Auckland, New Zealand seamlessly blends ancient Maori traditions with ultramodern innovation. Diverse to its core, the city contains the largest Polynesian community in the world, and our time there gave us a prime opportunity to examine their storied history and subsequent path to equality.
After a studious term at host school AGC Senior College we spent two weeks exploring the North Island’s Bay of Plenty and Bay of Islands. We visited Hobbiton and learned how the famous set was created, then moved deep underground into the stunning underworld of the Ruakuri Cave, where we black water rafted under the watchful eyes of millions of tiny glowworms. At a visit to the No. 8 Farm students learned about the importance of farming to New Zealand’s economy and residents; after shearing sheep and feeding deer we headed off to White Island, New Zealand’s only live marine volcano, to witness science in action.
Students also had the opportunity to venture into the mighty Waipoua Forest and walk under the same stars that guided the Maori’s ancestor Kupe from legendary Hawaiiki to New Zealand. Finally, we were welcomed into the breathtaking Hokiangi Harbour to learn the art of bone carving, an ancient Maori craft that stirs emotions and sparks controversy to this day.
John Ols
on his favorite New Zealand experience:
I remember one time, it was the first weXplore in New Zealand. I’d only been at the school for two weeks — it was really early on. It was almost the last day of the Rotorua weXplore excursion, and we hiked an active volcano and then went caving through this underground cave and swimming through different waterfalls and crevices.
There was one point where I was in the middle of this little crevice with another student, Yodsel. We were just sitting there looking up at a waterfall in the ceiling. At that point, I realized I’d never have experiences like this ever again. Here I was with someone I’d met just two or three weeks ago, and it felt like we’d been friends for a very long time.
As I write this, I'm waiting for our students to return from their weXplore, a five-day excursion that takes students beyond their host city for immersive cultural experiences. For the past two months, we as a school have called Maun, Botswana, our home. It's a small town on the edge of the Okavango Delta and, for many travelers, a doorway into Africa. But Maun is only one perspective, and it...
THINK Global School offers sliding-scale tuition to make a world-class international education accessible to talented students regardless of their family's financial situation. Our need-based tuition model adjusts fees according to each family's financial capacity, ensuring that cost never prevents deserving students from joining our global learning community. Key Benefits of Our Sliding-Scale Model Financial accessibility - Tuition adjusts to match your family's ability to pay Diverse perspectives - Students from...
There's something profound about witnessing the Nxai Pan migration in person. Thousands of zebras moving together across vast landscapes, accompanied by wildebeest, all drawn forward by instinct, survival, and shared momentum. For our team at THINK Global School, this wasn't just a spectacular wildlife viewing. It became a profound lesson in how we approach education. A Different Kind of Classroom Botswana is a place that invites attention. From the dusty...
Picture this: Across the vast landscapes of Botswana, elephant families gather at watering holes after months of separate journeys. Some have traveled familiar paths, while others arrive for the first time, tentative but curious. In these moments of convergence, something beautiful happens. Individual stories merge into collective wisdom, creating bonds that will sustain them through the seasons ahead. This month, we find ourselves in a remarkably similar moment as we...
Kali, who joined TGS from Kenya in 2023, has had incredible experiences alongside her classmates across seven (soon to be eight 🇮🇹) countries over the last two years. From scuba diving in Australia to experiencing Tet in Vietnam, Kali has seen the world, learned from its inhabitants, and gained perspectives that we hope will inform her for years to come. To close out her TGS career, Kali is putting together...
Tattooing is the most misunderstood art form in Japan today. Looked down upon for centuries and rarely discussed in social circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in this country, banned from most public spaces such as beaches, bathhouses, and even gyms. Tattoos have an extensive history in Japan, and to truly understand the stigma behind them it is essential to be aware of their significance. The first records of tattoos...
Greetings TGS, Long time reader, first time blogger here. Some of you may have noticed that I can be a little patriotic... My friends in Abu Dhabi used to joke that New Zealand has "small country" syndrome because it is always determined to be the best. I think like the Canadians, we are determined not to be seen as the same as our more populated neighbours. With that in mind...
With THINK Global School’s term in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently concluded, we thought we’d share a few interesting facts about the heart-shaped country with you. Whether you are working on a school project or planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina yourself, we hope you find these seven facts useful!! Fact #1) Sarajevo was the first city in Europe with a full-time electric tram Trams have a long history in...
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
