Book Review #34: Chasing Rainbows

Name: Chasing Rainbows
Author: Mark W Rodrigues
No. of Pages: 258
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: CinnamonTeal Publishing
Price: Rs. 599/-
Published in: 2015

The blurb of the book says:
NEW ZEALAND is the world's most exciting education destination. Students from all around the world flock to the country to study. Why do they come to New Zealand? How do they select their institute and program? What do they study? What work do they do? Do they survive and thrive or crash and burn? And what must you do, as a potential student, to be successful in New Zealand?

This guide book explores the experiences of a group of Indian students in New Zealand. You will experience New Zealand through the eyes of these students. Through conversations with them, you will understand, learn, and be better prepared for studying in New Zealand.


"As an academic researcher, I realised the need for this guide after spending a year exploring the current experiences of international students in New Zealand. International students are just not adequately prepared for studying and living in New Zealand, and desperately need improved information before they make such momentous decisions about their lives and careers. This guide serves to widen the circle of awareness about New Zealand education.

This is not a traditional guidebook, nor is it an instruction manual. I do not give you lists of do’s and don’ts. Instead, I give you unprecedented access to students who share their stories with you, and you have to understand and learn from them. I believe that you will learn more, make better decisions and be better prepared for life in New Zealand after reading about the stories and experiences of these students."


About the author:
Mark is a Lecturer, Researcher, and an Author. He has studied, worked and lived in India (PG Diploma - IMI, India), Canada (MBA - McGill, Canada), the UK and New Zealand (PhD - Waikato, New Zealand). Currently based in Hamilton, Mark is working on a series of books about the experiences of Indian students in New Zealand.

The author goes beyond the marketing hype to uncover factual, real life, accounts of what actually happens to students in New Zealand. The best people to guide future students are those who have undergone the process themselves as they know the positives and the pitfalls. Listen to them, and learn from their stories.

MY THOUGHTS:
Cover: The cover is absolutely lovely. As New Zealand is quite famous for its rainbows, the book's cover as well the title are apt. The cover illustrates a student walking towards a rainbow.

Writing:The writing is straight without much creativity.

Content: The book is a good reference for any student who aspires to go abroad for studies especially New Zealand. The author and his wife connected with many Indian students in New Zealand who ventured into the unknown land with high hopes and lofty dreams. It is a first-hand account of these students' experiences which can well-guide young students who aspire to go to New Zealand for higher studies. The experiences are both good and bad. The book also gives a fair idea about the pros and cons of studying in this country, what difficulties one might face, how one should go about deciding on a course or institute, what one can expect and so on.

The book is a bold step taken by the author himself. He had mentioned that he had received serious threats while working on this book. But his intention is not to show the country in poor light. He asserts that New Zealand is a wonderful country to live and the Kiwis are wonderful people. But like all places, it has its own positives and negatives.

I feel the book is a very good initiative to generate awareness among international students. I only wish that it had been presented in a little creative way.
I give "Chasing Rainbows" 3.5 stars on a scale of 5.


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