Kiwi culture, cuisine, and climate delivered a culture shock when Colombo Plan students arrived in New Zealand between the 1950s and the 1970s.
But alumnus Elias Hashim remembers those days fondly and is grateful for the opportunities the scholarship and his degrees gave him for his career back in Malaysia and for the lifelong connection to New Zealand it created.
The Colombo Plan was signed by a group of Commonwealth countries in 1950 to foster economic and social development in Asia and across the Pacific. About 3,500 students studied in New Zealand until the late 1970s, playing a significant role in the life of New Zealand universities and the New Zealanders studying at that time.
Students were here to gain further qualifications or specialised training or, in the case of Victoria, to train at the University’s English Language Institute on New Zealand government-funded scholarships.
Mr Hashim, from Malaysia, says the scholarship allowed a “humble” villager to “live the dream”.
Mr Hashim came to the University in 1963 after passing the Cambridge Higher School Examinations at his high school in Penang. He studied geography and Asian studies for his BA and economic geography for his BA (Hons). He also gained a Diploma in Education.
“It was my first time in New Zealand, something I had never expected, as going overseas at that time was simply out of the equation.
“Coming to New Zealand brought many firsts for me: my first suit to wear on departure, my first plane travel, my first-time meeting and living with a European family, having a room and own bed and my first time eating with fork and spoons. Having to cope with Kiwi food of the day and no rice and curry was brutal and a big challenge.”
He says there were several challenges in his first year at the University, including the “way of talking and doing things”.
“There was little understanding of other cultures and there was hardly any diversity in that period. Foreign students were treated just like any other local student. On the positive side, foreign students like our cohort developed a robust and resilient response to meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles. They were motivated to succeed.”
Highlights included meeting former National Prime Minister the late Sir Keith Holyoake, coming to grips with flat parties, and a 10-day visit to a marae in Ruatoria.
“We were billeted with Māori families, and Malaysian students could relate well with them and their cultural ways.”
Mr Hashim returned to Malaysia after completing his education and worked for the Ministry of Education there and at high schools for a decade before migrating to New Zealand and returning to Wellington.
“The Colombo Plan offered a prestigious award and was highly regarded back home. It assisted me enormously on my return as there was a scarcity of graduates. Colombo Plan scholars and graduates were sought-after, and you walked into a job of your choice.
“I cherish fondly my time at the University. New Zealand has become a large part of my life as a result, and that wonderful experience resulted in my marriage to a New Zealander. My Colombo experience allowed me to serve in a satisfying, positive way and live the dream.”