Hola!
My name is Anna, and I am the new Project Coordinator in NZ taking on Katie’s role as she goes on
maternity leave. I hail from the chilly south of NZ and have recently finished an honours degree in
Political studies at Otago.
Last year I took the opportunity to volunteer in the cactus filled desert of northern Chile, and taught
English in a public school for four months. It was an incredible experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I lived in a Chilean ghetto, picked up some unique Chilean Spanish, learnt how to control a classroom of Chilean kids that normally would be getting into fights at the back of the classroom, while the girls straightened their hair and touched up their make-up. To top off all the hard work I backpacked round the north of Argentina at the end. I’ve also previously volunteered short term in Cambodia visiting orphanages and prisons.
After volunteering and evidently enjoying it, I decided to work with Lattitude as I believe in the value of volunteering overseas, especially for young adults. I’m filling some big shoes here at the NZ office and I’m very excited about learning all the crazy ropes of Lattitude as well as getting to meet all the
volunteers.
Kia Ora!
My name is Waipora Tia Tia and I’m one of three new members to join the Lattitude team in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Last year I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be a Lattitude Volunteer. I was placed at Dover
College (a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3-18 years) in Dover, Kent, England. My jobs varied, starting my mornings working in the school office to playing sports games with the pupils in the afternoon and occasionally helping out in the boarding house.
For the 12 months I lived in England I was able to travel all over Europe. Each school holidays I found myself exploring a different country. This opportunity to travel helped me “open my eyes to the world” by learning and understanding different cultures. It was because of Lattitude that I was able to have such a great experience!
I’m really looking forward to working as part of the Lattitude team to provide current and prospective volunteers who will be coming to or leaving New Zealand with a truly incredible experience.
Dzien Dobry!
I’m Jenn, one of the newest members to the Lattitude team. I am originally from the Far North of New Zealand. I grew up in a tiny rural town called Okaihau, and boarded at Whangarei Girls High School.
In January 2009 (thanks to Lattitude and my parents) I packed up and jetted off to Poland. I was there for a five month teaching placement in an urban Junior High School in Warsaw. I had the coolest time getting to know the country and the culture. I surprised myself with the Polish language and my teaching, and had heaps of fun with my students, host family, and fellow Gappers.
After my placement finished, my Dad decided to cash in on the fun and we travelled a bit of Poland and Ireland together. It was fantastic to able to travel with one of my parents and show them what I had been up to for the past five months, but after he returned home to NZ, I jumped on a Contiki tour for a whirlwind trip around Europe.
Returning home I was excited to be back in NZ and see my family and friends, but also feeling a little bit sorry for myself, now unable to skip from European country to European country. I was back up north working when I applied for the Lattitude
Internship position and in just over a month from interview to starting the job, I am now living in Palmerston North, my car filled to the brim with my belongings, working as an Intern for Lattitude New Zealand. I’m very excited to meet new applicants and in country volunteers and help them have the same cool experience which I received.
To read news from Lattitude Volunteers currently overseas click here, and for more information on Lattitude Global Volunteering see our website.
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