Student Bloggers

Is The Grass Greener On The Other Side?:

I am a big fan of the diversity around Auckland and at uni, in both culture and people. From my experience thus far, Auckland is more cultural integrated than many places I have visited in the United States; I appreciate getting to experience this because I feel less of a cultural divide than I do back home, and I have had many deep conversations with people around the world. So far this has proved invaluable for my personal growth.

Throughout my travels, I have grown attached to numerous places around the world; I cannot get enough of European history and culture, specifically in lesser explored countries such as Hungary and Croatia. I love the chill vibe found in the Hawaiian Islands. I cannot help but compare my travel experiences to life at home, sometimes thinking that I would be better off living in Europe for example. The reality is that every place has its pros and cons; you need to choose which pros you really appreciate, and which cons are deal-breakers. In the US, I often take for granted the pros and see the cons as huge problems so I am tuning in to see what I miss and don’t miss from back home. Study abroad is a great opportunity to explore whether or not you would be keen to live and work somewhere other than home for a portion of your life, and I will continue to figure this out as the semester progresses. So, I would not say that the “grass is greener” on the other side of the world; it’s just a different shade of green that looks brighter.

Uni, Week 3:

My third week consists of a grueling run with running club, my first test of the semester, a visit to the cat café, and getting ahead on schoolwork. I am also focusing on growing my newfound friendships. I encounter the first horrible weather day since I have been here; cold, blowing rain all day. Fortunately it happens on a Monday, since I do not have any classes on Mondays. I am trying new foods as well, including poké fish and Vietnamese pho. As much as I love the Indian food here, I enjoy discovering new cuisines. I will discuss food and cuisine in the next post.

Otago:

I wake up at 04:00 on Saturday; the first flight of the day was the cheapest to book. While Air New Zealand is the go-to airline for domestic flights, I am flying Jetstar today because it was much cheaper. Security is light for inter-New Zealand flights; I am at my gate within five minutes of showing up. The flight goes smoothly, and a mere 90 minutes after departure the workhorse Airbus A320 glides into Dunedin; the furthest south in the world I have ever been. Luckily I find fellow passengers to split a taxi with, as the airport is far from town. I am staying with an Arcadia Otago student, Pavel. A minor mishap occurs when I arrive at my friend’s flat before he awakens; I am trapped outside for 20 minutes in cold, 8º C / 46º F weather; definitely not the tropical haven of Auckland! After settling in, I meet up with Lucas go to the farmers market. I purchase fresh apples and ciabatta rolls, along with a steak and kidney meat pie for lunch...yes, an animal’s kidney. Very healthy because it is rich in iron. I explore the city centre before heading back for a nap. The rest of the evening is spent, well, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in New Zealand’s number one party town.

Pavel, Lucas, and I wake up at a leisurely hour on Sunday morning and pick up our rental car; Pavel and I are both driving on the left for the first time ever, an adrenaline-filled challenge. Lucas helps out, making sure we do not mess up. Around mid-morning we begin the 90 minute trek south to Nugget Point Lighthouse; the coastal scenery is rugged and brilliant! Afterwards we drive back to the Dunedin area and visit Tunnel Beach; today’s warm weather aides the walk down to the cliff and oceanside tunnel. Before we drop off the car we take a ride to the top of Baldwin Street, the steepest residential street in the world. Exhausted, we grab ice cream and dinner (in that order) and return to the flat.

My friends have class on Monday so I spend some time alone at the flat. Before my evening flight back to Auckland, they make plans to join me during the Brisbane portion of mid-semester break; only two more weeks until we will meet again in Australia! Satisfied with my weekend trip, I fly back home to Auckland and prep for another week in one of my favourite countries.