Author: tbenioni@rollins.edu

It is crunch time at the University of Otago! This week has been dedicated to several textbooks and class article readings to prep for our final exams next week. It is so hard to think that my time here is coming to an end. I really do not like thinking about it but my Uni…

Kia Orana whanau! I just returned back to Dunedin yesterday from Tokoroa in the North Island. I had such a wonderful experience there. One of my favorite parts of the trip in the North Island was spend in Rotorua. Rotorua is famous full the geothermal hot pools that are on the land of the Whakarewarewa…

The adventure continues! This time, in the North Island. On the 10th of May I fly up to visit my family in Tokoroa, which is almost two hours from the city of Auckland. It has been twelve years since the last time I was here. I have been holding out on this trip since I…

Easter has just passed and we are officially on mid-semester break here at the University of Otago! While the majority of international students leave for their South island road trips and vacations to Thailand and Fiji, I’ll be staying here in Dunedin! I know, that must sound quite boring, BUT my cousin from the Cook…

So recently I have been asking God what I did to ever deserve my time here in New Zealand. This place is too good to be true! This week included a trip to Piopiotahi (Milford Sound), also known as the “eighth wonder of the world.” It was the first time I camped in thirty degree…

So, I think it is safe to say that New Zealand is the most beautiful place on planet earth! I cannot believe that the half way mark of this journey is tomorrow. It is too soon to think about leaving, because I feel like I just got here. These past two weeks has just been…

Kia Ora whanau! (Hello family!) “Kia ora whanau” is a common greeting here in Aotearoa, even the professors say it. I’m slowly but surely picking up on all of the New Zealand slang. “You’re alright” is translated into “You’re welcome and “Ka pai” is a common Maori phrase, meaning “understand”, “ok” or “good.” Classes are…

Kia Ora! It is March 3rd here in Dunedin and I have officially wrapped up my first week of classes. These past two weeks have gone by so fast. O-week welcomed in the international and first year students. O-week consisted of back to back concerts, meeting people from all over the world and settling in…

Week one in Queenstown has been absolutely AMAZING! It is February 17th and I feel like I have experienced so much of New Zealand already. TEAN has jam packed our orientation week with so many fun activities! On our first day, a Kapa Haka (Maori performing arts) group came and taught us a traditional Maori…