20 April 2009

New Students Arriving at IPC Campus

Orientation Week Before the Start of Term 1

A traditional Maori challenge to the newcomers

The Maori community performing the traditional Haka

By Shirley Ghozalli and Moira Blake.

On Tuesday, 14th April, IPC staff and students welcomed more than 100 new students from Japan, New Zealand, Brazil, China, Jordan (for the first time ever), Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Fiji, and Hawaii. Despite the cloudy look in the morning, the weather cleared in the afternoon as if it was also welcoming the new arrivals.

New students walking side by side with current IPC students

IPC President, Professor Wayne L Edwards, welcoming the students

The new students from Japan came by bus from Wellington. When they reached IPC they were greeted at the main gate by IPC staff and students, including new international students, who had arrived earlier, and New Zealand students. The whole group then walked towards the Administration building. When they were half way there, a Maori performer dressed as a Maori warrior challenged and greeted the newcomers in the traditional Maori way. Waiata (songs) and dances, including the famous Haka, performed by the whole group from Te Tu Mataora performing arts group followed the challenge. This ceremony marked the official beginning of Orientation at IPC. For many of the new students, this was their first contact with New Zealand culture.

New students are required to attend this week's Orientation activities in order to prepare themselves for their studies. Classes start on 20th April.

The 3 full days of Orientation this week are packed with compulsory activities such as introductions to staff, information about the papers the students have chosen, familiarisation with the facilities available on campus, and testing. All international students are also taken to town, where they are assisted to set up bank accounts and shown some of the most useful and popular places in town. New Zealand students have a day of alternative activities for them to get to know one another and to meet staff and senior students. In the second week there are optional activities, such as a movie night on Tuesday and a farm visit and bush walk on Wednesday afternoon. Then, last but not the least, on the Wednesday of the second week of term there will be an IPC and Town Club Night, which gives all students the chance to find out about clubs from Palmerston North city as well as those from IPC clubs and to meet the leaders of these clubs.

Two more formal ceremonies will be held in May to welcome all the new students who have come to IPC since July 2008. They are the Powhiri on 4th May and the Commencement Ceremony on 5th May.

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