First Week

I have officially been in New Zealand for one week, and it has finally started to sink in that this is infact where I will be for another five weeks. The beauty that surrounds you is something very difficult to get over. Every new turn, every new trail, every new street leads you to somewhere new and just as breathtaking as before. Before this trip, I walked with my head down watching my feet as I traveled anywhere. Now I found myself constantly looking up trying to take in everything.

This week has taught me a lot about New Zealand culture. We have four resident assistants from Victoria University that have provided insight into major differences between Americans and Kiwi's. The first and most glaring difference to me is how much more relaxed NZ is. As a culture, they are seemingly much more liberal and open than the States. For example, their safety videos on the plane ride over here are meant to be informative but it had an overwhelming comedic tone to it all. They had naked grandmas, rugby players cracking jokes left and right, men hitting on flight attendants. Compare this to the standard safety video you watch every flight. Extremely different. The next biggest difference to me was their education system. Being aware that Georgia Tech is completely different than most US schools, it was interesting to compare universities. At Victoria, the process of getting into college is less selective, however, staying in your intended major is a lot harder. They weed out students taking only the top percent to continue on in that track. While at Tech, it is more selective to get into school. It is also really interesting to compare dress, slang, and college life with the RA's.

Wellington as a city is also more amazing than I could have first imagined. I know I said it last post, but I cannot get over the cleanliness of the city. Walking downtown, the streets were clean, no one was smoking, everyone had smiles. You cannot ask for a better atmosphere. The city reminds me of a modern Greece. The hills are covered with modern houses with colorful roofs. The city itself is a mix of modern building standing amidst enormous breathtaking churches, old banks, and  impressive government buildings. The mixture of the new and the old is what makes it unlike anything I have ever seen.

My favorite place has by far been the Botanical Gardens. It is completely free and never closes. I have now taken the time to explore almost every garden, and most of the paths. Thanks to my new camera, I have gotten shots that I never dreamed possible. I feel like a real photographer there. It doesn't hurt when your subject can't move and there is no way to make it look any less impressive. The "botans", as the locals call it, offer a series of live concerts from Wednesday to Saturday nights. They bring in artists and everyone brings bottles of wines, beer, blankets, and just listens. I struggle sometimes to remember that while I am here this is their summer. They are just having their normal summer concerts.

But as much as I have enjoyed exploring the city and the scenery, my favorite part has been learning about the people on my trip. It is amazing that when complete strangers are put in the same environment we can come together. I love learning about new backgrounds, why they chose Tech, why they came here. It is an experience to get to know people whom otherwise I would never have come into contact with.



This weekend a large group of us are off to Abel Tasman National Park for a three day kayaking and hiking adventure. I cannot wait to get out of Wellington and see the rest of the country. It will be a good first week!