New Zealand beckons

Those fat, fluffy marks are sheep, of course, because there are 11 sheep to every person in New Zealand - 44.7 million sheep to four million humans, to be exact.

But some Thais don't travel to New Zealand for the sheep or to see where the " Lord of the Rings" was filmed. Many do go there, however, for the schooling it offers.

Rookie begins a four - week series about living and going to school in New Zealand. We'll interview Thai students who are currently enrolled in New Zealand universities to learn about their language schools, living expenses, part - time jobs - and tolerance of people from other lands.

Why choose New Zealand?

" There are only eight universities in New Zealand, and they stress quality," says Supaporn Ounsuvan, who holds a bachelor's degree from Kasetsart University and is studying English at Massey University in Palmerston North.

Supaporn notes that there are far more universities in Australia than New Zealand, but many Australian schools are new, so their quality is unproven. " A lot of people choose to study in Australia because it has so many options, but my dad thinks that the huge choice may lessen the quality."

Why should I study?

"Each university in New Zealand has its own strengths. Decide what you want to study and then start your search from there," said Supaporn, 25, who majored in horticulture at Kasetsart.

Chose a city that is best suited to your tastes, suggests Kamonwan Prompitak, 29, a master's degree candidate at University of Otago. Kamonwan holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Chulalongkorn University and is studying English at Otago, which is in the city of Dunedin.

" Auckland is busy, Christchurch is expensive and Dunedin is simple," said Kamonwan, who joined the English - language programme at Otago five months ago.

How do I choose an English - language programme?

" When looking for an English school, be sure to compare tuition, fees, the number of hours taught each week and the cost of accommodation and expenses in each city," Kamonwan said. " Private schools normally teach more hours each week but charge the same as universities."

Kamonwan suggests enrolling in an English-language programme at a school and then joining its master's degree or another programme after competing the English courses.

By studying English " you can get adjusted to the learning style of each university", he said. " Another benefit is that you'll able use the facilities, such as the gym, library and computer center."

ROJANA MANOWALAILAO

The Nation