like sitting down with a cup of coffee or tea.

what i wish i had known was some other parts of japanese culture aside from some common japanese phrases. like how japanese people bow when greeting others. if i had known that from the start, i would have bowed to them and i would have been able to show them more respect.

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My English name is Jessie. I’m from Dong Nai, Viet Nam.
I will tell you guys about my experience of moving into a new school and give you advice on coping and resilience. When I was a grade 6th student, I went to a new school. I met new friends, new teachers, a new language, a new type of teaching, etc. It took me the first 2 weeks to adapt to the new environment. After the first 2 weeks, I have been a victim of psychological bullying. People were gossiping about me and excluding me. However, I just ignored them, didn’t say anything, and focused on myself. What must be, must be. At the end of the school year, I got the highest score and was a top 1 student in my class. There were many friends and teachers who gave me compliments about my effort.
Therefore, I will share some tips which help me to cope with my problem.
1. Finding a coping strategy that fits best for you.
- There are many coping strategies to reduce stress and it depends on our personality. Therefore choose one or as much as you can to help cope with stress. For example, when I am stressed, I usually watch the clouds because it will assist me to be more relaxed and optimistic.
2. Confident: Try your best and trust yourself. “Always know how valuable and uniquely beautiful you are”.
3. Talking to someone whom you trust or writing a diary: Sometimes, you feel lonely and want someone to encourage you. Please tell them and they might help you. In my opinion, keeping everything in your mind will make you feel overwhelmed.
Thank you for reading my letter. I’m not good at writing so please forgive me if there are some mistakes. I hope that my advice can help you to prepare for your experience. Give you my favorite quote: “ Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s learning to dance in the rain. If you can dream it, you can do it. Best wishes for your bright future. <3

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I am Panphob Khiewpaisal, 15 years old boy from Bangkok, Thailand.  I find myself in a panic zone when I join a new environment.  I tend to be an extremely quiet person in a new environment.  It is quite a challenge to start the conversation.  My panic zone will gradually “disappear” when I feel comfortable with the new environment.

My suggestion for future students would be to learn to adapt to the new environment as soon as possible.  I am aware that it is easily said than done.  This is because the sooner you are able to accommodate yourself in the new environment, the happier you would be. And you would be able to learn new things.  In my opinion, my strategy to cope with the new culture is trying to be as open-minded person as possible. You may wish to see yourself as a little boy who is eager to learn and welcome new knowledge in any environment.  By doing so, you will naturally accept and learn new knowledge and be able to adapt to the new environment without any resistance.  It is normal to feel uncomfortable in a new environment, and some of us may face what we call a culture shock when we are exposed to a new culture, new friends, and new environment.  Therefore, we all have to learn how to cope with this new environment.

I do hope that my proposed strategy would be helpful to future students

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Hi :))) I'm Thuong and my english name is Kassie, i'm 16 yrs old at the time i'm writing this letter. I come from Viet Nam and currently living in Dong Nai 

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Fist thing i want everybody that's reading this letter to know is that you're wonderfull :>
Being confident is something that's not very easy, i've struggle with leaning how to be more confident for most of my life (which i know is not that long considering the fact that i'm just 16 years old) but i think the fist step to become more confident is learning how to love and appreciate yourself, try to stand in front of a mirror and then practice talking and imagine you're giving a speech, if you feel cringe or awkward the fist or the second time don't worried, once you feel comfortable and got used to it, you'll be alot better at giving out your opinions the next time you're in class.

The second thing that i want you to know is that you don't need to push yourself too much when you feel like everybody around you have so much to say and you don't.
I'm the opposite of that, i feel like i talk too much and sometimes i'm scared that some of the things that i've said might sounded kinda weird and everyone would find me strange 😅...so talking less isn't that bad, you can talk whenever you felt like it and even if it's just one or 2 short sentences it's fine. 😊
I want to write a bit more but my deadline is chasing me so...that's all the main things i wanna tell you.

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Hiii, My name is Ngan(my English name is Sophia!) and I'm from Vietnam and am currently living in Dong Nai, Vietnam.

So I've always been an introverted person who always scared to be judged by others, scared to make mistakes, and scared of bad eyes from others looking at me with a bad impression, etc. I know that you are also stressed because of 1001 situations going on in your head about "What others are thinking about me?" or "I'm scared that this is the wrong answer..." But hey! Everything is not that bad! And here are some advice I always use to ease myself whenever I realized I'm in panic zone:

1. Be calm, let go of your stress, and don't think too much about others.
- I know this sounds pretty hard because like how can you stop the thinking in your head right? But hey, when you realized you've stressed first thing first clear all the thoughts going on in your head and breathe in then hold and exhaust repeat it several times I'm sure that you with be more relieved. Now think, what can you do in this situation? A good way to go is small talk with the person beside you about topics like what you think about *things going on* For ex: Hey there! what do you think about the class? What secondary school did you go to?* Soon enough you'll be no longer felt stressful^^

2. Share your today's story with your close friends or your family!
- This is a really good way to cope with stress, let out your feelings, and have someone lend an ear to your story. You'll be comfortable, eased, and safe when you have someone who is by your side to comfort you.<3

3. Be yourself!
- The most important thing is hereee
Remember, there is nothing wrong to be yourself and no one can stop you from being yourself. Loving yourself is being yourself, you're the definition of beautiful! You're amazing, talented, and kind with all the work you did and all the care that you spend on others and also yourself.

Last but not least! You're so strong my love you can get through this! Be calm and cope with it. Hope this helps you!
Lots of love!!<3
Sophia

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Dear future student,

Hello! I'm Pim, a 16-year-old from Thailand. I'm studying for a bachelor's degree in law while learning in grade 11 like normal teenagers. I got through a tight schedule a lot. Two things I learned are plan and time management. These two things are the first step to jumping the gun but learning this program only these two things aren't enough. Open-minded and confident speaking is the key. My tip is...

1. Plan and time management to use time wisely.

You should make your own short and long plan to get your work done on time and don't use your body too much.

2. Open-minded is the key to having a friend in another country.

Because of a different culture, you have to avoid judging.

3. Confident

Being confident to speak and share opinion and experience with others help you make friends with others easily.

4. Get some rest to recharge yourself.

Find your comfort zone to recharge yourself when you get tired. If you tired, just get some rest then continue. Don't work too much because if you work too much, you may burn out soon.

The last thing I want to tell a future student is to enjoy learning and what you do. Make it fun and be a part of your life. Good luck!

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Kia Ora,
My name is Millie, I am 14 years old and am currently living in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Personally I have not experienced moving overseas, though I recently moved high schools, I was lucky enough to have a friend by my side when moving but even so I still struggled adapting to the new school and making friends. One of my key learning experiences from this is to try your best to talk to others even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone!. You may feel scared or worried about being judged by others but I believe no matter the outcome it is always important to try, who knows maybe you'll meet a lifelong friend in the process!. Remember to always be yourself when talking to others.

My top coping strategies when I moved were:
- Listening to music, no matter what genre music is a great way to relax when you're feeling stressed. Try listening to music while on a walk to calm yourself down.

-Getting lots of sleep, sleep is the key to a good day and an excellent way to clear your mind!.

Try find your best way to cope with stress as it will be a life saver during the tough times in your life.

If you're moving to a new environment try to familiarize yourself with some of the culture and always remember to be open-minded, and finally don't be afraid to make mistakes!. <3

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你們好啊! I'm Bonnie Tang and I' m from Taiwan! I am 16 this year. (Although I am still 15 now haha) I am live in Christchurch, New Zealand for one and half year! I am so excited to share my experience to you guys now!

When I first to come to New Zealand, I was so scared and worried about my grammar, my accent, etc. I worried everything. And this, it continue for a half year. I lost so many chances to make friends, to adopt the life. Because just a thing: I am too scared and worried about if I make any mistake. So in my opinion, I think the most important things to do is DON'T BE SCARED! Because if you scared for everything, you cannot learn everything. You have to make some mistake and you will know this is wrong so I need to change next time.

The experience helps me to more resilient by teaching me how to adapt with new environtment and new places. Hope you/ you guys enjoy your life in a new place!

加油 ! 你/你們可以做到的 !

Bonnie

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Hello, my name is Lintang and I am from Indonesia. I am 15 years old. And I am currently living in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

I am originally from Bali, Indonesia so adapting to New Zealand Environment is very difficult at first. New food, new cultures, new ways, and new friends. I remember when moving to New Zealand for the first few months I cried and always complained and wanted to go back to Indonesia. But soon I slowly accepted and started to explore and make friends.

Moving to a new country can get scary and stressful so here are several ways I use to cope with it.
1. Talk to family and friends back at home and talk about your experience in the new place.
2. Try taking a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the scenery
3. learn about the culture and try new foods.
4. Make friends. I know it's hard at first but try to talk to them first. Make small talks.

Before moving to New Zealand I should have learned about it first like the culture and food.

I hope this helps. All the best

-Lintang

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Hello! Ngoc is my name and I'm from Vietnam. I'm now living in a small province called Tay Ninh which is also my hometown.
Having to adapt the new environment when u move to a new place is unavoidable, and sometime it can make you feel stress and tense. As a student who love to learn, dicover new experiences and desire to live abroad, I have some useful advices to ease yourself when under pressure!
1. Having a good preparation is really important especially your mental health. You wouldn't feel so much panic when u have a certain plan.
2.Find someone to help and share. To adapt the new environment faster, finding a friend would be better since you can help and learn from each other, also not to feel loneliness.
3. Be open-minded! Sometimes encounter a new culture may cause cultural shock, some people give up, some even judging and stereotyping. To get use to the new culture faster, you need to open your mind, recognise them.
4. Having a suitable relaxing time. If you find to many difficulties to familiarize yourself with the new environment, settle down and take some rest. Relaxing by doing your favourite like listening to music, do sport, share with friends,...Recharge yourself until you feel comfortable and ready to resume work!
That's some of my tips that I've gained from my experiences. I hope it can be useful to you one day. Good luck!

