Before arriving in New Zealand, I was all sorts of nervous and excited. I wondered how I would react to new aspects of culture and people from that culture. In a sense this was just like going to college for the first time, a “fresh start.” As this was my first time spending so much…
Author: aokeefe@rollins.edu
Final Climb
Queenstown- I couldn’t have asked for a better last weekend in New Zealand. I was told we were “going on a hike.” What I wasn’t told, is that we’d climb 4700 feet to reach the summit. 5:00am wake up, 6:00am beginning hiking the Ben Lomond track in pitch black. Guided by our headlamps and iPhone…
New Cities
One month left and I find myself checking into a hostel in Auckland, turning around, and seeing my sister and 3 best friends running towards me. Does it get any better at this point? I was so lucky to spend two weeks traveling around New Zealand with friends from home. Seeing their reactions to new lingo…
Be Robin Hood, Across the World
For the past year, I’ve been involved as an ambassador for my friend’s start-up company, Be Robin Hood. Be Robin Hood is an online merchandise site, where every purchase gives back to those in need, twice. My friend founded this company on the basis that anyone can be a hero, and together we can help…
It’s May yet somehow I loved the fact this whole month was Autumn?! Why not. My first few months here were full of travel, May was my month to take a brief pause, to reflect on all the adventures I’ve had so far, and I got to explore my city just a bit more. Dunedin…
It’s Autumn in NZ, but I’m on “Spring Break”:)
I’ve hit the halfway point of this amazing adventure, and Spring Break couldn’t have been better!! A 10 day road trip was the perfect way to spend it. 5 girls and WAY too much stuff made for quite the squeeze in a little car..but a trip around the South Island was well worth it! From Dunedin,…
What a hike
Just a few more weeks into this adventure and I find myself sitting in a natural hot spring overlooking sunset and enormous mountains…”where am I” is really setting in. It wasn’t as if I blinked myself to this gorgeous spot though.. it only took a 5 hour hike through what looked like absolute dinosaur land,…
Adventure Capital
At this point, just wow. From exploring incredible cities like Wellington, to climbing cliffs at beaches, to a camping weekend filled with stars, mountains, (and too much John Mayer), to finally experiencing the thrill of a lifetime bungee jumping back in Queenstown, this has by far been an adventure to never forget. I can’t believe…
So far so good :)
It’s crazy to think I’ve already been in this incredible country for just about a month, it’s stunning! Besides feeling like I’m living in google images, one of the best parts so far has been meeting a ton of new people and friends. Being able to wake up each day and think “where will today…
One more night!
Well… the day has arrived! I can’t believe tomorrow begins the start of an unforgettable journey! I can feel a bit of butterflies in my stomach as I’m here writing and thinking about this crazy adventure ahead. It’s not like I decided to travel or study abroad in South America, or even Europe first, nope-…