Student Bloggers

One of the highlights of my time in New Zealand with Arcadia was our weekend trip to Abel Tasman National Park. After taking the ferry from Wellington to Picton and a scenic bus ride to the coast, we arrived at our cozy hostel. We wasted no time heading to the water to swim as the sun went down, followed by a big cookout. It felt like one big family dinner, which was really nice and comforting as we’d now been away from home for a few weeks and the initial rush of study abroad had worn off.

The next morning, we woke up for the sunrise on the beach. It was a nice way to start our day with a peaceful moment before a day full of activities. We then kicked off the day with a boat ride across Abel Tasman. During the ride, we learned a bit about the park’s history before being dropped off for a 14km hike, which would take up most of the day. The trail took us through both forest and coastal paths, which had some of the most picturesque views of the ocean. After our hike, we cooled off with a quick swim before returning to the hostel for dinner and sunset, which felt like the perfect end to the day.

Sunday was our final day in Abel Tasman, and we definitely made the most of it. We started with a morning kayaking trip out to the iconic Split Rock. The water was unbelievably clear and warm, I hadn’t really experienced anything like it. Once we arrived at the split rock beach we had a few hours to relax and explore the area before making our way back. Once we got back to land, it was finally time to start our journey back to Wellington. As you can imagine, everyone was a bit sad to leave Abel Tasman, as beautiful, relaxing, and fun as it had been. But I was so thankful for this opportunity to spend such an amazing weekend with everyone in the Arcadia program exploring a new place.

If you’re considering studying abroad with Arcadia, my biggest piece of advice is to say yes to everything they offer. They truly set up really amazing experiences for you to get to know others while also exploring your country. This trip really showed me how valuable these shared experiences are, especially when living abroad. These trips will allow you to make memories that will stay with you forever. Whether we were cooking dinner together, kayaking, or starting a Spotify jam sesh bonding over music, New Zealand really started to feel like a home away from home after this trip. This trip to Abel Tasman was definitely a highlight of my time in New Zealand, and I know it will be one of those memories I’ll keep coming back to for a long time.