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Hi! My name is Marvin Nicholas Sutio. I'm 18 years old and i'm from Indonesia. My learning keys for u guys when dealing difference places and new environtment is try to adapt to the environtment as best as u can and try to be relaxed becuase when you're panic u can't think clearly so be just relaxed and be calm.

My top coping strategies is try to help people who need help because for me when i help people i feel happy and relieved and that help me to be calm and relaxed everytime.

The experience helps me to more resilient by teaching me how to adapt with new environtment and new places.

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Hi! My name is Seonghyeon, but you can call me Kelly! I'm from South Korea, but I live in New Zealand. I had to adapt to a new environment, NZ, when I had just moved here, where everything was different, such as language, people, culture and environment. I found it very stressful and nervous whenever I had to talk to other people, especially in front of many people. But I tried not to be shy and talk to as many people as possible. Once I tried to become confident, my English improved, and I got much closer with my friends. I think the most important thing I learned from this was to be positive. Everyone goes through tough times and stressful moments but being positive, thinking positive and changing perspectives are very the keys. For example, I tried to think this stressful moment would be gone and this would help me to improve my English. I changed my perspectives in positive ways!

I wish I had known that people would not be judging with my language. Since NZ is very multicultural, people do not judge others' English or accent. I would like to say to old myself that I don't need to worry too much about what others would think about me.

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Xin chao! My name is Uyn. I'm 16 years old and I'm from Viet Nam. I am currently live in Tay Ninh, which is also where I was born.

My best advice is if your study journey is so rough and you feel stressed about it,  you should take a rest and do some meditation if the environment is too rough, you should change it to feel better. Remember, don't impose yourself just be who you are. Last but not least, you should find some friends with whom you can really share your stories and who is a good listener or a good secret keeper. If none of those can help you, you should go see a therapist.

I hope my advice can touch you, good luck!!!!

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Kia Ora,

I'm Phuong Anh, a 16-year-old Vietnamese student. I'm currently living in Ho Chi Minh city, which is also where I was born.

I've always been that one very introverted student who rarely speaks up in class, and whenever I do, it always feels really awkward. But thanks to this course, I found that I'm not alone, there are many people like me. I've met many other peers from around the world through this course, shared many interesting stories, and learnt about the others' way of thinking, and also their culture. I have been taught on being non-judgemental, and to listen to other people's view with an open mind. So, here's some tips that might help you in some stressfull situations :>

1. Don't think that people view you with a bad eye.
Sometimes, I just feel like people around me are being hostile, and they are judging my every small movement, which, in fact, is not true. It's just my assumption. Remember, new people  no reasons to be hostile to you, and they are  fact really open to your point of view, so just relax.

2. Share your story with your bestie.
Yes, sometimes life's hard on you, but if you keep pressing those emotions down and not letting go, you will soon be depressed.

3. Use daily reminders and calendars on your phone.
If you want to do your best, make sure to set your daily reminders for what you need to complete, which deadlines is coming, and which class, event you have to participate. I used to screw things up becuse I frequently forget to do something, but now that I have developed a habit of using reminders, I rarely make such mistakes.

4. Turn on your camera in online activities.
Yes, don't be shy! You are not ugly AT ALL. If your room is messy, use virtual background, do not hide your face please. I always have much more pleasure talking to people face to face. Online interactions have lots of limitations, so people would really appreciate being able to see your face while talking.

5. Show interest in others
If the conversation suddenly feels way too awkward, ask other people about themselves! Show that you are interested in them. People are usually enthusiastic when talking about their interests, or sharing their stories. You might find a friend who shares the same interest as well! Also, it would be a bonus point if you remember some details of their story, so in future conversations, you can talk more about it. They would be thrilled to know that you listen to their stories with sincerity.

6. Be yourself
What are your interests? Do you draw, dance, or make your own music? Do you like to collect figures? Share your interests with others! Don't be shy!

That's it, just don't put too much pressure on yourself. Make the most out of you opportunities, and be the happiest person on earth! Work hard and sleep tight everyday, and take good care of yourself <3

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Greetings, my name is Quan but you can call me Nick. I am 15 from Vietnam, currently in my first year of high school in Ho Chi Minh City. Throughout my life, I have been raised in a strict, well-disciplined family which is overwhelming and stressful but it also poses a challenge for me to have a more potent coping mechanism. I know that it will take you some time to acclimatize to new cultures with diversities, cultural differences, of course but trust me with enough resilience I think you can overcome them easily and here are some tips that might prove to be useful to you.

One of the most important things to do before encountering a new culture is that stop being stereotypical and judgemental, be open to people's viewpoints and opinions. We should admit that each culture has their own unique traits, festivals, cultures, which could be not so familiar to you. Learn how to listen, notice carefully and thoroughly to things around you and learn as much as you can.

These are my pastimes that you may have a look at to build myself a stronger mind

- Taking a nap whenever I feel too tired from overworking/ finishing the deadlines
- Messaging to my friends / families
- Going to gym for 2-3 hours
- Listening to motivational musics.
- Meditation to calm one's breath and mind
- Searching for podcasts, videos that have interesting hotly-debated topics, or learn whatever you like

One final tip is that don't repeat the same mistake over and over again as it will give people the bad impression of you. It is okay to make a mistake, people won't hold a grudge against you :>> I hope this helped you, wish you luck mate !

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Hi! My name is Kayla. I'm 16 years old and I'm from Indonesia. I am currently in my second year of high school and it's been a super hectic yet enjoyable couple of weeks.

All my life I have never moved schools nor lived in a house other than my current one. However, I have dealt with differences, especially in terms of clashing mindsets. I have encountered several people from different cultural backgrounds and social classes. Sometimes, the way they think won't match mine. I consider some of them to be 'laid back' and some to be 'self-centered' which both do not fit my principles. One example is doing this project with people in and out of my school. Because of our differences, we often clashed in terms of ideas and methods of doing.

Of course, we solved it by trying to find the middle ground. However, it is quite difficult to always think from someone else's perspective and it requires a lot of energy and time. Thus, after thinking, I often try to talk it out with my closest friends. I also cope well or destress by going outside, and being involved with nature. I take long walks or try to go somewhere green or blue and spend my time there. It is a healing process for me and I think it can also help you to calm your mind and straighten your thinking process. If you don't have time for this, then it is also efficient for me to listen to songs while taking a long bath or even by cleaning my room!

Before embarking on this journey, I wished that I knew how to rely on other people. It is certainly not possible to always keep things to yourself. That's why you can also try talking to your friends about your problems or about anything! Don't be scared that they will view you in a different way, or that you (as the happy pill) will not be the same. I also wished that I knew making mistakes or not knowing what to do is okay. That's why life is a learning experience.

I hope that this helps you! Take care and remember that you got this!

- Kayla :D

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Hello! My name is Emma and I live in Palmerston North, New Zealand. I am 17 years old and in my fourth year of high school. I am half Japanese, and at home I am trying my best to speak Japanese.

Adapting to a new environment that you are not familiar with is not easy, but there are ways you are able to make your experiences easier.

We have to learn to be resilient and open minded and understand that you will be stepping into a completely new culture. Trying to understand different aspects of this culture or how people act is a good skill to have rather than stereotyping and judging. When we are unfamiliar with our surroundings and/or culture we tend to panic in different situations. This is why we need coping methods to calm ourselves down and go back to a learning mindset.

My coping methods are:

listening to calm music to feel at ease or if you're feeling angry etc blast loud music to get your emotions out.

I also tend to dance to release my emotions :)

Video call or message your friends to talk about your experiences.

Go back to something familiar, like look at old photos.

Write down how you're feeling into a journal

When I was younger, I went to Japan for a few months and went to school over there. I wasn't familiar with the school system and some of the language.

What made this unfamiliar environment easier was to connect with people (my age) in my classes and to form friendships. This made my experience more enjoyable and made me feel more comfortable.

Some advice I would give if you are entering an unfamiliar environment, is to do a little bit of research to familiarise yourself with some aspects of their culture, so the shock isn't as big.

All the best, and remember to have fun!

- Emma :)

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Hi, My name is Bingo. I'm 15 and I'm from Thailand. I have to say that throughout my life, piano competitions have always been a part of me. Numerous pieces that I have to learn, Various stages that I have to performed -- My life has been through countless tense situations. Today, I would like to share my ways of coping in tight situations that you guys could use!

1. Let go of your stresses.

Stress is only there to serve as a reminder to stay alert in those important occasions. It's acceptable to feel anxious and stressed, but you shouldn't overthink things. The more you think, the higher the expectations you have for yourself. When your expectations aren't met, stress arises. In essence, just let go of those emotions, unwind, and stop putting pressure on yourself because of your expectations.

2. Get enough sleep

It is crucial to get enough rest for your body to properly function. Sleep deprivation should not be a thing since sleeping is when your brain and body get to recharge. The amount of sleep affects your mood and the ability to concentrate. Make sure to get enough sleep!

These tips allow me to get over tense situations and also increase my overall performance too!

I hope these useful tips will help you get through your day!

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Hello, my name is Bella from the Philippines! As of writing this, I am 15 years old and in my second year of High School. It was just my first day yesterday and it's been an exciting week so far.

As someone who tends to be awkward in social situations, exerting yourself in an environment where there are so many bigger personalities can be very stressful. Overthinking words, feeling small and dumb, never knowing when and how is the right way to add yourself into a conversation. Trust me, I completely get the anxiety surrounding interacting with complete strangers.

However, we all have to get over it somehow. If there's anything I learned about being resilient, it's that it's a working effort on your part. To never give up and always strive to stick it out until the end.

So going into this course my number one advice is to come to terms with the fact that you're here to unlearn and rebuild your worldview. Speaking from personal experience, I tend to be a perfectionist, meaning I used to want to always be right/righteous. But if you think like that all the time, you're deliberately refusing to grow. Accept that there are ways that your cultural background has skewed your worldview. Accept that answers different from yours hold inherent value, and can genuinely teach you things about other cultures that are incredibly fascinating.

