Dione Chard Alumni 2002

I attended Kristin from Kindy right through to 7th Form or Year 13. I was in the Class of 2002 (one of five students who went all the way through in my year). I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do when I left school, except that I wanted whatever it was to be something in a creative field – something to do with theatre or graphics, my two biggest passions at school. I seem to remember most of my time being taken up with choir practice or shows when I was at Kristin.

Last year I finished my Master of Arts in Film Production at Auckland University. I went straight from Year 13 into a BA at Auckland, then straight on to Masters from there.

This is the first year I haven’t been a student since before Kindergarten – which feels a bit strange, but I certainly appreciate the change in income! Since I left university I’ve been freelance editing/assistant editing and right now I’m working as an Assistant Editor on a new Disney television show called ‘Legend of the Seeker’ which will start screening in the USA soon.

The highlight of my life after Kristin, so far, would be when the short film I wrote and directed as my Masters thesis last year was accepted into the New Zealand International Film Festival. It was a huge honour to be accepted into the festival and amazing to see my film projected on the big screen. I definitely want to keep directing my own projects but it’s also fantastic to be working on something large-scale. Maybe in the future I’ll be able to combine the two!”

If you are thinking about a career in film, Dione has some advice: “Get as much experience as you can – but also remember you sometimes have to do night shifts and make coffee before you can wield a camera or direct a big crew. The New Zealand film industry is incredibly supportive of young film-makers though; so if you work hard and you’re passionate, doors will always open.”

Raewyn MacGregor Alumni 2002

I, Raewyn MacGregor, Mrs Ogata’s worst student from the 2002 graduating class, am in Japan on the JET Programme working as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan.

ALTs are held in high esteem here; they are viewed as important parts of Japan’s Internationalisation policy exposing people to native Englishspeaking foreigners at a young age (I teach Junior High and Primary School, others teach High School). Those on the JET Programme are even more esteemed because we are seen to be the best of the ALTs.

The JET Programme is in its 21st year this year. There are about 5,000 JETs from 41 countries in both ALT and local government Internationalisation roles and between 200 and 300 current Kiwi JETs, with 75 of us starting our jobs this year.

I have managed to catch up with former Ichi-jo Exchange Students and former Kun-ie Exchange Students from 2006, both when I first came and in the weeks since I arrived in Japan. First up for me, soon after arrival, was a trip to see Kiyono Hamada (who went to Kun-ie High School then Ritsumeikan University) and Risa Yoshida (who went to Ichi-jo High School then Kyoto Women’s University). Both girls are doing amazing things and their English is so good! I want to use their experiences, and my own, to help promote international understanding and English practice here at Shikino JHS where I am based.

Kristin set me up for a life of internationalism; through not only going to Antarctica and studying IB, but through its efforts to promote internationalism within the school. After Kristin, I studied Microbiology and Politics at Otago but now I am in Japan teaching English! I put my life in the hands of the universe at the end of last year when I was an inexperienced new grad and now I’m in Takaoka making friends with Japanese people, other ALTs from around the world and random Buddhist monks, nuns and Shinto priests. The universe is worth trusting and your teachers are worth listening to – believe it or not.

Thanks need to go to the following people: my parents for loaning me the money to survive the first month before pay day; Mrs Taylor and Mrs Ogata for their amazing teaching skills and for encouraging me to learn Japanese even when I found it tough; my sister for encouraging me to apply for JET and reminding me when the application was due. Thanks are also due to my friends who got me to the top and back down Fuji despite me realising that danger was imminent and thinking that stopping in my tracks was a good idea. And of course to Kristin School for setting me up for a life of international adventure.