Student Bloggers

No Regrets:

A common theme I notice back home is that people talk about travel like it is out of reach; they think that travel is “too expensive,” or they are “too busy,” or they “don’t know if they can.” I see this unfortunate dynamic all too much. I see people who settle for staying home with the same friends, going out to the same bars, taking the safe road, even when they have the opportunity to finally to take that dream trip to London, California, New Zealand... wherever. Worried about money? Fly economy class and be flexible with a connection, sales are everywhere (Follow “Secret Flying” and “The Points Guy” on social media platforms such as Facebook for airfare sales)! Stay in a hostel instead of a hotel (“Hostelworld.com” is a great resource for this). Don’t spend money on bars or going out to eat every weekend when at home. Too busy? There is never a good time to leave your commitments, you have to MAKE time. Don’t know if you can? Ask yourself, “why not - is this really a good reason?”

I value living life without regrets; if there is something I really want to do, I make it happen. Sacrifices can be made to achieve these goals, as can money. I am a firm believer that happiness comes from lack of regrets, and people who veer away from society’s “safe” path and take the leap into the world are some of the happiest and most content people I know; I highly encourage travel because it will change your life.

An example of this is when I flew the Island Hopper on my way to New Zealand. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had always wanted to experience that flight; my parents were happy that I had this opportunity but told me that I needed to help pay for the additional cost of not flying direct; the $500 Manila to Auckland flight was on me, they said. I do not like dipping into my personal savings so I was going to have to...wait for it...WORK!! During my long winter break I was able to get my job back at a local restaurant where I had worked before. I picked up more shifts than I was scheduled for, completed paid chores for family friends, and spent next to nothing. When it came time to leave, I had achieved my $500 goal then some! This lead to one of the best experiences of my life, and I took manageable steps to make it happen. Do I look back and dwell on those busy, late nights at work? Not at all. Will I remember flying that epic United flight through the Pacific for the rest of my life? Absolutely.

Uni, Week 2:

My brain is definitely in “school mode” as opposed to “travel mode” at this point. I acquired an acoustic guitar from the Waitomo hostel and have been playing it along with  the drums and piano in my flat building’s basement music room. I have joined the Running Club, the Study Abroad Student Society, and the International Student Association at uni, and most importantly I am remembering to look the correct direction when crossing the road, as cars drive on the left here! I am focusing on homework during the week so I can travel on the weekends; I want to be very familiar with New Zealand by the semester’s end. Even though I knew no one when I arrived in country, I find no shortage of activities to do with other people! I am finding Auckland to be a very international city; the only other place I have been with this much cultural diversity is London.

Waiheke Island:

I meet up with my German friend, Jannick, to go to Waiheke Island. It is a beachy island about 35 minutes’ ferry ride east of Auckland; sort of like the Nantucket of New Zealand. We encounter some drama as the vessel arrives; an older man had collapsed and needed medical attention. If I had to guess, I would say either heat stroke (26º C is very warm in Auckland, even for summer) or age/health problems. Everyone else continues to board and soon enough we are riding around Waiheke on the bikes we rented. We get lunch at a restaurant overlooking the tropical beach, local wine and all. The island has a vast array of streets and paths to bike, and we spend time at two different beaches. We ferry back to Auckland and arrive in time for dinner; Jannick and I enjoy conversation on a variety of topics! Next weekend I have a trip down south to Dunedin to meet up with a couple Otago students whom I met in orientation last month (yes, I have been in New Zealand for almost a month); stay tuned to discover the South Island along with me!