TIMES JAZIRAH, JAKARTA – The Indonesian Students Association in New Zealand (PPI New Zealand) for new students arriving in the northern and southern regions of the country. The welcoming party commenced with PPI Auckland hosting the "PPIA Welcoming Day" on Sunday (17/02/2024).

Inspector Grant Tetzlaff, the Head of Auckland Central Police, initiated the event by delivering a briefing on safety and precautions for Indonesian students in the Auckland area. The atmosphere became more festive with Conrad Peihopa from Mana Services providing insights into Maori culture, the indigenous people of New Zealand. This cultural enlightenment aimed to give an understanding of the local culture to Indonesian students starting their studies in February.

Felix Anggit, the Chairperson of PPI Auckland 2024 and the event coordinator, expressed the continuous support of PPI Auckland for the academic and non-academic needs of Indonesian students in the Auckland region, including events like the current welcoming party. "We are delighted that the welcome for Indonesian students in Auckland has been successful today. Hopefully, it will be beneficial for all friends," said Felix, a Master of Conflict and Terrorism Studies student at the University of Auckland.

Meanwhile, in the southern part of New Zealand, PPI Canterbury organized an event called "Chitchat with PPIC" on the same day (17/02/2024). The event was attended not only by newly arrived students but also by active students and several alumni from various universities in Canterbury, such as the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, Ara Institute of Canterbury, and the University of Otago Christchurch Campus.

The welcoming event, wrapped in casual conversations, began with a welcome from Kidung Ageng, the Presidium of PPI Canterbury for the University of Canterbury. Each student had the opportunity to introduce themselves, followed by a sharing session about things to consider as students in Canterbury.

"We initiated today's activity to strengthen the spirit of unity among friends who have just arrived in Canterbury. We hope that friends will always be comfortable despite being far from their homeland. We at PPI Canterbury will be your family here," welcomed Kidung Ageng, a Ph.D. student at the University of Canterbury.

The warmth among students was evident in other parts of the event, such as a communal meal, the prize-giving for the "Proudly Made in Indonesia" competition in Canterbury, and the distribution of instant warm food packages by PPI Canterbury.

Adrian Nathanael Mochtar, also the Presidium of PPI Canterbury for Lincoln University, explained that the distribution of packages to students was intended to help newcomers adapt to the colder temperatures, especially now that summer has passed in the southern part of New Zealand.

"Thank you for the enthusiasm of those present. Hopefully, the Ngadem Starter Pack from PPI Canterbury will be useful for new students, especially in emergency situations when the cold of the southern island is less friendly," concluded Adrian, ending the event with a group photo of the new students.

Through these activities, PPI New Zealand aims to ensure that new students feel the warmth of Indonesia in a foreign country, providing them with a sense of community and support. (*)