From Kuala Lumpur to Tokoroa

I was born and bred in Malaysia, very much a multicultural society. I grew up in a diverse household as every now and then, I had relatives from all over the world come to visit. I have siblings and cousins and in-laws based all over the world - Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, U.S.A, Australia, Namibia, England, Ireland, Dubai and the list goes on.

In 2003, after completing my high-school education in Malaysia, I left home to New Zealand as a participant on the American Field Service (AFS) intercultural exchange programme. I was randomly placed in the small town of Tokoroa and studied at Tokoroa High School for a year. Being away from home for the first time was definitely difficult but at the same time I knew I had to make the most of my experience.

The first few months were very very difficult. I missed home. I missed my family and I missed my friends. Living with a Kiwi family on a farm was an awesome experience but it was still difficult to feel completely at home. Tokoroa was a rural town and I came from a city back in Malaysia. Culture shock smacked me right in the face.

As the weeks went by, I made the most of every opportunity that came way in school to keep me busy. I played soccer for the school's senior boys' soccer team; took part in the national Sheila Winn Shakespeare for schools festival; milked cows, and so on.

I was exposed to local Maori traditions having been welcomed on to the school's marae through the formalities of the powhiri. There was also a large Pacific Island population in Tokoroa and through new friendships, I learned about their culture and history.


Being an exchange student was not all fun and games. I had to do my fair share of studying too. I took Geography to learn more about New Zealand. I had to undertake a massive project where I presented several proposals for the future of Tokoroa's skate-park. I was stoked when I found out the project was placed as runner-up in the Massey University national bursary geography project.

Towards the final few months of my stint as an exchange student, I changed host families and spent summer at Whitianga where I went fishing and pretty much lazed under the sun.

All in all, I had my fair share of both positive and negative experiences being away from home for the very first time. I know what homesickness feels like but I also do know that the best way to face it is to make the most of every moment you have.

I grew to love New Zealand and I knew that the only way to convince my parents to let me stay here was if I pursued some form of tertiary education.

What better place to choose, than the best student city in the world...Dunedin!