As classes ended, and exams near, I did the opposite of what every other student at this university was doing and packed my bags to go on yet another adventure. I headed to the North Island of New Zealand for the first time this semester. My first stop was Wellington. Wellington is a city (bigger than where I am studying but not as big as the cities at home) filled with culture. While I was there I stayed with a family I met during my time at the University of Otago. The Khan Family are from Bangladesh and are of Muslim faith. Not only did they show us around the city that they now call home, but each evening I stayed there we sat by the fire and they allowed me overwhelm with questions about their lives, backgrounds, faith, and culture. I learned so much about Wellington and the Khan’s in a short 3 days…I also got so much out of this quick trip and I am glad I made the choice to stay with a local family rather than another little hostel.
The Khan’s! (Erin, Amma, Abba, Lila)
Aside from where we stayed, the city had so many cool things to offer. Adibah, daughter of Amma and Abba Khan, showed us around the city and took us on a little hike to the Wellington sign. The Wellington sign is the same idea as the Hollywood sign, but man was it cool to climb to. We went right up to the back of it where we were able to over look the entire city and harbor.
Another one of my favorite things we did in Wellington was walking along the harbor. We walked for what felt like miles along the beautiful bright blue water where boats and ferries come in and out. It was a beautiful day so there were people everywhere taking walks, running, and some just sitting around taking in the sun. Adibah also took us to Te Papa which is the Museum of New Zealand. They had so many awesome and unique exhibits about the Māori culture and modern art.
Adibah and I by the harbor
Art from Te Papa
