hope could inspire other moms to pursue their study
hope more children could experience what Queen experiences in the overseas life
check it out the story
PhD Mum's story part 1
I think I made a wrong decision to start my Ph.D. when I have two toddlers and should pay such expensive childcare for both of them. How can we expose our children to our endless journey to pursue our final achievement with their love, their crying and their happiness? But you know, where there is a will, there is a way. In the first part, I will share about our decision to bring family during my study and childcare concern. Let’s follow our story follow the story here
http://www.unilife.aut.ac.nz/posts/2016/6/30/a-phd-mums-story-part-1
PhD Mum's story part 2
In this second part of Ph.D. Mum’s story. I will share about having a child while studying and the winter, accommodation and kids, child health cover and the supervisor support in my journey as a Ph.D. mum at AUT. folow the story here
https://autuni.tumblr.com/post/148127184969/a-phd-mums-story-part-2
Najmah Usman is an international PhD Student in Public Health, New Zealand Asean Awardee, Lecturer in Public Health Faculty, Sriwijaya University, South Sumatera, Indonesia, and a mother of two toddlers, Queency and Adilla.
In this second part of Ph.D. Mum’s story. I will share about having a child while studying and the winter, accommodation and kids, child health cover and the supervisor support in my journey as a Ph.D. mum at AUT.
Child and winter
This winter, June-September 2016, is the first winter in New Zealand for Queency and Adilla. The temperature is between 2oC and 18oC. Furthermore, it is quite windy. So when we go out from our house, it seems we enter the fridge. Some friends said that winter is the sick season, many kids will become ill easily in the winter. Queency’s teachers also said a half of the kids will get flu and cough in the middle of winter. Children easily fall sick in the winter, particularly toddlers and children who attend a childcare centre. Well, they were right and, as a mum, I need to think how to deal with this.
Queency and Adilla have been sick for one month with coughs, running noses, flu, vomiting, and fever. Sadly, Queency transmitted her symptoms to her little sister, Adilla. The symptoms for Adilla got worse. It was a tough month for me as a mum with both of them ill at the same time and they repeated the same symptoms two times in one month. They saw the doctors twice and finally recovered. The doctor decided to prescribe antibiotics for the little Adilla and to prescribe cough syrup and flu medicine for Queency.
After both of them recovered, I gave them vitamin C and zinc tablets to boost their immunity. I also gave Queency lemon juice in her milk. So far, they are healthier and now only have a mild cough. In this part, we need to ask our friends’ experience how they deal with the winter for their kids and browse on the internet the information for kids’ health in the winter season. Honey, orange, lemon and vitamin C + Zinc tablets (if necessary) are good for them to boost their immunity during winter.
Accommodation and the kids
Well, it is not easy to get accommodation with two toddlers. Some apartments are selective when it comes to tenants with kids. When I was in Indonesia, I tried to find some accommodation online. When I wrote that I will stay with two children, there is no available accommodation, while when I typed only two adults, they provide some rooms… tricky one. Some of our friends told us, some apartment agents sometimes don’t want to take a risk by renting their apartments to a family with children as children will make noise, make rooms dirtier and will disturb other neighbors. Furthermore, the more children we have, the more rooms in one accommodation must be rented and the more expensive the rent fee. However, some accommodations welcome the kids, no worries.
The challenge is to find an accommodation that welcomes kids and is safe for them. We were lucky and found an apartment in the city. We just sent the duty manager an email (Bob, bob.cityaparts@gmail.com) and paid the booking fee (NZ $300) from Indonesia. You can do the transfer through this agent to an NZ bank account from Indonesia to Auckland (www.oztransfer.com/about.html). We got a nice studio room in Auckland and the manager allows a family with kids.
After a tiring journey, we moved directly into our nice furnished room. Our accommodation is close to Taiping (Asian market), Countdown, AUT City Campus, the main train station (BRITOMART) and also the daycare centre. Furthermore, my scholarship contact, Margaret Leniston, of NZ-AS, met us in our accommodation. She brought some food, drinks, nappies, glasses etc, and the key of our room, and gave me a warm hug at the first time of our arrival (thanks, Margaret).
Child health cover and working visa of my husband
Basically, if your spouse (wife/husband) applies for an NZ working VISA for two or three years, your children and your partner’s health will be covered by the New Zealand government. So, my kids do not need to pay for prescriptions of medicine or doctors’ and nurses’ services as long as we enroll at one health center. Remember, you need to apply for a Working Visa for your spouse for two or three years based on the length of your study.
My kids had to wait for a few months to access health services with full cover from the government. We were enrolled in October 2015, and the kids got the free subsidy in January 2016. In the first three months, I went a few times for the immunization for free and saw the doctors by paying $30. However, if your child is sick due to accident, for instance fall from the bed, fall in the kitchen and other accidents, the government will cover everything. The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand. If necessary, you also could use health insurance. We need to pay about $800 per year for a family insurance for health cover and other additional covers for the family.
Supervisors as our mums in Ph. D. journey
When I have a supervision meeting with my supervisors, Dr. Sari Andajani, and Assoc. Prof. Sharyn Graham Davies, their first question is ‘How are the kids? How is your husband’ not ‘How is my research project?’ Well, I am lucky that my supervisors understand very well my life as a mother, a wife and a Ph. D. student.
