Jiyun’s love for NZ keeps growing
Jiyun Byun came to Te Puke High School as an international student, but has stayed and is now at university. She is the latest person to feature in Te Puke Times’ series of articles catching up with former high school students.
When Jiyun Byun first arrived at Te Puke High School, the only things she could say in English were “thank you” and “hi”. Just four years later she is about to embark on her second year at Waikato University.
Jiyun arrived at the school as a Year 11 international student from South Korea in 2017.
“At the start I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay in New Zealand or not, but after the first year of study, I was ‘oh, I really love this country, I kind of have to stay’ — so I decided to go to uni and get residency.”
Early on in her time at the high school she joined the cultural committee and as a Year 13 student became the first international student to be awarded the role of cultural leader.
“It was a goal I made at the start of Year 11 when I first got to Te Puke High. I really wanted to be a student leader and just worked really hard on the cultural committee and to try to get as good a grades as I could and get on board with a lot of activity.
“When I first got the leader I was so happy and proud of myself and
I told my family and they were so proud of me and the celebration that I had — it was all such a blessing to me.”
The cultural committee organises the school’s culture week and cultural concert.
“The concert was very successful and the cultural week we have at Te Puke High was successful as well.
She says she thinks the school community became more familiar with South Korea and South-east Asia after she became cultural leader.
“Not only because of me, but I think I definitely spread the culture more.”
With very limited English, ESOL lessons and the support she received were very important to her and helped her get her place at university.
“My international director made it so safe and my host family as well — even though I no longer lived in Korea, I still had someone to go to when I needed them.
“When I first came to Te Puke High and Te Puke in general, there were no Koreans so I had to learn English to survive.”
ESOL classes helped the international students develop their English.
“That class taught me a lot, especially for uni and stuff, with writing — now I know how to write formally.
The diverse culture of the school was also a help.
“It helped me understand the diversity of New Zealand and university, helped me understand the diversity of the cultures.
“Te Puke High also encouraged me to do a lot of stuff. I got my driver’s licence because the international department supported me.
Jiyun says she feels she had more opportunities to achieve than she would have done if she had been at school in South Korea.
“It’s not competitive and if you do well, you do get awards. Also the subject selection — how you can actually do what you want to do — for example sewing, sport and rec and French.
“It’s just so good and an opportunity to learn a lot of things.
Jiyun is studying a double major in tourism and hospitality management, and mathematics. She intends to then study for a teaching qualification.
To help her start university, she was awarded a $10,000 international excellence scholarship.
She sees her career in teaching, but would also like to work as a flight attendant.
Until this summer, Jiyun has headed back to South Korea in each December and January to visit her family, but Covid-19 has prevented that happening this year so she has been working as a relief teacher and tour guide.
She still keeps in touch with many of her friends from Te Puke High School.
“They are life friends, we are all really close, like sisters and a brother.” she says.
Jiyun says she will now stay in New Zealand.
“I’m definitely not going anywhere,” she says.