Scholarship leads to lifelong friendships

New Zealand’s culture and environment convinced Generation Study Abroad Award student Annalisa Palmer to study here.

I wanted to go to an English-speaking country, and I like Peter Jackson films and Flight of the Conchords. I’m also into hiking, and I’d heard how beautiful New Zealand is.

Annalisa studied photography, fine arts and linguistics at Massey University in Wellington.

“Financially, the scholarship was a blessing for my family because I already had a student loan,” says Annalisa.

“The scholarship also made me more accountable. As part of my scholarship requirements I had to write regular reports on what I was doing here, which was a great way of letting my family and friends back home know what I was doing.”

Annalisa says her six months in New Zealand have made her more aware of different ways of living, changed her definition of success, and enabled her to make lifelong friendships.

“New Zealand is a special place, and I have loved my time here,” she says.

Annalisa Palmer, Study Abroad student