My first week abroad exploring New Zealand was a great experience! From day one, our group was go go go- waking up early and staying up late to experience the city to the fullest. We’ve been planning new activities every day, getting to know each other on the bus rides, and taking every meal and activity to hang out with each other. Hanging out with each other before the trip as well has definitely strengthened our friendships and made the trip more enjoyable!
Auckland (host city) is an interesting mix of nature and urban landscapes, similar to Seattle in Washington. Some of my favorite activities right outside the city center were hiking up Mount Eden to get a view of the city below and exploring Carlaw Park, home to hundreds of sheep! That being said, if you ever go on an outdoor adventure in Auckland, bring a rain jacket. There really are four seasons in a day as they say!
I’ve been able to explore to try some famous New Zealand foods like meat pies (yum)! Coming from Houston, a lot of the cuisine was similar to that at home, with a lot of East Asian options to enjoy.
We’ve found that the city work-life culture is vastly different from that in the U.S. Many shops close early and open late! We still squeezed in time for souvenirs though!
My favorite activities thus far have been visiting the real movie set for Hobbiton (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit). It was fun to explore the hobbit holes and see how the movie magic worked!
The first company visit was the most outstanding; our group got to hear from Auckland’s U.S. Consulate General. She gave us great insight on problems New Zealand is facing, such as tariffs, China-U.S. conflicts, citizens leaving to work in Australia, Māori rights (indigenous people), etc.
Next up is Sydney, Australia! I’m excited to see how these two countries differ despite being in such close proximity. We’ve been told that Sydney is more hustle and bustle, which will likely be an exciting change!
