Walking into a cookery class of seven students at CPIT, the largest vocational training institute on New Zealand's South Island, I am surprised to see almost all Asian faces — both boys and girls — with only one Kiwi as they prepare food as part of their studies.
Among them is Yeonkyu Kim from South Korea, who is busy making pastries for the class.
"Two years ago when I decided to study English, New Zealand's exchange rate was good, making it not expensive for me to study here," the 21-year-old tells me. "Also, there weren't many Korean students here so I thought it would be a good idea to study English in New Zealand because I wouldn't have to speak Korean a lot.
"I'm very interested in fusion food and I wish to open a Western-Korean cuisine restaurant in Christchurch and Seoul. To achieve that dream, I have to finish my course, and need more work experience to be a professional chef."
At the back of the room is Gabbriel Garcia from the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines, who also dreams of opening a restaurant in his homeland. His family has been living in Christchurch for almost seven years along with many other Filipinos, including nurses and other health professionals, who came to help rebuild the city after it was struck by powerful earthquakes in 2011.
The 19-year-old student has taken a one-year cookery course for a certificate with an option to get a diploma in professional cookery next year. It costs between NZ$6,500 and $7,000 for local students or residents but international students pay around NZ$20,000, the equivalent of 445,000 baht.
Established in 1906, CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology) is owned by the New Zealand government and has 25,000 students, of whom 1,600 are international students from 50 countries. Apart from cookery, other vocational courses include baking, hospitality management, food and beverage services, travel operations, business administration and computing, and mental health.
On a national scale, more than 100,000 international students come to New Zealand to study each year. The biggest market is China with 30,000 annually, followed by India at about 15,000. Close to 10,000 are from countries in Southeast Asia led by Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Compared to Australia, where close to half a million students travel to study every year, the number of international students coming to New Zealand is still relatively small, said Peter Bull, general manager, international, at Education New Zealand (ENZ).
Minori Takahashi of Tokyo with her homestay hosts.
The number was steady for few years but it started to grow again last year.
"We think the main reason is that because those markets are starting to recover now from the global financial crisis. Parents are more willing to send their children to study overseas," he told Asia Focus.
For international students at universities in New Zealand, the fee is close to NZ$25,000 per year, depending on the subject. For engineering or medical studies the cost rises close to $35,000 (780,000 baht) for fees, accommodation and food.
"It's a big investment," acknowledged Mr Bull, but he noted that New Zealand has a very good education system.
"The government imposes the standard so the government-funded institutions have very sound, good standards. As well, New Zealand is a very safe place and parents feel more relaxed sending their children to New Zealand. Here it's easy to get out and enjoy outdoor activities, even in big cities like Wellington," he said.
"The education system in New Zealand is based on student participation. It's not about you sitting in the class and being told what to learn. There is very active engagement through research and thinking hard. We have a system that is very encouraging for students to challenge the teachers."
UNIQUE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Going to school is compulsory for all children in New Zealand aged six to 16, although most children start when they turn five. In a "full" primary school, children stay from age five to 12 years. If it's a "contributing" primary school they will move onto to an "intermediate" school for their last two primary years, from 11-12 years old.
Intermediate schools, where they're available, provide a bridge to secondary school which is sometimes called college, high school or grammar school.
"While some other countries have middle schools and New Zealand has a few of these, the special characteristics of New Zealand's intermediate schools are that they offer a step between primary and secondary schooling — with more specialised teachers, for example in arts and technology," said Rose O'Connor, senior communication adviser at ENZ.
"These schools foster greater independence in their students, preparing them for high school study. Intermediate schools are responsive to the developmental characteristics and needs of early adolescents."
The other option for students aged 11-12 (years 7-8) is to attend full primary schools right up to the time they are ready to enter secondary school, she added.
According to Mrs O'Connor, there are 82 intermediate schools in New Zealand with a total of 862 international students enrolled, including 58 from Southeast Asia.
Ponsonby Intermediate School in Auckland, for instance, focuses teaching students to express themselves, show respect to others, and make connections through the use of fluent English skills in order to "make the students ready for high schools", said principal Wim Boxen.
With 550 students in total, each class has no more than 28 students so that teachers can look after all of them well. Special facilities include a fashion design studio, food and biotech lab, dance suite and child centre.
According to ENZ, intermediate schools experienced a 7% decline in student enrolments in 2014 from a year earlier. This was driven by a 12% decline in Korean students while Chinese enrolment increased.
The decline was concentrated in Auckland, where enrolment fell 8% because New Zealand's largest city attracts 74% of all intermediate international students.
Overall, New Zealand's international education industry experienced significant growth in 2014 with enrolments rising 13% or 13,091 from the year before.
Tution fee income from full fee-paying international students grew by 17%. It is estimated that the value of New Zealand's international education industry increased by NZ$258 million from 2012-13 valuation to a total of $2.85 billion.
Intermediate school offers a unique bridge between primary and secondary school in New Zealand.
THE HOMESTAY OPTION
According to Mrs O'Connor, almost all international students enrolled in New Zealand secondary schools live in homestay accommodation which is one of "the best ways to learn English", although the cost is more than for other kinds of accommodations.
New Zealand homestays offer a unique family environment to immerse yourself in Kiwi culture and language. Homestay hosts also provide meals, and many will entertain you during your visit.
Universities and colleges in New Zealand normally have accommodation available for students on site or within walking distance.
Minori Takahashi of Tokyo chose a homestay after arriving in Wellington to study at the Campbell Institute English-language school before taking a course on drowning prevention.
The 21-year-old Japanese student pays NZ$510 (11,400 baht) per fortnight to the host family, which has offered homestays for students for 23 years. The expense includes meals and she always makes sandwiches at home to bring for lunch.
"I chose a homestay because I can speak English to the host family," she told Asia Focus. "I have found it very expensive here, especially for food. It costs at least $15 for going out."
At the homestay, students must follow some rules such as setting and clearing the table for tea and meals, as well as helping with dishwashing. If she wants stay in town for tea, she must text the host family by 5pm to say she does not want tea.
Alisa Pisamayarom, a 23-year-old student from Thailand, also prefers a homestay although it costs her twice as much as sharing a flat.
"I feel like I'm home with mom and dad," Ms Alisa said, adding that it costs her NZ$1,000 per month including meals, out of her total monthly expense of $1,200, including transport, for her stay in the country.