25% Complete

It’s strange to think that 25% feels like so much, yet I so little that I still have 3 months left here in New Zealand. This first quarter being in this country have been an absolute rollercoaster (as cliché as that is).

First few weeks flew by – between orientation in Queenstown and arriving in Dunedin to start classes, my mind rarely rested. Queenstown was absolutely amazing, and still stands as my favorite place that I have been to here so far. The little ski-resort town is experiencing a major boom in their real estate due to the popularity of the place. Two amazing ski hills are accessible from the town and it provides a wonderful nightlife after everyone returns from skiing and/or other adventures that Queenstown is known for (including and not limited to skydiving and bungee jumping!) Though I didn’t participate in any of that during orientation, I recently returned to Queenstown and went skydiving at 12,000 feet!

As this is study abroad, I’ve been attended 3 courses here at the University of Otago, two of which revolve around the cultural and political environment of New Zealand. These are by far my two most enjoyable classes as they have the added excitement of learning about this country that I knew so little about before. My third course is a higher level economics elective that I am enjoying, but there’s a limit to that enjoyment – it is economics after all. I am currently preparing for all three of my mid-terms this week (yikes), but am working hard on managing stress and getting all my work done for preparation.

These past few weeks I have also decided on my upcoming semester break plans and drumroll please….. I have decided to embark on a (mostly) solo tour of the North Island! When thinking about what I may regret not doing when I leave New Zealand, the first thought that came to mind was that there is an entire other island to this country that offers vastly different experiences that the South Island doesn’t. Although I am not going on this journey with anyone, other than visiting some people in Auckland upon my arrival, I am excited and optimistic for my personal growth and reflection I can achieve in going on this journey alone. Tickets have been booked, bus transportation planned, now all I have to do is get to the semester break!

Although just over 25% of this experience has passed, I have given an overall look at my time here and was surprised to admit that I struggled with my transition to life here much more than I had expected. As this may seem very expected to many, those who know me have been fairly shocked that I have felt this way. Independence and adaptable are two very prevalent characteristics that I identify with and I had expected this time in New Zealand to be no different. As I continue to figure things out, I am finding things here a bit easier in the past few weeks and discovering new ways to aid in my continuous adaptation to my situation here.

Despite my personal rocky start, I remain optimistic about this experience, looking forward to discovering the reasons of why I’m here and how this place is going to shape me for the betterment of me and the communities I will live in.

Here are some of my favorite photos I’ve taken so far during my time here!