ISM - Students Internship at University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Auckland Sky Tower - A Tourist Destination

First time ISM Students come to AUCKLAND, New Zealand for their summer internship study cum recreation, and this has placed  ISM on the map of Auckland University  for New Interns with scholarship to cover full cost of stay including boarding & lodging etc.

New Zealand has been recently preferred destination for lot of Indian Students from various disciplines, whether general sciences, Computer or Various Engineering courses or attaining new skills which are directly linked with job availability in this country.

Lot many countries, like UK and USA which had been popular destinations for various reasons, both economical, and that there can get jobs after passing out, could offset their expenses incurred etc. during their course of study etc. and also could later take up residencies etc. UK present Government has now come out with different approach, and sessions starting this Sept’ 2012 will see fall of Indian students, but in turn will see more to Australia and New Zealand, most popularly New Zealand which has more tolerant human structure compared to Aussie, where recent incidents, have left lot of mark for Indian students while they would like to choose that destination etc.

Off late, India has replaced South Africa as the second largest source of skilled personals. Indian students now prefer to study in Auckland Universities and other associated Universities to attain better qualifications which are compared at par with other Universities in UK or USA. India for this reason is the largest source of new international students, who are coming to enhance their qualification’s or spend summer internship training here. This growth is largely attributed to work visas and skilled migration form home country India. Indians are hardworking people, who will take extra mile to achieve their goal after undergoing all sorts of hardships, against all odds, like financial, cultural and emotional to settle down eventually. 

There is a saying when all doors close, God always find hopes for hard working striving people, and that’s where we win so many hearts. Why not we also bring hopes for others?

In the years, when we migrated way back in 1996/97, things were very different, we were those class of people who had to toil and toil, with no regular jobs, with a focus to see that our children will have better future. Times were very hard, and it was not easy for new migrants to get jobs. Our sacrifices have paid off, and now Indians or I may say Asians are acceptable with all employers who want sincere, honest & hard working class people. 

I left my home country as schools were asking lot of capitation fees to admit my children, when we came to India from Zambia to settle, that we chose Auckland as our new home. Now as time has passed by, our children are slowly getting settled, that its for me to make another journey to trace my steps / roots to go back home, where I come from New Delhi, INDIA.

All people who come here, when they go back home, do spread good things about this country, like scenic beauty, quality of air, life in general, free and least corrupt society to work with.

Recently we had a group of three students, who visited us as 'Summer Scholar’s' with scholarship granted for the course by Auckland University and they are:

L to R: Devashish Sharma, Sanchit Agarwal & Rishabh Gupta

1. Sanchit Agarwal - International Summer Scholar · Dec 2011 to Jan 2012 at University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. His earlier internships were at University of Calgary and University of Queensland. He is 4th Year Student of MSc 5 Yrs. Integrated Course in Maths and Computing and graduates in the year 2013.
2. Devashish Sharma- International Summer Scholar · Dec 2011 to Jan 2012 at University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. His earlier summer research internship was at Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Germany in June to July 2011. He is a 4^th Year Student of MSc 5 Yrs. Integrated Course in Maths and Computing and graduates in the year 2013.
3. Rishabh Gupta - International Summer Scholar · Dec 2011 to Jan 2012 at University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. He is a 3^rd Year Student of MSc Integrated Course in Chemistry), he graduates in 2014 from ISM, who were selected for doing their Internship here on the Scholarship given by University of Auckland.   

Their story as narrated to me by Devashish Sharma who will be graduating from ISM in the year 2013 is given below: 

 

AUCKLAND: - THE SONG HAS ENDED BUT MELODY STILL LINGERS ON..........

I was selected along with two of my mates for summer internship program at University of Auckland. 

Our scholarship was good amount of NZ$5000.00 for a period of Dec’ 2011 to Feb’ 2012 and NZ $1000 for expenditure for laboratory works etc. Totaling NZ$6000.00.

The amount of scholarship was sufficient to cover our cost of living, traveling, accommodation and few out door tours / trips we made to enjoy scenic beauty of New Zealand. 

Right from selection process to getting confirmation from Dean of International Studies of University of Auckland was a great experience which went smoothly. Followed by this we had to apply for Visa for our flight and stay for 3 months approximately for New Zealand which also was obtained without great hassles. It’s not only my experience and as told to me by seniors at Auckland, it’s better to take direct flights to Auckland with airlines like Singapore, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways as they do not require visa at transit at these airports.

L to R: Devashish & Sanchit

Our Home away from Home: Grafton Hall of Residence, 40 Sea field View Road, Grafton CBD.

