Student Bloggers

As I reflect on my time here at Canterbury so far, it astounds me that I’ve only been here for a couple of weeks! So much has already happened and I have already met such amazing people from all over the world. It seems it couldn’t have been just two weeks since I lugged all of my luggage into my flat. Time does fly when you are having fun, and to say I’ve just had fun would definitely be an understatement!

One of my favorite parts of first arriving to a new place is the multitude of new people to meet. Our small but mighty Arcadia group has grown to be a rich and encouraging community of people from many different backgrounds; all with caring hearts. We are certainly not the only exchange students here, and we have all had the pleasure of meeting new friends from all over the world! There are many other Americans from all over the States, Austrians, Danish, Finnish, English, and so many other nationalities studying here at Canterbury this semester. I knew I would have the chance to meet lots of Kiwi students, but I would have never guessed that some of my new good friends would come from various places all around Europe! It has been an amazing blessing and privilege to share in this adventure with such wonderful people so far.

A vast majority of the exchange students and I all live in the Ilam apartments right off the UC campus. These flats are all very comfortable and many people here live with incredible people, myself included. My flat mates are a mix of English and Kiwi natives, and each one has been a delight to meet and live with! The Ilam flats act as a diverse sort of neighborhood filled with exciting parties and new friends. Many of my friends are just a stairwell away, and nearly everyone is extremely hospitable. I absolutely love hosting parties and little get-togethers; there have been but few days that my flat is not filled with people from all over, which is just how I like it!

Arcadia and the UCSA have both done a wonderful job so far of organizing adventures for us to go on. The Arcadia group and I ventured off to Sumner Beach for surfing lessons one weekend, and the next weekend the UCSA hosted a tramping trip to the Hinewai Reserve! Both experiences were physically exhausting, but absolutely incredible. Since arriving to New Zealand, I have just been longing for mountainous hikes and exciting escapades, so these two weekend events were the perfect appetizer for all of the amazing adventures to come!

Not only did I get to go on the Arcadia and UCSA trips, but my friends and I have been having a great time planning our own day trips. We went to the cricket world cup opening ceremony, toured the Christchurch city center, walked through the botanical gardens in Hagley Park, hit the beach, climbed up the Port Hills into Lyttelton… The list goes on! However, what I’ve enjoyed just as much, if not more, are the small everyday things my friends and I do together. Things like grocery shopping, going to the bank, getting ice cream, going to flat parties, or even just staying in and watching movies together have already begun to create a sense of normality and comfort in this new country. What seemed intimidating at first has already become somewhat typical and even ordinary in the best way. It’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes; it may feel uncomfortable at first, but overtime, you begin to feel completely at ease and even quite attached with what was once so foreign. This adjustment was in no way possible without prayer and great people to surround myself with. Although it may be early in the year, I already feel like I have met people who I can see myself being friends with for a long time, and for that I am entirely grateful. There’s no knowing what each day will present, and I can’t wait to continue on this once in a lifetime adventure.