Candice Smith back after spending nearly a year in New Zealand
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jan 12/01) - A Delta teen gave her family a great Christmas present.
Candice Smith returned home just before the holidays after spending most of the year in New Zealand as part of an exchange program. Cheers and tears erupted among family members who greeted her at the Inuvik airport.
Smith appeared exhausted upon her arrival and explained that the trip had involved about 24 hours of flight spread over three days, interspersed with many hours spent sitting in airports.
But while the return might have been tiring, Smith said the entire journey was very worthwhile. She began school in New Zealand Feb. 1 and stayed on a farm in Hawera owned by Scott and Larissa Anderson.
"Living on a farm was different," Smith said. "It was quite hard to adjust to at first, 'cause it was way out of town. The only transportation was with parents or with the school bus."
She got to do many things on the farm, including milking the cows and riding a motorbike. She said there were many fun things to do there.
Smith really enjoyed attending Opunake High school, which had about 350 students. She took part in field hockey and soccer and was on the ski team. She also was a member of SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving).
"I just got really involved with sports and had a lot of friends. The people were really nice," Smith said.
She learned about Maoris, the native people of New Zealand. Some live on what are called maraes, and through school Smith got to spend one or two nights at a marae.
"It's pretty interesting going on it, and just listening to people, like the elders talk about their culture and their background," Smith said.
"How they welcome people, they gave a dance. They have special prayers for greeting people and for leaving," she said. "Maraes are sacred grounds, and there's a lot of rules you have to follow."
Smith said everything about her experience in New Zealand was memorable, "from milking cows and from travelling, from swimming at the beach, from going to school -- everything. It's been a great year."
Smith, originally from Aklavik, applied for the scholarship in New Zealand while attending Chief Julius school in Fort McPherson.
Her family has moved to Inuvik, so Smith will finish Grade 11 at Samuel Hearne Secondary school.
Smith is already planning to go to university to become an environmentalist.
She said that during her university years she hopes to visit Europe.
