'Love boat' unites nations

By JO-MARIE BROWN

If an all-expenses-paid cruise around the Pacific Rim on a luxury vessel strongly resembling TV's Love Boat is your idea of heaven, then Manu-Kiwa Keung is a woman you should envy.

The 28-year-old Aucklander is one of 260 young people, including nine New Zealanders, on the Nippon Maru, which docked in Auckland yesterday as part of the 13th annual "Ship for World Youth" programme.

Sponsored by the Japanese Government to promote international youth exchange, they have been sailing the Pacific for six weeks, visiting countries such as Japan, Russia, Hawaii and Tonga.

They will spend three days touring the upper North Island before setting sail for Singapore, their final destination.

Miss Keung works for the Health Funding Authority in Auckland and was chosen by the Ministry of Youth Affairs to head the New Zealand delegation.

She says the aim of "Ship for World Youth" is to foster the spirit of international cooperation and promote friendship and understanding among the youth of the world.

While the ship "is just like the Love Boat," with chandeliers, swimming pools, bars and grand pianos, she says the trip does involve a lot of hard work.

Seminars and discussion groups are regularly held on board, canvassing topics such as leadership styles, globalisation, education and the environment.

"A lot of it is seeking to understand where others are coming from, exchanging ideas and learning from each other," Miss Keung says.

With young people from 17 countries on board, everyone also has the opportunity to learn new languages and customs.

"It's amazing, because I never thought I'd get to go to places like Japan and Russia, and now I've got friends there."

While it was great to set foot on New Zealand soil again, Miss Keung said she would be extremely reluctant to leave the ship permanently in two weeks. "It's just been so great. I think we might all stay in Singapore and forget to go home."