Second, relax. Don't take things too seriously, but definitely don't take everything lightly. Everyone struggles one way or another. It's okay to sound stupid sometimes, and it's absolutely okay to ask questions--whether it be to the facilitators or to fellow students whose answers you want to know more about. Relax. Find ways to make this experience as enjoyable as possible. Listen to music while doing the modules, talk about the course with people who may be in the same social circle as you. If you're like me, you could also constantly find ways to connect your learnings here to examples you may see in media or elsewhere.

I think taking this course actually did improve my resilience, even by just an inch. I think now that I'm better equipped with tools for better cultural understanding, I can use them to adapt to wherever I go. This course also helped me get used to speaking up more despite the awkwardness of it all and I find that incredibly valuable as a part of my personal journey.

I hope this helped, and I hope that you don't shy away from whatever it is you want to do during this time. Most likely outcome here is, that in the end, it was a good opportunity to learn.

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Hi everyone, my name is Kwang from Thailand and I am b15 years old. I will share way to socialize but actually I am not very good at this and now I’m still trying to be more confident and friendly to everyone.

First you should feel free when you are with them and talk about an interesting topic or exchange your social media name and also ask about their cultures so it will be easier to get along with them.

Next you have to be confident don’t be shy.

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Hi! I'm Duc, a student from Vietnam. Last year was my transaction from 9th grade to 10th grade, and I had to study in a new environment. Initially it was pretty awkward because everyone in the class had already get to know each others, while I was struggling with opening conversations with them. Yet, later my classmates recognized the problem that I was having, so they began to ask about myself, and we became best friends.

A word of advice, wherever you are, frustration and anxiety would probably not solve anything, calmness is the best way to cope with problems.

Hope this helps ya!

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Kia Ora! My name is Sophie, and I am from Palmerston North, New Zealand. I am 14 years old and mainly raised in Dannevirke, New Zealand. I am really interested in other countries and cultures!

I haven't had any experience with going overseas, but I have had experience with having to adapt to a new environment. It was scary at first, knowing I had to leave my friends and start at a new school. A new environment can be very overwhelming and stressful but know that you will get through it and it adapting will only get easier! You will need to learn to be resilient and bounce back!

First of all, if you are stressed, you will need to slow down and take a step back. Try doing something relaxing, such as listening to music, reading, or even going for a short walk. People relieve stress in numerous different ways, but these are some of the main ones that help me.

Remember that you are strong and can get through whatever hardships you face. Make the most of your opportunities and don't let your mistakes hold you back!

- Sophie :)

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Ahoy! I'm Minh, a 16 years old student from Vietnam. I was borne in the capital city of Vietnam which is Hanoi. However my hometown is Vinh Long (A province in the South.
As my families past were farmers and militants, I'm trained to deal with situation using multiple skills. It is best to prepare yourself in everything (sounds impossible but technically possible). But personally, when moving on a new environment, I would usually stay silent, invisible for a few days or weeks. This is to observe other people and to learn how things work at that location.
For coping mechanism, I prefer to work, study or exercise. These actions help to distract my brain from thoughts that I don't want to have.
This is probably it, if you are somewhere and having a bad day, remember that everything happen for a reason. Maybe you can't see it now but in the future, maybe...

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Hello! I'm Lucy, and I'm 16 years old from New Zealand. I was born and raised in NZ, and the only other country I've been fortunate enough to visit is Australia. I have a deep fascination and curiosity about other countries and cultures. I am mostly Maori, but my dad is of Falkland Island descent. English is my first language, however Maori is often used in my family.

New Zealand is an awesome place to relocate to/visit! The people here value pride, respect, independency and civility. You'd be able to make a whole lot of great relationships here. People (that I know of anyway) are for the most part, down to earth and good-natured. Strong and lasting connections can be formed here in NZ.

Moving is a significant change in a person's life, especially if it is to another country where a variety of factors take you far outside of your comfort zone. Language, culture, religion, education, food, and so on are just a few examples. The most important aspect of adapting to this change is maintaining a strong mind and being open to new and unfamiliar things.

I'm sure it's not always easy. However, being able to remain resilient in the face of the unknown is a very efficient and orderly approach to the situation.

Some tactics that I use to calm myself down when approached by a stressful situation include the following:

-Listening to music (shuffle my favorite playlists)
-Watching shows / movies / animes / dramas
-Taking the dogs out for a walk
-Playing guitar and writing songs
-Sleeping
-Talking or hanging out with mates
-Watching my favorite youtuber (markiplier letsgo)
-Listening to Distractible podcast on Spotify (worth ur time)

People relieve stress in numerous different ways, but these are the ones that I notice work for me the most.

A last little bit of wisdom from me is, don't let your past mistakes hold you back from making more. Mistakes are good. They teach us. They shape us. They guide us. Learn from them and grow.

Praying all this helped you:)

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Greetings! My name is Tarvin, and I am and 18-year old from India! As a student, having visited countries for exchange programs and competitions, I have learnt to deal with diversity and your ability to cope with cultural differences through coping mechanisms and resilience.

We often think "Oh moving to a country is going to be a huge task!" Well, I'm sure it is for those who don't go with an open mind and who have familiarise themselves with the culture their visiting.

So, step 1: Calm down, take a deep breath and read! Read about the people, the places, the language, the festivals - it just helps you theoretically know more about what there is to expect.

Step 2: Try and ask questions to locals, to tour guides and make the effort to know more. When you interview people and condition yourself to learn more and become comfortable in the culture, it makes it easier for you to adapt and become resilient.

Finally, don't shy away from wanting to explore more! Don't forget that you have it in you to fit in perfectly! Nothing about you doesn't fit perfectly, so be proud of your legacy while at the same accept the new environment you have stepped into:)

All the best!

-Tarvin<3

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Hi, my name is Therese and I am a 16-year-old student from New Zealand. I was born in New Zealand and am from Malaysia. Throughout my life, I have been raised in both cultures and have attempted to express them in my daily life.

Schoolwork has become quite a stress for me as I pressure myself to always succeed.Tips I use in attempt to cope and be resilient when panicking and dealing with school and academics are attempting to first relax by breathing in and out and find an activity that will allow you to remember that you need to stay calm and strong. Such as watching a short video, reading (my personal favourite), and listening to music. Once you feel safe and relaxed, remind yourself that you need to push myself to always improve and that you can do this.

Just remind yourself that you are strong and can get through whatever hardships you face.

Kind regards,
Therese Koh

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As an international student, you are about to explore the country with a new perspective. All the best for this new adventure of yours! But before you embark on this unknown journey, I am here to give you a few tips on coping and resilience.

A new country can be very overwhelming and stressful. And this is where you need to learn to cope and be resilient. First of all take a step back, calm yourself down and go slow. Secondly there is no harm to ask help from others and don’t ever shy away from assistance.

Another coping method will be to reconnect and talk to your loved ones back from home. It's just like therapy.

Now the final strategy is to face the challenge and walk over it.

There is a lot to explore here. Happy exploring!

Best of luck.

- Anugraha

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Hello there! I am Samayara Singh from Grade 12, a student from India.

Adapting to a new environment totally different from the one that you lived in since your childhood is not easy and I know that. I won't ask you to be resilient because I know how difficult it is and it's ok to get overwhelmed and scared. I experienced this thing when I came to a boarding school 3years back. I cried, I tried to get used to it but it took me a year to get used to it and now I feel that it's ok because I became the person that I always wanted to be (more resilient and ready to face every problem with a smile) and I know if I did it you can do it too just have patience and believe in yourself.

I don't know if my coping techniques will help you or not but then also I would like to share them with you. The first thing that I always did whenever I get overwhelmed is put on my earphones and write a poem about how I feel today I have like hundreds of poems in my diary. The second thing is to read a book because I feel like books can help you to enter a new world. The most important trick is to meet every people with a blank paper in your mind so you can note down good things about that person because a human being is made of his/her good and bad deeds but don't forget to smile because it is said that when life gives you a thousand reasons to cry show life that you have a million reasons to smile. This is my favorite quote and I put here the song that always helps me to cope with things.

I hope this all can help you!
take care

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...Opening Spotify...

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Kia Ora! Hello! My name is Gisele :)))
I am a Year 12 student at St Mary's College Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand. I was born in Melbourne Australia but raised here in New Zealand. I love to meet new people, make new friends, and learn about other cultures. I love the outdoors and I play lots of sports. I also have a ton of other hobbies!

Here in New Zealand, we are known for being a bit more laid back and chill. We love to have a good time and just relax. Although teenagers here face a lot of stress. This is mostly from academic pressure.

For me, I enjoy putting some headphones in or putting a record on, or blasting music out of a speaker. Music really helps me cope with stress. It helps me to tune the world out or to help me focus and concentrate on something really important. I enjoy making different playlists to help with my moods. For example, if I'm feeling down ill play happy songs to help lift my mood, or if I need to concentrate I will play a range of songs usually shorter songs so that I don't get distracted. I find music a great way to cope with stress and it gives your brain something else to focus on.

I wish that I had known myself better and learned to suspend judgment because once you know yourself and keep an open mind everything is so much easier; understanding those around you and how everyone views the world differently. The key thing to take away is that new situations and experiences can be tricky to navigate, but you should keep in mind everyone is human and how people act is just based on their own experiences. This is how listening is a key factor in learning to understand others.

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My name is Maisie and I'm a year 12 from New Zealand.

I’ve found that New Zealand is a chill place, if you’re respectful of others then more people will want to help you. Moving may be hard but if you put yourself out there you will make great friends.

I tend to use music to cope with stress. I make playlists that are based around an emotion, like happiness and dancing moods. It takes my mind off of things and I can give myself over to the music.

I wish I had known about how other people work and view the world. It would have helped me learn and develop. My key learning is that new experiences can be tricky and hard to  deal with, but in the end things will be okay.

