Jane Allott is a southern girl who has come north from South Canterbury to teach Years 11, 12 and 13 English and media studies at Taihape Area School.
For the past five years she has been teaching in Fairlie near Lake Tekapo.
"It was really small, you know. One main street and that was it. My school house was just three metres away from my classroom!"
Compared to Fairlie, Taihape is vast and the area school is incredible, she said.
"The facilities here are so wonderful ... inside and out. I can't believe the recreation facilities. The skate park, for example, is amazing."