Kia ora everyone,

I’m Emma, a French political science student, and I am very happy to join NCWNZ as an intern until the end of June.

Back home, I’m the president of my university’s feminist association. We organise conferences and debates on all kinds of feminist issues, and we also try, patiently but persistently, to push our school to update its internal charters to make the institution more inclusive and safer for everyone. A lot of my time is spent somewhere between planning events, having big discussions about gender equality, and sending way too many emails.

Coming to New Zealand felt like a natural extension of that journey. I’m really looking forward to learning from such a historic and intergenerational organisation, and to discovering how feminism is lived and organised here.

Outside of all that, I play rugby, so yes, I am very aware I have come to the right country. I’m already enjoying how seriously rugby is taken here.

And after the big storm that hit Wellington two days after I arrived, I feel like I’ve had my first proper Kiwi initiation! I can’t wait to discover the landscapes, meet more of you, and make the most of these next few months.

Ngā mihi,
Emma

To read more articles from The Circular (January-February 2026) issue 655, click on the tag below.