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Hey, there! My name is Sahitya and I am a Grade 12 student in India.

There is no denying the truth that adapting to a new culture can be quite stressful and daunting. Unfortunately, intercultural competence does not come with a user-friendly handbook. However, there are certain tips I would like to share, which will almost certainly make this new chapter of your life easier.

The most important lesson I have learnt via my experiences is to suspend judgement. Acknowledge that each culture has its own preferences, which might be different from yours. Learn to respect them and avoid being critical or judgemental.

In this journey, curiosity will be your best friend. Always be willing to listen to people (from different cultural backgrounds) talk about their experiences and perspectives. Showing genuine cultural curiosity builds trust and understanding, strengthens communication and forms the basis for mutual respect.

Ensure you keep an open mind during your interactions. Try to put yourself in others' shoes and understand how their cultural backgrounds influence their behaviour. This is crucial if you wish to integrate yourself into a new culture. Adapting to a new cultural environment does not include altering your own customs, values and beliefs. Rather, it includes understanding, embracing and bridging the differences.

Remember, it's alright to make mistakes while exploring a new culture. Don't be too hard on yourself. Just acknowledge your errors and make an honest effort to correct them. Hope this helps!

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Namaste,
I'm Harshini from Mumbai, India and I'm here to give you a little window into my mind and how I cope and recommend to cope with changes.

I'm going to start with a cliche but this is one that will prove to be true time and time again. Trust life and all it has in store for you, although don't fall back and let life lead you- you choose, you decide and you create. Life is going to take you places you might not be comfortable going- both figuratively and literally. The first strategy to cope is not being too hard on yourself.

If you focus on being perfect from the first instance, you will most likely be disappointed.  Learn and train to be self aware and not afraid of admitting your mistakes and subsequently rectifying them appropriately. This respectful and mature way of thinking will help take some of the pressure off and make you a more comfortable, easy-natured person.
My second strategy is being true to yourself- keep a piece of home or yourself with you. It can be a soft toy from your childhood or a favourite recipe that always reminds you of family or home or even a simple keychain. When immersing yourself in a new culture, we often lose our identity and become lost. We belong nowhere and suddenly have no sense of self. These reminders are essential to keep you on the right track and to help you stay as authentic as possible. My third coping strategy is taking chances. You're in a new place- no one knows your personality, insecurities or fears. Reinvent yourself to be who you always wanted to be. Be confident, take leaps and don't limit yourself.

No matter how well you prepare, you will get stuck, you will have to face hardships and there will be situations out of your control. Do not let this derail you or your progress. New situations will be overwhelming, identify methods that bring you some semblance of peace when panicking- I have a particular song, try to find yours.
Try and be as observant as possible, people often communicate more information non verbally or through things they held their tongues at. This is especially helpful when interacting with people from new cultures or communities. Finally, be respectful, keep an open mind and be kind. Remember to have fun and make all experiences enjoyable.

Love and support,
fellow teenager also figuring things out :)

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Okay, so you're moving countries — stepping foot into a country that you haven't been to before — except this time it's not for a few weeks, it's for your whole life.

Maybe I exaggerated the situation in the first sentence, but I wanted to articulate how stressful moving to another country can be. To help you cope with it, here are some tips (from me, a person that has definitely not lived in the same apartment complex for her entire life):

1) Push yourself even when you don't feel like it: I've heard this a lot from my brother and my cousins that moved to another country. It's hard to make friends at first, especially when you're in a new environment, so it's easy to get closed off and remain in your comfort zone. But, you have to know that unless you push yourself, you're going to remain in that place. It's important to move out of your comfort zone to a learning zone.

2) Communicate: Talk to your family and friends about what's troubling you — a worry that may seem like the end of the world might just be dissipated with a quick conversation with your parent.

3) Trust in yourself: Trust that you made the decision you made for a reason and trust that it will work out!

I hope this helps you!

Akshara :)

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Kia ora! I'm Beth :)
I am a Year 12 student at St Mary's College, Auckland, New Zealand.
A little bit about myself first; I have Indian heritage and have stayed in NZ for my whole life. I love meeting new people and have about a thousand hobbies.

In New Zealand, we are known to be a more laid back people but this doesn't mean that students do not experience academic stress. Here are some tips from me, a current Year 12 student in Auckland.

Making mistakes:
Personally, I have always put pressure on myself to do well in school. This can be a good thing as I am self motivated but it also makes it hard to deal with failure. If you are like me, not succeeding or doing as well as you thought can be amazing. We can't be perfect all the time, and making mistakes is what helps our improvement. Reminding yourself of this can help you to keep believing in yourself.

Organisation:
This is something that I'm still working on a lot. With extreme workloads and very little time, organisation is key for NZ students - especially those doing NCEA (our exam system). Some forms of organisation can be - journals, phone reminders, and I write goals at the start of the week.

Coping mechanisms:
Different coping mechanisms work for different people. Some examples are listening to/playing music, doing painting or any art form, and the one that's perfect for us in New Zealand is going outside. Feeling the fresh air, or sand beneath your feet can help you to completely disconnect from the stresses of schoolwork.

Overall, these are the main things I have learnt over my experience as an NZ student. I hope these can help you <3

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Kia ora, Talofa Lava, and Kumusta!

My name is Angelica Victoria Sabili, although my family calls me Vianca. I am year 10, attending Waitakere College in Auckland, New Zealand.

Life is like a storybook. Some chapters are sad, some are full of trials, and some are exciting. But until we turn a page, we will never know what the next chapter has in store for us. Adjusting to a new culture/environment or moving to a new country is very scary and you may find yourself in the panic zone. Coping and fitting yourself into a culture different from yours may be hard to adjust to, but don't worry because change is all part of building you up as a person. Every change we experience allows us to learn, grow, and know more about ourselves. To allow yourself to cope in the country you move to, you have to learn to accept change, stay calm, and have a growth mindset.

Moving to high school was a big change for me and I felt very small in this colossal place. My advice for everyone that is stressed at the moment, is to take a break and know that you are not alone. Everyone in this world has their low points and I tell you to have a positive mindset or be with the people that are willing to support you. It may be hard to think about the good things during hard times, but having a pal by your side will help you face the hardest challenges. I thank my parents for always being by my side and my pets for being amazing active listeners.

Another piece of advice is to try to engage in small acts of kindness. You can express gratitude to the ones you love, compliment someone, greet a new person with a smile, or give someone a big warm hug. I always used this method as a coping mechanism because whenever I see a person having a bad day become happy, it will always boost my confidence, potential, and optimism.

I know you may be facing a hard time now, but I hoped this helped you. God bless you and wish you all the best!

Cheers,
Angelica Sabili

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Letter to int'l students coming to India

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Letter to int'l students coming to India

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Namaste/ Kia ora
I'm Deepika, a student of grade 11 in India. Nothing I can say can make it easy to adjust to a completely new culture, with different beliefs, food, languages etc. especially ours, as our culture varies vastly across families. Still if I was going to a foreign country to study, I would appreciate a cheat sheet or sorts. So here's a list of must know things about Indian culture that will help cope with change.

1. India has varying cultures in its different parts which is why it is you cannot make completely accurate generalizations for example, I have observed that North Indians are more direct, open minded, less connected with ancient tradition, communicate mostly in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu etc. while South Indians are more formal, conservative, extremely connected with ancient practices and religion, communicate in vernacular languages like Tamil, Telugu etc.
2. India is a secular and diverse country and has many different religions, you have to learn how to respect them. The main ones include Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, tribal religions. Religion is a very important aspect of our lives and it hurts are sentiments if others are disrespectful.
3. Indian believe deeply in respect, we respect our elders by adding 'Ji' in front of their name and saying 'Namaste' to show respect and humbleness.

Just a word of advice while India is one of the most accepting and diverse countries you can come across, don't drive yourself crazy trying to learn everything in one day, take time to understand, accommodate and accept. Also try to understand that India is not as advanced and modern as other countries, we are still learning to accept individuality, different sexualities, PDA, independent teenagers etc. this is of course frustrating, even to someone who lives here but it is still better to maintain boundaries with the older generation and respect their conservations.

Take healthy breaks, set boundaries for yourself, our culture is extremely collectivist and we don't understand privacy as well as other countries, so you're going to have to communicate openly. Lastly don't forget to practice self-love and self-care and stay connected with your culture and loved ones.

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Namaste,

My name is Shreyasi Sareen and I'm a proud Indian and unfortunately still a high school student (sighs). Life isn't easy, but you will definitely come across people who make you feel like it is. Being in a new environment and surroundings may not be comfortable for you but trust me there is only one way to comfortably adapt. Be yourself, and I don't mean it in the cliché way. By being yourself I mean to be genuine, calm, and completely open-minded. Being in an environment where you will experience the ways of an entirely different culture and hence it is so important to be open-minded.

If you feel uncomfortable around anyone or anything just make sure you don't panic and instead forgive yourself at the moment and tell yourself that it's all okay and this is bound to happen. You are going to face multiple challenges but it is crucial to always remind yourself that you are going to get through all of it by being calm, open-minded, and genuine slowly and steadily.

~ someone who hopes she helped you:)

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100 Inspirational and Motivational Quotes of All Time! (17)

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Hello, my name is Samriddhi and I'm currently a high school student residing in India.

It's not easy to move abroad, a big change which I will be hopefully making by the end of next year, for university. I have never been to New Zealand, but for those who are willing to move to India for their education or for future purposes, I definitely can account for some advice and coping mechanisms to adjust to the surroundings my culture provides!

India is a vast country with over 29 states and has 22 official languages [ in reality, let's add more than 1000 other dialects not recorded in the official list ]. Overwhelming? Certainly! However, the good news is that a whooping 90% of urban population is synonymous with Hindi and English as a common language of conversation. Hence, the issue of major miscommunication is solved ( although knowing a bit of Hindi will always prove advantageous )

Indian culture is heavy on respect. We are a collectivist nation with extended families and relatives who are close to us, just as our parents. One thing you might want to remember, is to always respect your elders! The Suffix 'Ji' after any name denotes respect and be sure to use it ( especially if you are a stranger to the elder ).

