Category: New Zealand: TEAN at Otago

Studying abroad in New Zealand was an adventure of a lifetime, filled with incredible sights and unforgettable experiences. One of the things I loved most about the country was how you could hop in a car, drive for a few hours, and suddenly find yourself surrounded by snow capped mountains and beautiful rolling hills. Coming…

One day when I was waiting for the bus, a man heard my American accent and started asking me a lot of questions about American politics. He was ranting for about 15-20 minutes about how bad things are in America and what not. It was very interesting to me because this is very different from…

One cultural difference I’ve experienced while being here in New Zealand so far is the overallrelaxation the country abides by in all areas. The US has a very strong hustle culture which priorto coming I didn’t acknowledge much. In many ways here I’ve experienced this country widerelaxing, such as in school, there are many assignments…

Something that has really stuck out to me during my time in New Zealand is the strong emphasis on Maori culture. I am taking two Maori courses, one is about culture and society and the other is about song and dance practices. Maori culture is very very prominent in New Zealand, and the people take…

Consumerism is an aspect of American culture that has always stood out to me. As a business student, I often am taught about consumerism and its effect on the United States economy as well as the whole world’s economy. Due to a widespread emphasis on shopping, material things, and consumption, American consumerism is a distinguishing…

Living in the same country your entire life, you begin to become blind to cultural differences between other cultures. However, when you take a step back, it is easy to identify the cultural ideals that are important to you, and your country. One cultural value in America that has always stuck out to me is…

I found that many people in New Zealand viewed Americans, and particularly Floridians, through a stereotypical lens. Several times, when asked where I was from, people would respond by talking about ‘Florida man’, beaches, and uneducated people. Someone also called me ‘swamptrash’ because I was from Florida. I was also asked by a few people…

An aspect of American culture that is objectively a general characteristic of people from the United States is being outspoken and loud. This results from the constitutional right of having freedom of speech. Freedom of Speech is a right that has integrated into collective societal behaviors. This often includes protesting, publicly disagreeing with figures of…

In many ways, New Zealand’s culture is similar to the US. People speak English and are very familiar with American pop-culture. However, there are many small differences that add up and need adjusting to, such as understanding some accents and driving on the other side of the road. The biggest difference for me was the…