Student Bloggers

Integration:

I arrive at my flat and settle in; one of my flatmates is already moved in. We discover that we both love cats, which is a great start! The two full days before orientation are spent unpacking, shopping, and exploring my new surroundings in Auckland. I take a walk around the city with another Arcadia student, Megan, who also arrived early. A few positive aspects of Auckland are the nice weather, the variety of stores, and the diverse food! There is lots of Indian cuisine, a personal favorite.

Orientation - Auckland & Rotorua:

Megan and I walk through hilly Auckland (much like San Francisco terrain-wise) to a hotel to meet everyone else from our program, as well as students attending the University of Otago in Dunedin, South Island. I enjoy meeting everyone because we all share the desire to study in New Zealand; however this leads to a major downside of orientation for me: too many people. 80-some students all doing the same activities for three days makes me feel a bit anxious and overwhelmed. I also discover that I had lost my wireless headphones, which I am able to easily replace in Auckland at the expense of my wallet. Since travel isn’t all great, I will include some negative happenings so the reader understands the full experience; a bad build-up of such events can be frustrating and must be dealt with in a calm manner which is something that I am still working on. Now that the negatives are out of the way, I will focus on the many positive happenings of this beginning!

The weather in Auckland has been unseasonably hot, even for summer; seasons are reversed in the Northern and Southern hemispheres; we all go to North Head, across the bay from Auckland, and dip in the refreshing ocean water. Auckland is strategically located a bit inland from open water, similar to Seattle, WA. I feel fatigued by the end of the day, but not nearly as tired as the many students who flew in today.

The next day everyone wakes up early and gets on the bus to Rotorua. My stomach is acting up (a classic travel problem) so I lay down across the back row of the bus during the drive down and take a couple antacids; this helps and luckily I dodge any further problems. The afternoon consists of a farm show, a walk through a nature reserve, and soaking in some cleansing hot springs. The latter turns out to be my favorite, proving both social and relaxing.

Our final day in Rotorua is spent exploring surreal geyser pools, zorbing, and learning about the native Maori people. Zorbing is enjoyable for all; groups of three crawl into big, water-filled plastic balls and roll down a hill! After zorbing, we jump in a hot tub to relax. Later in the evening we go to a Maori village and immerse ourselves in their culture. One of my favorite things about travel is learning how different people live around the world, so this excursion did not disappoint.

Aside from the large and stressful number of people, orientation turned out good! I am glad that I got to see Rotorua and its natural wonders. The next couple of days are reserved for University orientation as the Auckland and Dunedin groups split up. We also have a bike ride around some of Auckland’s beaches and eat a classic New Zealand dish, fish and chips. 

The Northland:

With five free days before class begins, I decide to turn a possible trip into reality! I reserve a hostel bed and take a 4.5 hour bus ride up to the Bay of Islands. This region is a more tropical area of New Zealand and is home to dolphins and easy access to New Zealand’s far north; I embark on a long day trip to discover this little talked about section of the country. We go to a forest full of wildlife, Ninety Mile Beach (which is more like 55 miles long, go figure), Te Paki Sand Dunes for some sandboarding, and finally Cape Reinga Lighthouse where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean crash together. I feel good about being so active early on because of the goals I accomplish, not to mention the sheer beauty of New Zealand’s countryside. I make friends with a Swedish girl on holiday and we enjoy deep conversation over an Indian dinner.

Upcoming:

I buy several textbooks upon return to Auckland to prepare for classes, which begin in just a few days! I also stop by the local cat café to relax after the long bus back to Auckland; homesickness is dwindling and I feel more adjusted to my new home every day. I meet the rest of my flatmates; all three of them are from the North Island. Several milestones and excursions will happen soon: a day trip to Hobbiton, the first week of class, and a two night trip with my Arcadia peers to the surf town of Raglan and the Waitomo Glow Caves! In my next entry I will discuss these three events and dive into some key differences between American and New Zealand Culture.