India is a country with generally adjusting and diverse people, so the move shouldn't be a matter which falls under your 'panic zone'! If ever you feel frustrated, taking brisk walks near the oceans, getting some fresh air, having delicious food and opening up to people around you would definitely help!

Last but not least, moving to any place is a process of change and re-finding yourself in different cultures. Allow yourself to do that and adjust, and everything will be fine! :)

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DEALING WITH DIFFERENCE: My best friend betrayed me

COPING MECHANISM: Escapism. Be it music, pinterest, youtube, or anything that distracts you from your negative thoughts.

WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN: Nothing is permanent. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy something. So it's best to live in the moment.

HOW THIS EXPERINCE MADE ME RESILIENT: I learned to embrace loneliness. I also learned to not blindly trust people.

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Coming to a new place can be scary and overwhelming but one important thing to remember is to try experience as many new opportunitys as possible. It may be scary at the start but the more you get involved, the more you will learn about the culture and the people around you.

Hope this helps
-Lara

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Hi, my name is Eliza a 17-year-old Awatapu College high school student. I understand this might be a strange, weird and unfamiliar being in a new country. The people could have an unfamiliar accent to you or might have different values than your home country. But in New Zealand, we try out best to make you feel welcome and at home as best we can. Try to experience as much as you are comfortable doing but do push yourself a little so you can experience different activities and events that you aren't used to. If you are feeling stressed, comfortable or overwhelmed, do things that you would do at home. Went you move you still are the same person, a different country doesn't change that. And finally, remember to have fun and enjoy yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Eliza 🇳🇿

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Hi, I'm Teaghan a 17-year-old Awatapu College high school student. I know it must be strange being in a new place where everyone is weird and speak funny, but trust me when I say that while we New Zealanders are weird and out there we are very welcoming of new people. I would recommend trying as many new things as you can and making the most out of everything and anyone you may meet. To cope with the stress you may have, take a breath, find some place you feel happy and at ease with the world and spend some time on your own. It really m makes a difference when you give yourself a few minutes to relax and give your mind a break.

Enjoy your time!
- Teaghan <3

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You’re probably feeling quite overwhelmed about being in New Zealand. Don’t worry. It’s all going to be alright. Whilst things right now might be extremely terrifying, you’ll get used to it and while it might never become “easy”, eventually things will become familiar and a bit easier. I recommend trying everything and making the best out of being here because once you leave, you’ll regret that you passed up on opportunities. Yet contradicting myself, don’t try to do too much. Just enjoy being here, find time to relax and do nothing. You’re bound to feel stressed and anxious when in NZ to help deal with problems that are bound to arise, I’d recommend calling someone from home; it’ll remind you that there are people who care about you even if they’re far away. Do something you love or do something completely new, sometimes embracing the fear can be a good thing.
You’ll be fine so don’t worry too much. Good luck, Millie.

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Life is about change. We learn and grow, become better people and try new things. Every opportunity will change you for the better. It will be scary and may not even seem worth it at the time but when something like this arises, take it. This could be the best thing you’ve ever done. It’s good that you’re scared, it means you understand that this will have a major impact on your life. This is a good thing. New things enrich as as humans. Moving to a new place/environment will deepen your understanding of the world, people and everything beyond that. This hasn’t happened yet but in a few months I’m moving out of home and going to university. This will be a totally new environment, new people, new city, new living conditions, new responsibilities and I am terrified. But I also know that this is going to teach me so much for the future and I’m excited. This is how I deal with new experiences. I make sure I know how good this could be if I put in my all. You get what you give is something I believe in strongly which is why this is my main strategy for maintaining resilience. When you feel like giving, don’t. Instead, write it down. Work out whats going wrong and stick at it to truly make the most of this experience. Live life no regrets is something important for me. If you have truly put in everything you’ve got then you will achieve this goal. I wish I had known this before embarking on some other opportunities I have had. Perhaps they would have been even more amazing experiences. Every experience will teach you something. Even if you don’t put in your all you can still learn from that. Everything has a purpose in your life and they all pull together to make you the person you are today. So who cares if something goes wrong. Get back too it but 10 times better.

Kia kaha

Willa

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Hello, I'm Jalynne and I want to share how I cope with stress. For me, studying abroad and living apart from parents has been a constant challenge. I sometimes find myself hard to manage everything and to stay apart from my family and friends at home. That's why I have joined different clubs such as international students' association and to arrange events for international students and to find my home friends. Also, I have made a new hobby of baking bread - which really helped me step out into the learning zone by adding new experiences to my ordinary life. Hope this helps
-Jalynne

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Letter to international student.          My name is Tristan, I am year 12 at WGHS. Growing up we all face hardships and challenges, especially if you are new to a country. As a South African Indian in a culturally different world I found it hard to adjust. I often wondered why I didn’t fit in and I would blame myself for being different, for being me. Over the years this affected My personality and my values. For this reason I regret not standing up for myself and my beliefs. However there were some coping mechanisms that helped me through times like this where I felt like an outsider. I often feel like it’s beneficial to have someone to just talk to, and tell them everything. It could be a close family member, friend of a trusted person. Finding a positive amongst all the negative is soemthing that I found helpful as well as long as you find, something to motivate you through the bad times. This enabled me to always have hope. I feel like growing up these experiences have opened my eyes more and helped me grow as a person, without the bad things I could never learn what is good. 

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Letter to international student.          My name is Tristan, I am year 12 at WGHS. Growing up we all face hardships and challenges, especially if you are new to a country. As a South African Indian in a culturally different world I found it hard to adjust. I often wondered why I didn’t fit in and I would blame myself for being different, for being me. Over the years this affected My personality and my values. For this reason I regret not standing up for myself and my beliefs. However there were some coping mechanisms that helped me through times like this where I felt like an outsider. I often feel like it’s beneficial to have someone to just talk to, and tell them everything. It could be a close family member, friend of a trusted person. Finding a positive amongst all the negative is soemthing that I found helpful as well as long as you find, something to motivate you through the bad times. This enabled me to always have hope. I feel like growing up these experiences have opened my eyes more and helped me grow as a person, without the bad things I could never learn what is good. 

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To: Future students                                     From: Kaito Igawa

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To: Future students                                     From: Kaito Igawa

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I'm going to say it straightforwardly. When you are in the new environment, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." This means you need to carefully observe how they communicate and their values and cultures. And try as much as possible to practice their "traditions". The important thing is, it doesn't mean you have to throw away your own (original) identities. For example, In NZ, I respect how they think and communicate, but I always try to have my own perspective.→Resulting, I kind of feel that I have two identities when I'm in a new (different environment) but it is not a bad thing (being flexible). All I mean is "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. However, still, be natural and be yourself".

Good Luck.

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Kia Ora, my name is Achaia pronounced uh-k-ya, I am born and raised in New Zealand currently living in the kiwifruit capital of the world, Te Puke

You might be going through some discomfort adjusting to a new culture and environment so I hope I can give you some positive advice to take away. First of all I believe that it is important to stay true to yourself even though you are in a new environment and may be peer pressured into doing things. Please do not change your values and beliefs to fit in, as you will find the right people that will accept you for who you are. My favourite coping strategie when I am under pressure is lying in bed listening to music as it gives me time to relax and think about my day. I wish to tell you before embarking on this amazing journey, do not be afraid to seek support from teachers and students as you can talk to them about your concerns, hopefully getting insightful advice in return. Make sure to look after yourself, keep an open mind and remember to have fun.

This will be an awesome experience!!

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Hi I am Lio from Japan. 2 years ago, I came to New Zealand, it was scary to move to a country I had never been to, live without my family and communicate with local people in English. I was only able say hello, thank you, sorry, yes and no at first lol I'm glad that you've chosen to come to New Zealand. You may be anxious and nervous at first, but try finding many good things about your new environment! Before you know it you will be used to your new life and feel comfortable.

I'm definitely not good at talking and it's even worse when I'm using my second language, so I was so nervous to go to school in nz at first, but now I am blessed with lots of lovely people, and also I'm writing this in English! So don't worry, whenever you have problems or feel stressed, anxious, you'll get lots of people who are willing to help you always. They may be your friends, teachers, homestay family or even strangers. Kiwi people are kind:)

Thanks for reading this and hope you enjoy your experience in New Zealand.

Cheers

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Dear Future international students

Hello , my name is Gopika. I'm a yr 11 student studying at Whangarei girls high school In New Zealand. You must have known  from my name I certainly don't seem like a Kiwi , well yes your right I'm not, i come from a culture full of diversity and colour, I'm originally from India.

Moving into such a different country of total opposite cultures can be scary, complicated and even stressful. Your mind begins to play around and anticipate the worst. you start envisioning your self in danger, what if people didn't help,, what if i can't speak the language properly. It was hard and daunting, but trust me, it will resolve and one day and you'll look back to those memories and reflect on it. Remember you are you and you've got believe in yourself , stress and anxiety just comes and goes it's a part of life and you have to accept and grow out of it. For me personally there are a few coping mechanisms which i would advise you to do during a time of stress or hardship.

Coping mechanism Number 1
Be true to yourself and calm down - Ask yourself why your stressing, is it necessary, are you over thinking - if you are take steps one by one - slow down and take a deep breath and then carry on.

Coping mechanism Number 2
Talk to somebody that understands you -
Being able to let something out is such a stress relief, and if it's towards someone that you know well , they'll try understand your pressure and calm you down.

