After a long, nearly 30 hours of flights and transfers at the airport, we finally landed at the Auckland airport! After being sniffed by dogs for foreign fruits through customs, picking up our luggage, and meeting our guides for the trip, we headed to our accommodation to get ready for the rest of the day. Having arrived quite early in the day, we took a moment to shower and get acquainted with our rooms before heading to a group dinner at the pier at the edge of the city with a nice view of the Pacific Ocean. With some of us deciding to head back to the city and explore, and others deciding to join in for karaoke, the day was an eventful first look at the city of Auckland and the country of New Zealand.
The next morning, we woke up and had the chance to meet with Mike Hearn, the executive director for the American chamber of commerce in New Zealand. Our class had the opportunity to learn about the different aspects of the New Zealand business environment, their relationship with the United States, and what they export and import as a country. We learned about the basic history of New Zealand and the United States, including how our relationship with the country has evolved and changed throughout wars, treaties, and other events.
After this, we headed to a retirement village in Auckland, where we learned about the differences in retirement policies and healthcare industries in Auckland, including the structure of retirement “villages” that much of the aged population choose to live in. We toured the facilities and learned from the staff about how their business model runs and survives throughout time. We finished the day by heading back to the heart of Auckland and taking a walking tour of some of the sights in the city before heading home for a group cooked dinner! We split into groups and each cooked different dishes, from burgers and pasta to salad for everyone to share and enjoy, while an Aggie currently living in New Zealand, David Speary, came to speak with us.
On New Years eve, we had the chance to travel to the Waitangi treaty grounds, where the historic treaty of Waitangi between European settlers and the native Maori people was signed, making New Zealand an official British colony. Despite the unrest that resulted from translations of the treaty, the signing grounds are still used today as a cultural heritage site for the Maori people, where we learned a lot about the culture, music, and traditions of native New Zealanders. On the way back home, we stopped for a swim at a nice waterfall. That night, everyone celebrated New Years within the city. We interacted with locals, had fun in the city together, and watched the sky tower fireworks as we counted down to the new year.
The next day to start of the new year, we visited the set of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings at Hobbiton. After a long bus ride, we stopped in a beachside town called Cambridge to get some food before heading out again to Hobbiton. Once we made it to the set, we spent the day exploring the beautiful landscape and appreciating the detailed landscapes that were created for the movie.
Friday, our final day in Auckland, was a free day that everyone took advantage of. Before leaving the country to head off to Australia, we did all sorts of activities. From jumping off the sky tower, bungee jumping from the bridge, and exploring the nearby island of Waiheke, we saw incredible sights and enjoyed many different experiences. Getting back, and after doing some much needed laundry, we went to sleep to get ready for an early day and flight to Sydney the next day.