After reaching Auckland, we resided in Grafton Hall of Residence which was a living Hall for Boys and Girls. But we chose to stay at the Cottage being well furnished Kitchen, Bathroom, and Dining Room, 2 single and 1 double rooms inside the campus. This location was very convenient as we could walk down to our study rooms at the University.

L to R: Devashish & Rishabh Gupta

We had a good Christmas Party and New Year Dinner in Common Kitchen of the Hall. We did eat outside at Jewel of Bombay, an Indian Food Outlet. Breakfast and Dinner we usually cooked to have a feeling of home away from home country and also to enjoy Indian cuisine.

Our trip to Auckland was really awesome, difficult to sum up in few words, but believe me is a country of Ultimate Scenic Beauty, we were overwhelmed and a quite a bit of site seeing like visiting neighboring small islands, Beaches, Hiking and Greenness. Important Destinations covered were Mission Bay, Devon-port, Bays Water and many other Islands nearby Auckland. We had lot of fun and laughter, as we could spare some time to enjoy along with our busy schedule of internship etc.

Words are hard to explain everything but we did enjoy the best Scenic beauty, which I am able to vouch to have seen till date. 

Auckland being a safe city, we definitely enjoyed hospitality of night outs for entertainments and site seeing etc. It’s good to visit recommended places rather landing in trouble and repenting lifelong, although we can say life is very easy and Aucklanders are easy and friendly going people.

Maori Village Cultural Show

Hot Geysers Blowing throughout Year

Geysers Hot Springs

We also happen to have a trip to Rotorua and due to entry fee at all places and to keep us within our budget we visited Traditional Maori Village (Maori are native residents of New Zealand) with natural hot geysers was a source of curiosity for us. 

Gondola Ride or Cable Car

We also had famous Gondola ride which was a fun to reach the top of mountain and view down to see scenic beauty of Rotoura. One piece of advice to all visitors or tourists, check weather as some times it can make your trip disaster due to bad weather, and Radio, TV and news paper media are best sources to have weather update as it unfolds and give a person advance warnings etc. 

I even had an opportunity to go for hiking to an old abandoned Gold Mine, namely Tui Mine at Te Aroha, a bit of history if one need to read is given below: 

A View of Tui Mine

History of Tui Mine:

The Tui Mine was started in the year 1967. It was Norpac Mining who opened it to extract minerals, including copper, lead and zinc. The mine prospered but when unacceptable levels of mercury were found in the ore and the mine became uneconomical.  Later in the year 1975, Norpac Mining went into liquidation and Tui Mine was abandoned.

But the mine left lot of environmental and contamination mess.   No progress was made in past three decades to deal with the issues at the Tui Mine but 2007 national budget, Ministry for the Environment’s Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund was created to start the clean-up of the Tui Mine.

The No. 1 Toxic site in New Zealand is currently undergoing the long awaited clean up and Te Aroha & District Museum has some of the  interesting collection  of artifacts, a DVD of the inside of the mine as it was, if one is interested to know about the mine then. 

Last but not the least we did happen to meet our seniors:

ISM has its fraternity of ex-students settled all around the globe.

At Mrs and Mr Pallab Banerjee's Home

At Mrs & Mr Pallab Banerjee's Home

In Auckland, we met two of our Distinguished Alumni, Mr. Pallab K Banerjee (’60 Mining) - Retired NMDC Director) and Mr.Arun Talwar (’71 Mining) - Retired Mining Consultant, Zambia.

Group Photo with Mr Arun Talwar

Group Photo with Mrs & Mr A Talwar

Enjoying Luncheon at Mr Talwar's Home

Enjoying Luncheon at Mr Talwar's Home

Group Photo of ISM Interns

Chatting with Mr Talwar's son

L to R: Rishabh Gupta & Sanchit Agarwal

We were hosted by them and do remind the warmth we got, we salute for having best of the ISM traditions still alive, which reminds us to carry the banner on our shoulder in the days to come. The hospitality we got along with Ghar ka Khanna (Home cooked food by our Bhabhi, many thanks to her) and golden old memories of our seniors of ISM. We all enjoyed the home made food, reminded us that we are not away from our home. At Mr. Talwar’s home I had to my stomach full much of Lamb Biryani that I had to skip my dinner that Night. At Mr. Pallab Banerjee’s home, I tasted the KIWI fruit first time to my enjoyment. 

We left Auckland with heavy heart as the  ------

SONG which has finally ended, but its melody lingers ON ………………..

Overall, I should say the trip to Auckland is really worth and the working culture there is good too. One should definitely try the luck once in student life with this scholarship programme and make New Zealand its favorite destinations, both for study & may be with work experience - one can always enjoy its breath taking scenic beauty which this country offers. 

Cheers, A Talwar ('71 Mining) 
April' 2012