Coping mechanism Number 3
Do something you enjoy, have a break -
whether it be dancing, playing on the pc or going out for a run just do it but never take it as an advantage and overdo it - I've done that before and it leads to something bad, so remember do things you love but also prioritize your work as well

That's about it , enjoy your time doing this I ensure you that it's amazing

- Gopika

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To whoever is reading this, My name is Teri-Ann and I've lived in New Zealand my whole life and hope you find yourself enjoying your time here. Moving to a new place can be stressful and scary but most people here are open to helping you out whenever and wherever you need it.

Some cool coping strategies to help with the stress of being in a new place are some like listening to music or taking a walk around the town you could be staying in, Drawing some things you see is good and also going sightseeing and meeting new people could help open yourself up to some of the new surroundings. Also have fun with it if you don't know what to do don't be afraid to ask. :)

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Kumusta, my name is Jayzel and I'm from the Philippines. I've lived here in New Zealand for 6 years.

I know going away from your country might be a bit hard, the food might be not your taste buds, the activities you do in your country can also be different, and your safety and well-being might have changed. But remember to always be yourself and don't try to be someone you're not and try going outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself. I know that sometimes is easier than done but I recommend always giving it a try because you got nothing to lose and everything that you've done will become a memory that you will remember for the rest of your lives. Try joining groups such as Orchestra, sports, programs outside the community, apply for scholarships, apply for leadership positions, and such. I know that everything will be worth it. I can tell you that right now :) if you ever feel stressed talk to someone and try to not keep it to yourself and go for a walk, take deep breaths and get some fresh air and don't forget the music hahaha I know that everything will be fine so don't worry about anything else too much and honestly just enjoy every moment. I hope that everything goes well and always remember to have a good mindset and everything will work out well

hope you're doing well and staying safe,
- Jayzel <3

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Tēna koe,

My Name is Takaimaania Ngata-Henare ( yea i have a long name. ) Ive got a few experiences about living in new environments, i know how difficult it can be.
When i went away to my sports championships in poland i was absolutely freaking out! For two weeks all i could do was train, eat and sleep in australia - i missed my family so much my heart would ache but it got easier. I met new people, made new friends and incredible relationships with coaches that were some of the best in the world. We went to poland and i met even more amazing people, without this experience i believe i wouldn't be the amazing person that i am today, so yknow you'll always have hurdles in life and this is one of those.

You may be suffering, missing your family and i'm sure that they miss you too - but i'm sure that there proud of you being here in this new environment. I know im proud of you and i have no clue who you are, Your incredibly brave to study in a new place with people you don't even know. Now ive got some tips if it gets incredibly hard and unbearable.

#1 Affirmations
As corny as it sounds, i swear affirmations are incredibly powerful - write ones that inspire you and make you feel like you could climb mount everest.

#2 Hobbies
It's great to find fun hobbies or just constantly try new hobbies, this will fill the times so that your not sad when you have nothing to do.

# lucky number 3
Talking to friends and family
Making new friends or talking to the ones you already have is a great way to have fun on the new environment that your already in. Plus talking to your family is always nice im sure they alway have the best things to say when your having troubles. Giving them a hug if there with you or a virtual one feels really nice.

I hope that this helped you in any way!
and remember hon -

"out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope" so keep moving forward and have fun whilst doing it

with love
Takaimaania

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My name is Youssef from Egypt and I am almost 16 years old.

Going away from home is a hard change to deal with. The food might be different, the activities you can do here might be different, and your safety and wellbeing might change. For me, I had to take my time to slowly adapt and change myself in a good way which has given me really good health benefits.

Although the culture is different, embrace yourself and teach others about your own culture.

Personally to cope with any sorrows I listen to a lot of music.

Before coming here, I wish I searched up the culture and foods that they had here, as when I came to NZ, I had no idea what i was stepping into. I thought it was gonna be like the movies.

Recently I have been pushing myself to be better for my future, since I live with a host family and not my biological parents, I have learned how to motivate myself to get work done, and being proud of the good results to follow.

You got this!!! If I went through it, anyone can.

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My name is Belle, I've spent all of my 16 years on this planet in Christchurch New Zealand. I live with my mum dad and brother. I'm currently a student at St Andrew's College and I'm very interested in geology and sports. I've always hove in Christchurch but have lived in 5 different houses within my lifetime. we have two pets a puppy and a budgie. learning is extremely important to me.

I bet the idea of moving is scary, city or even a country I've never done it but I can begin to imagine. my advice if you are coming to New Zealand is just to try everything you can. give it a go is what I say even if you think it's not for you it's better to try than not know. I would also highly encourage you to reach out if you can talk to your host family or someone you have begun t trust and if not there are many many people you can talk to. Please don't ever feel alone and make sure to do things you enjoy. Also, remember to breathe and know it's okay to take some time to yourself and be alone. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and I know you will love it here.
GOOD LUCK !!!

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Letter to the future international students... 

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Letter to the future international students... 

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Hello, this is Helen from New Zealand. I am currently doing an IB diploma programme in a school here in Auckland, New Zealand.

Even though I am a New Zealand citizen, I’ve been in an international school in South Korea for a long time. And, trust me, I know that there are a lot of things that challenge you when it comes to learning in a new place. I’ve felt that. I was completely panicking when I first went to the international school, and I was embarrassed by my failure to adapt both academically and socially in a new setting. I spent countless nights crying, and it was hard.

But, I want to let you know that challenging time indeed passes and how much you try to cope with those challenge will come back as a reward to you in many different forms. It could be a new perspective of self-reflection, self-development, self-love, ability to cope with a new environment, or a new friend in general! I went through tough experiences, and I sometimes gave up on trying to cope with it, but mostly made an attempt. The moment that I was trying to give up gave me nothing as a return. It just made my life worse. But, as soon as I try to do something with a given situation, I found a way. I made new friends who are now my best-friends-forever, and I developed a lot as a grown-up with ability to navigate social relationship in a healthy way.

I hope my advice helped you with getting through the challenging times in a strange environment. Not going to lie, this is tough. However, I assure you that, later in life, you will look back to yourself and be proud of how smoothly you adapted to your new life.

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Hello there! I know moving to another country can seem very stressful, but after a few weeks you’ll be fine, don’t worry. The people and culture in NZ are all very welcoming, and the basics of English are pretty easy to master, especially if you are immersed in the language every day. I moved to China when I was 6, and at first, it was definitely very scary, but I quickly made a lot of friends after learning a bit of Mandarin just by keeping an open attitude and finding those with similar interests to me. It helps as well if there are a few other people from your country to lessen the culture shock, but having too many friends from your own country will leave you in a cultural bubble. New Zealand is perfect in this regard, as we have a few members of basically every international community, but also a lot of people who want to make friends with you.

If you ever need to take a break though, it’s good to know there are people from your own community. My advice is keep an open mindset, take advantage of this opportunity as much as you can, and associate with Kiwi culture and the English language/Te Reo, but if you ever need a break or feel overwhelmed, feel free to retreat into a cultural bubble for as long as you need. Good luck, and remember, have fun!

Kia pai tāu noho ki Aotearoa
Luca

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A letter to a future International student

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A letter to a future International student

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Hey, my name is violet and I'm an NZ European student living in NZ.

I think the most important thing to remember when moving to a new school or a new environment is to be yourself. If you are being yourself and being confident within yourself then you are more than likely going to attract positive attention.

The way I make friends in NZ is by joining sports and clubs because if you join something you like doing you are probably gonna meet people that have the same interests as you do. And then you have a friend.

If you ever find this change a bit too stressful do something to talk your mind off it. Somethings like to do is listen to music and do something active to calm down my mind and brain and to also physically distract myself from what is stressing me out.

Good luck :)
- violet

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Hi, my name is Cass and i'm from Philippines. Who moved to New Zealand almost 8 years ago.

I came to New Zealand when i was 9. I also lived in Saudi Arabia before so I know how you feel about being in a new country. For me I hated the sound of moving places, new school and new country I hated how I was away from my relatives and people who I loved. but after moving for a while I realised it's not that bad.  I realised that moving doesn't always have to be a negative thing.

There are some things that helped me when I moved to New Zealand and it being so different to the other two countries I lived in.

Firstly, is to just be yourself and don't try to be someone you're not, and go outside your comfort zone. Which let's be honest is easier said than done. I've said that to people and honestly me, myself find it hard to even do that, and yes it might take a while but you'll get there cause I did.

Secondly, is to try join groups, like sport groups or groups that the school offer because you'll be able to talk to people who are from New Zealand and be able to ask them questions (if you have any) and you'll be able to get answers from people who are from the country and they can teach you new things that you might've not done before.

Lastly, if you ever feel stressed which happens let's be honest. For me going for walks when the sun is setting is a great strategy because you'll be able to see nature and distract yourself and not think about whatever made you feel stressed and listen to music because music helps with anything.

Well that's it from me, these things might not work for you or not but honestly just enjoy the moment instead of worrying about the future. I hope you enjoy it here and have a positive mindset always. Have a good rest of your day and enjoy life!!!!

- Cass :))

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Kia Ora, my name is Jasmine and I am an international student in Wellington, NZ, originally from Hong Kong.

I came to my school halfway through, so I have first-hand experience of how daunting it is to walk into a classroom where you know absolutely nobody and they all seem to have their own friend groups already.

But trust me, it gets better. Playing sports is one of the easiest ways to make new friends. Alternatively, you can also join different school clubs and volunteer. In general, just act nice to people, don't be afraid to give compliments, and ask people questions like "How was your day?".

All the best!
Jasmine

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Hi, my name is Abigail and I am an NZ European student living in NZ.

I would say the most important thing to do when arriving at a new place or school, is to make friends.  Putting yourself out there can be hard at first, but New Zealanders in general are really friendly, and introducing yourself will definitely pay off.

Another thing to do is to join clubs.  Playing a sport, or joining the art club ect, is a great way to meet new people and make friends.  It can also help you feel involved and connected to a place, and help you settle in faster.

Asking questions is always important.  If you are unsure of something don't be afraid to ask.  As mentioned before in general New Zealanders are really friendly and people are always happy to help.