It is better for us to introduce our kids to our supervisors because I honestly cannot separate my journey as a mother or as a Ph. D. student, it all sometimes mixes into one. They are such good kids; sleeping, playing and watching but they also sometimes cry and make noise in the supervisors meeting.
My supervisor also has suggested a breastfeeding room at AUT South Campus and it is great. My supervisor also provides some toys and diapers in her room, amazing! She is also happy to share food and clothes for my children. On some occasions, they are happy to invite us to have lunch in their house or to hang out together with other Ph. D. mums. That is the reason I call them my mums in my Ph. D. journey!
Another point, what should we do if our kids fall sick? Should we tell our supervisors? I try not to let my supervisors know if my daughters become ill during my study but I am working a bit slower this winter because I need to take care of both kids so I informed them that they were not feeling well.
I am a slow learner, but my supervisors make me a hardworking learner, and my husband supports me to pursue this journey. In the next part, I will share our kids’ journey during my formal and informal activities in Auckland. Don’t miss it.
Part 3
https://autuni.tumblr.com/post/153239821829/phd-mums-story-part-3
Maori language and Howick Historical Village: A mirror of a nation that preserves its history
As international students, we know New Zealand, through movies like The Lord of the Rings. We are amazed when we arrive by the beauty of the nature in New Zealand, how this country preserves its environment and promotes its amazing destinations, particularly for international tourists.
Maori culture and language
There is a beautiful mixture of cultures, particularly Māori culture with the modernity of New Zealand. In other words, despite the modernity of New Zealand, this country is very concerned with its history. Initially, when you arrive in Auckland Airport, you will pass the gate with a Māori sculpture and you will listen to the Māori music, songs and pray in the Auckland Airport.
At AUT, another instance, signs use English words and Maori words; welcome and Kia Ora; library and Whare Pukapuka; wash your hands and horoi tou ringa. Furthermore, the University also has a Marae located on St Paul St, a communal and sacred place for religious and social purposes in the University. We can also learn the Maori language for free at AUT! We also can visit the Auckland war memorial museum in order to feel, learn and watch a Māori cultural performance.
Howick Historical Village
Another aspect of New Zealand history we can experience is the Howick Hisotrical Village. You can come here by public transport from city. We went there from the Britomart train station and got on the Eastern line (Manukau) and then get off at the Panmure station, then continued by getting on bus number 550 and then off in the Howick village. Otherwise, you can get on bus number 550 from the city to the Howick village, it takes approximately 60 minutes. But if you go with kids, it is better to get on the train for 20 minutes and then get on a bus that only takes ten minutes to the location.
A handmade tripod from the village blacksmith, for boiling water in the kettle: $120
Wow, it is surprising when you see the price of a handmade tripod: $120. How come something this small is so expensive? I guess that there is a historical value for this kettle. As international students, we can learn how New Zealand appreciates its history by visiting places like this. Being in the past, the 19th century, and experiencing the past are a chance for us, particularly for our children to learn history in a real-live setting. The Howick Historical Village, a living history museum of the fencible period, offers lots of fun activities for children, a lot of people wear traditional costumes and you can hire your own traditional costumes for souvenir pictures (one picture for $ 5 or 6 pictures for $20).
Feel the past
The third weekend of every month there is a live historical experience in the village. For a student it is only $12, adults $16 and for children under five years old it’s free. One secret, if you grab an Auckland A-Z there are lots of discount vouchers inside including one free adult ticket for a Howick Historical Village if you come with friends or family.
The village offers many fun activities for children
During a full day in the Howick Village, you will the past. The village offers many activities with special topics, for instance Peter Rabbit and Friends last holidays. The activities started from 10 am with puppet show, hymn service, a Victorian school lesson, pipe band, kid acorn piñata, soldiers’ demonstration, story time, races through the hay bales, and Peter Rabbit. The activities were located in some historical buildings i such as Puhi Nui Homestead (no 33), Ararimu school, outside the tent, outside Fords cottage and other places. You can get on a horse drawn carriage for $2 each. The children experience a real insight into the history of the village and at the same time they have fun.
A lesson for my country, Indonesia
Some groups of Indonesian students and local kiwis proudly perform traditional dance, songs and musical instruments, like ANGKLUNG for a lot of events in Auckland. They are proud to introduce Indonesian culture here in Auckland. Indonesia has one national language, Indonesian, and hundreds of local languages. My country also has diverse dances, cultures, and songs from 33 provinces among 17,504 islands in Indonesia.
However, a lot of local languages are endangered in Indonesia. Furthermore, younger generations do not understand their local culture and language. Sadly, the national television channel, TVRI, that offers many good programs for understanding the local language and culture seems to have fewer viewers in this era compared to the programs from many commercial television channels. Also, English seems to be the best language to be learned by kids in their early stages, not a local language.
We can learn from New Zealand about the preservation of local language and local culture and history. How the Kiwis integrate their local language and culture in their daily life, in the university, public areas and how historical places are preserved and made relevant to children with fun activities for kids.
A big country is a country which preserves its history, culture and natures.
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