In Jonty Wispinski’s case, he wouldn’t be a member of the national secondary schools’ geography team representing New Zealand at the 2017 International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) in Belgrade, Serbia.
The King’s High School pupil said his grandfather is Serbian and there are still members of his extended family around Belgrade.
"He was the one that drove me and told me about Belgrade and the cultural life of the city.
"If it weren’t for the fact that I have family there, I may not have pushed myself as hard to get into the New Zealand team.
"I think the destination itself, and going there to see what life is like, that’s driven me to get to go and compete in Belgrade."
Jonty was selected from a pool of more than 50 Year 12 geography pupils.
"I’m pretty stoked. I didn’t think I would make it this far."
Fellow pupil Malachi Buschl was selected as a non-travelling reserve for the team.
The iGeo, to be held next August, is a competition for the best 16 to 19-year-old geography pupils from across the globe.
More than 160 pupils from 40 countries will compete in a series of tests and challenges.
"We’ve got to do a range of mapping activities, multi-media tests and a number of examinations with short and long answer questions," Jonty said.
The team would be in Belgrade for about two weeks, and he hoped there would be plenty of time to visit some of his relatives while there.