Hope you enjoy your time in NZ,
Best wishes,

Abigail

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letter to future international students ʚїɞ

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letter to future international students ʚїɞ

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Hi, my name is Queenta my family normally calls me Kinta, and I'm Indonesian born in New Zealand!
Every year me and my family go back to Indonesia to visit family because we have no other relatives here but with the situation going on around us we haven't been able to do that. We are able to connect a lot online although it's not the same as in real life I'm grateful that it's easy to communicate with them.
Here is a tip that helps me adapt to new environments,
set up a routine.
I like knowing that I am able to just set up my own routine without people telling me what to do, the feeling of accomplishing an activity for the day just feels great but it's ok if you didn't complete it there's always tomorrow :)
normally whenever I'm stressed I would just lay in bed and watch a show on Netflix or binge youtube videos because its ok to take a break in life once in a while, I would also workout or just listen to howls moving castle soundtrack while reading a book
these may not help but I hope you can take something away from reading this

Queenta :P

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A letter for future international students

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A letter for future international students

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Hi there!
My name is Priyal and I'm originally from India. Currently I'm living in Whangarei, New Zealand, but when I first moved here I lived in Auckland. Moving countries is a big deal and I only realised that after I came here. I knew how to speak english but not fluently, thankfully I was quite young when I came here (7 years old) so I picked up the language in a few weeks.
I'd say if you're coming to New Zealand you don't have to be too worried! People here are quite chill and will help you learn the ways. You just have to stay calm and be open to learning new things.
Moving from Auckland to Whangarei was also a big deal to me as I had to change schools in the middle of the year and knew NOBODY here. Thankfully one of my dad's friends had a daughter that went to my school so she showed me around. But being in a room full of people you don't know is always nerve wreaking, and if you ever find yourself in that awkward situation I recommend you to take a few deep breaths.
Some of my coping stratagies to these kind of new and uncomfortable situations are:
1. As mentioned above; breathe. Very simple but it helps in calming yourself down
2. Try to find similarities, wether that is in people or work, there will always be something similar. For example, when talking to someone share about your life experiences (that you and they are comfortable talking about) that will help you to get to know them better.
3. Listen to some music. Make a list of songs that you know will cheer you up. taking a break from stressful situations helps you get back to them more positively.
4. Go on a walk. Will help to clear you mind, but make sure to only go where you know the way back!
5. Sleep on it, quite similar to taking a walk, it helps you take a break, get some energy in, and get back at the situation with a clear mind.
6. Eat good food! Always helps in cheering up my mood! Make something fresh, maybe try a new recipe from where you are, or eat something from a local shop.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!
Priyal :)

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Hi my name is rhys.  im 13.

1. meet new friends, do some excercise,find your feet,explore the country.

2. the most important peice of advice is to meet new mates and talk to your family at home.

3. Not to put as much pressure on yourself and try new stuff.

4. By coming here you will step out of your comfort zone. this will make you a better person because your learning to cope with new experiances.

by rhys :)

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Kumusta!
My name is Pearl. I am a filipino but I was born and raised in New Zealand, Auckland. Adjusting to high school life was pretty tough. Most of the people I knew had not gone to the same highschool as me. I was only close to a few people. It was hard adjusting as most of my classmates knew each other and were friends so I felt out  of place. I was also very quiet and shy. How I adjusted to highschool was taking up a lot of opportunities. I joined Filipino group and through that, I got to know a classmate better and we eventually became friends. Through her, I was able to meet a lot more people and make a lot more friends!

I guess my main tip to yall would be to just get out there! Get out of your comfort zone and take up any opportunities that come your way! These opportunities help shape you as a person and you get to meet more people!

However, if you are ever stressed, I would suggest to listen to music. If you like being active then go for a jog or a walk to clear your mind. This helps refresh your mind.

Be open minded! Learn from experiences with people and observe their body language and facial features. Don't be embarrased to ask questions either!

And to all my shy peeps, don't worry! There will be at least one person you will be able to talk to, no matter how long that will take. And plus, you have your teachers to help you settle down! Set a goal for yourself! (Ever seen the anime 'Komi can't communicate?')

Anyways, That's it for my letter!

See ya!!!

Pearl ^-^

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Hello, my name is Caitlin. I was born and raised in New Zealand and I have lived the majority of my life in Whangarei.

I imagine that moving to another country would be quite stressful so I have listed some advice on what I like to do to manage stress.

1) I find going for runs in nature a great way to minimise stress. Any form of exercise is proven to help reduce anxiety however I believe that running is a great form of exercise because New Zealand has beautiful scenery and running is a great way to see some of this.

2) The most important piece of advice in my opinion is to reach out to friends or family. I find that even meaningless conversations with those who are the closest to me helps me find clarity and focus on what truly matters.

3) Don't be too hard on yourself. I often find that I am my own biggest critic and that often limits me. Know that you don't have to be perfect.

I hope this helps.

Welcome to New Zealand,

Caitlin

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Kia ora to whoever reading this letter! I hope that everybody is doing well since the pandemic is definitely is not making things any easier for us :(

Hmm...I used to react pretty negatively when it comes to differences. To be completely honest with you, being in a new environment is going to be rough :) Going to a new high school has been making me feel isolated and as if nobody understands me, let alone being in a new country. That's why the first few months has turned my life upside down and my mental health was not in a great place. Fortunately, the rainbow eventually came after the rain, and despite the differences, I've learned to blend in with the crowd in my own way. Well, in my experience, that is also the only way :))) It's like mixing your own personality with those around you. By doing so, you'll be conscious of who you are while maintaining a healthy relationship with others. Accepting the differences in points of view and backgrounds plays an important role too!

In dealing with stress and burnout from school, I'm not exactly an expert. However, I would usually write things down in my journal to sort everything out. Also, I've been trying to meditate to practice grounding and regaining my sensitivity with my surroundings. And last but not least, sometimes it is ok to just let it out by crying yourself to sleep ;)

I think that the key to recovering from any kind of sadness is to remember that "this too shall pass". For me, it is something that keeps me going, since the recovering phase after a stressful and depressive episode reminds me of how beautiful life can be, and that I should keep on trying to enjoy small moments like this (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

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Hello, how is your day going? If you are reading this letter, I just want to say something to you!

First of all, sometimes in your life you may have difficulty doing something or have a lot of pressure that make you feel depressed. Just stop for a moment and spend more time for yourself. Taking a nap, doing your hobbies and relaxing. It is no need to be busy and working all the time!

Second, remember to smile =) "Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful". Even in medical terms, when smiling, when you're happy as the serotonin in your body makes people feel good.

And the last one, warmly welcomed you to this program!! For me, this program is really helpful and have broaden my mind. So I hope that you will enjoy the time studying here!

Hope you are doing well and staying safe,
Sent from Vietnam <3

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Hi! I’m Mai and I’m from Vietnam. I know it’s always difficult to adapt to new environment, so I’m here to give you some advice, not much, but I hope it can help in some ways.

Firstly, don’t hesitate to make friends. It is great to have someone who you can share your difficulties with, especially the one that is in the same environment as you.If it is a friend who is just as a newbie as you, you guys will have a bunch of things in common to talk about. What if he isn’t a newbie? Then you will have found for yourself a really good guide who can answer all your questions and help you solve your problems!

Secondly, if it seems to be overwhelming and you don’t have anyone to share, release your feelings with your most personal, comfortable ways.I usually cope with stress by drawing anything I can think of because I love playing with the colors.If you find yourself relaxed when you listen to music or simply when you take a nap, just do it.Take a little break, do what you like to calm down your brain and your body!

And finally, after taking a break, get up and write down everything that bothers you.Everything from school, family to friends.Then find solutions for each of them right away or whenever you feel comfortable enough.

That’s all! Don’t keep stress all in your brain, take it out and enjoy your life <3

Love ya,

Mai

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I’m Phuong Anh and I’m a Vietnamese. I don’t have many experiences about living in new environment but I will give you some tips base on the way I adapt to new school.
Firstly, you should be fearless and make new friends like schoolmates so that you can ask them for help if you have any problems about the lesson you don’t understand. Instead of being afraid and serious, you had better go out and interact with your new friends, your teachers or your neighbors to make your new life easier. Anxiety, fear, shame would be a rock which keeps you from knowing new and interesting things.
Secondly, you can join in some groups about study abroad on Facebook to prepare for your experience. You can ask the students have studied abroad before on those groups what difficulties you may face and then, they will give you very useful advice.
And last but not least, the thing I think you need to have is effort and constancy. There is no success without hard working and constancy. Consider adapting to a new environment as the first challenge you have to overcome on the way to success. I hope my advice helpful for you.
Good luck to you!
Le Phuong Anh

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Hello, how are you lately? My name is Thanh and I'm from Vietnam. Here are some of what I have learned from my experience dealing with stress and being in a new school.
On my first day in high school, I got very anxious and shy because I knew no one in my class. This didn't happen in my previous school because I knew at least 1 student because he is my neighbor. That day I learned that it's great to be the one breaking the ice and talk to everyone around as people tend to wait for another person to speak up first.
My top coping strategies include making a strategies in order to feel safe, listening to music, sharing my thoughts with my parents and take a nap.
I hope you find this helpful and never stop improving.
Best wishes,
Thanh.

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Hello friends, my name is Tylah and I'm a Samoan from Auckland city, New Zealand.

How are you? I hope you are well:)
I want you to know that I've been through many stressful and scary experiences in my life that have made me want to give up but all you have to do is keep fighting. There may be many roller coasters ahead of you in your life but life's not perfect. All we got to do is take those experiences which will help us as we grow up. If you are ever feeling stressed or pressured it's important to just take some time for yourself and have a little break once in a while.
Ways I like to cope with stress is listening to music, music can help you shut the outside world out so I definitely recommend it. I also enjoy painting and drawing to relieve stress, putting your feelings into your art can really help but I get it if you're not an artistic person so I also recommend sleeping and eating. Sometimes even everyday things like eating and sleeping can help but try not to get a sore stomach.
The most important thing though is to try not to box in all your feelings, sometimes it can be good to just shout or cry, boxing in your feelings can be very unhealthy for you so please don't feel like you're alone. Remember there are so many people who may be going through what you're going through so don't be afraid and keep going. I was once like you and I wish I knew all these things before trying to just deal with those experiences alone but I'm glad I can you advice and get you ready for the journey ahead. Just be open to anything and don't be afraid to try new things. There may be ups and downs in your life but just know that like me there are many people cheering for you. I wish you the best of luck!!!
From your friend Tylah:)

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My name is Phu and I am a Vietnamese citizen. I don't have much experience in moving to a new environment, but I do have some in dealing with stress, so I hope my advice will help you.
#1: "After rain comes sunshine"
Sometimes you have to witness various problems in your life and you don't know how to resolve them and are overwhelmed, just take a deep breath or a nap to refresh your whole body. No matter how stressful the work is, you will overcome everything!
#2: Pomodoro method
It is a time management method which you can use to deal with time. I have applied it and my work has been completed punctually and effectively.
#3: Learning culture
Coming to another country, you can have culture shock because there are a variety of differences in each nation. Therefore, I would rather you searched some advice before you go abroad.
#4: Trying your best
Giving 100% effort to work is one of the best ways to handle problems. You need to be brave to face with them, and sometimes listening to music will motivate your mood.
Good luck!
Le Tran Kim Phu from HCMC-Vietnam

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Kia Ora, my names Eden and I live in Auckland, New Zealand.

I have a few strategies for stress that I find helpful. My top strategy would be to go for a walk or exercise. This can help you think of something else for a bit while you calm down a little bit more in a different space. Another strategy that I have would be if you need to get something done fast then just count and try carry on counting until you are calm again (there is no maximum number). This can help you because again you are thinking about something else for a few moments while you try to relax.

I hope that you find this advice helpful :) all the best.

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Dear my fellow international students,

My name is Que Anh, or you can me Anna. I was born and raised in Ho Chi Minh city of Vietnam. I don’t really have much advice about moving to a different environment or dealing with hardships but here is all I can say:
❀ First, be positive and confident. These two factors are very important when you have to adjust to a whole new place or to deal with your fears. When I just entered my high school, I was very shy and didn’t dare to talk to anyone. Then one of my teachers even asked us to introduce ourselves in front of the class, I thought I wouldn’t be able to say a thing. But I did try my best, I said everything confidently. Just take a deep, deep breath before doing anything that seems demanding to you (it’s super helpful when you’re taking a test too). Stay calm, stay cool! Believe me, not everyone can get used to something new that easy. You can talk to your parents or your best friends to overcome those things.

❀ Second, love yourself and let your hair down sometimes. It’s ok to give yourself a break from the reality if you are stressed and fed up with this hectic life. Go watch a movie, listen to music, do anything you like to relieve stress. Don’t push yourself too hard as your mental health is more important!!!

Yeah, that’s all. Hope you enjoy your new study environment and don’t forget to stay safe. Love youuuuuuu ➳♡

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Hello, My name is Marley and I am currently living in Auckland, New Zealand. I have had to deal with a lot of different stressful moments in my life, and was very hard to adjust.

I had to move away from my home of 13 years last year, and it completely altered my way of dealing with stress. My advice is very simple, make yourself comfortable, whether it's real or fake you have to force yourself to adjust. Be yourself. No matter what it is the only way to make yourself feel better about the situation is to embrace it. Try not to be afraid while you do this too, change is normal and you have to learn to make it. If you can't do any of these things, take yourself completely out of the situation, take a break. Do something that makes you comfortable to take your mind away from the stress until your ready to take the next step. You could listen to music or talk to a friend. Just make yourself feel comfortable.

I hope you have managed to find something of use reading this.

Best of luck,
Marley

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Hello, my name is Minh or you can call me Ming and I'm now living in HCMC - Vietnam. Well, how is it going with you? I'm sure that during your lifetime, you must encounter some thorny problems which put you under stress, but don't be panic. In this letter, I will give you some ways of "escaping" from stress which I gained through my trouble and experience.
First, in order to help you to make these ways out easily, we should state a particular situation. And the situation is that you're moving to a new country to study or settle down, so in this case, you need to build new relationships, find jobs and care for yourself (in case you're moving alone). As a result of those must-do things, if you're not strong-willed, you'll have difficulty overcoming panic zone. Fortunately, every problem has its own solutions, firstly, you need to believe yourself, don't hesitate to have a conversation even if your pronunciation in that language is not that good. When you are able to talk to them comfortably and easily, you can ask them politely to let you know something special about the country you're moving to. It's a friendly interview to help you know better. And if you want to adapt to the culture faster, you should read something about it beforehand. Finally, when you gain enough information, let's spend time adapting, you don't need to do it as fast as possible, just adapt gradually with a view to get effective result. The first day you can adapt 10% to what needed, and then 20% and so on.
And the second one is when you're panic because of peer pressure (or some kinds of). They're practically about learning problems. Well, I used to compare myself to other students which made I feel disappointed about myself a lot. And now, I wish I had known a way to overcome it. Here's some of my advices when you were stressful about learning particularly about learning in a new environment. First, it's necessary for you to have your own top coping strategies. Coping strategies can be what you like to do when you're in free time, they can be what make you feel relaxed. When you have coping strategies, let apply it when you're under stress because it will make you feel better, let your hair down, and then learning will be no more nightmarish. Secondly, after feeling relaxed, let's try to find a reason why you're panic and think a viable solution to cope with it, but I need to emphasize that, like the first situation, you ought to tackle it gradually and things will be what you like.

Hope this letter will help you feel better and confident. Remember THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON IS YOURSELF, believe yourself and you can do everything even the impossible.

TMinh from HCMC, Vietnam

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Hello, my name is Paige and I live in New Zealand.
Throughout our lives we will all experience times of stress and uncomfort and often times feel as if we can't cope. We can't let that stop us though, our lives are too short to get bogged down on all the negatives so I'm here to tell you my own advice on how to cope and prepare for new experiences.

Firstly, you need to remember that this is new to you, that you won't know everything that is happening all of the time but you will need to find confidence and the ability to believe in yourself and your abilities and prior knowledge to get you into the learning zone. New experiences can be scary, just take a step back and approach the challenge with confidence and power.

Secondly don't be afraid of making mistakes, it happens to everyone. Just be open to the advice that people give you and ask them questions about what you did wrong in order to help you correct those mistakes for future encounters.

Thirdly, have something you like and can use as a coping strategy if times get rough. Maybe you like reading a book or drawing some cats, have something on you that allows you to do that if you get stressed or scared.

One time I felt very different and scared about an experience was only a few years ago. I moved to Long Bay College from another school which wasn't one of the feeder schools, due to this I knew no one there and for a good 2 terms was alone for most of the day. Eventually I built up enough courage to talk to people and make some friends and 2 years later I'm having so much fun and know so much about these people you'd swear we'd known each other for years! What I'm trying to say (even if badly) is it's ok to be scared, it's ok to feel like you don't belong or don't understand things, just take it slowly, do things you know work for you and eventually you'll find yourself in a situation where you're able to shine and show your true colours. It happened for me and undoubtedly It'll happen for you too!

Best of luck with everything to come,
Paige

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Hello, I am Mahonri and I live in New Zealand. 2 years ago I used to live in a different country which was very different from the country I live in now. Adjusting to New Zealand was very stressful, I had to get new friends, go to a new school, I had to change my lifestyle and all I wanted to do was go back to my old life.
When going through this transition I figured out that all had and all I could do was do my best and be myself. I had to just stop overthinking and just do whatever I needed to do. I kind of just imagined it like ripping off a bandaid and once it's over it's over and it's in the past.

so my advice to you, just stop overthinking about things that don't really matter in the long run and use what you got to he best of your ability and be yourself.

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Hi, my name is Phuong and I'm from Vietnam. You can call me Linda for short. In this letter, I will tell you some of my advice on coping and preparing for new experiences. First of all, to tackle problems when you visit a new place or move into a new environment, don't panic! Instead, you should remain calm and prepare everything you need carefully for a new journey. Secondly, if you suffered stress or tension during making an arrangement, here are some of my useful coping strategies that may help you in confronting with stress and anxiety. Firstly, do something you really enjoy (your hobbies) such as listening to music, drawing, reading, etc. When you do that, you won't be stressful anymore. I usually watch movies and do the cooking when I feel down in dump and it actually helped me a lot, more than I expected. Secondly, write down three things that made you worried most before embarking on a new journey, then think about the best way to deal with each one. Finally, be ready and confident, once you are ready, you can do things well without many difficulties. When you come to new country, you will definitely encounter lots of new and strange things, and sometimes you may feel like you want to give up everything. In this situation, use my coping strategies that I've recommended, they might help make you more resilient and stronger in life. If you have anything to tell me, just write me a letter and I will respond as soon as I can. That's all I want to tell you and I hope my advice will help you in some ways. Take care!
Best wishes,
.
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Linda

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Hello, I'm Dennis and I'm from HCMC, Vietnam. How has your life been recently? Has it been good, satisfying, bad or stressful? It would be excellent if you feel positive about your life, however, if you feel so stressful, don't worry, I have something to share with you.

I used to be in the panic zone when I first came and studied in the high school environment, It's different from grade 9. Nevertheless, I overcame it just a few months after. The key is yourself, I realised that I should spend more time for myself even when I was so busy. Try to use your free time effectively, do your hobbies, take a nap or something like that, make yourself more relaxing to have more energy; or you can watch the videos of some influencers who you like to get motivation. If the number of deadlines you have to deal with is too much, try to divide it into small parts and work on it part by part, day by day, each day you just need to finish a small one.

Those strategies are just my personal experience, they perhaps suitable for you, perhaps not. I hope that those can help you even just a little. Wish you can step out the panic zone.

Dennis.