Hey, everyone! My name is Rachel and I am a sophomore at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in Accounting and minoring in English. I am excited to announce that I will be studying at the University of Auckland in New Zealand this Spring semester! I am also honored to be selected as a Johnson Scholar. I want to thank Mr. William Johnson for enabling me to pursue a life-changing experience. This experience will broaden my global perspective and prepare me to meet the challenges in an ever-changing multicultural workforce. As a Johnson Scholar, I will be keeping a blog throughout my time abroad, so I look forward to this journey and sharing these adventures with you!
Hello, everyone! I can’t believe this is my last blog post for my semester abroad in New Zealand. It’s been an amazing journey and I cannot express in words just how grateful I am for this opportunity. For the students thinking about studying abroad, go for it! Studying in another country was an eye-opening and enriching experience, so any country you choose will have its share of adventures for you (I’ll still be recommending New Zealand first though!).
From cooking my own food to planning a road trip, I learned a lot during my time in New Zealand. Sometimes I felt well-prepared and ready to go. Other times, not so much… Here is a list of things I found helpful :)!
Top 10 Helpful Tips:
Pack a Warm Coat. Depending on your tolerance for the cold that is (mine is pretty low…. The warmest jacket I had was a down jacket which I managed with as winter hit. However, when my mom came to visit at the end, she brought my coat which made me realize how much warmer I could have been! The pair of boots also beat the Nike Roshes I was wearing… The warm clothes were in preparation for Queenstown which is further South where it gets colder than Auckland!
Be Prepared to Get Lost. Living on an island, I rarely get lost so this was a new issue for me. Especially with spotty wifi or no internet connection at all, it’s important to prepare ahead of time while you still have access to what you need. Before heading on any road trips, we made sure we had screenshots of the maps in case our connection dropped.
Don’t Be Afraid to Introduce Yourself. Kiwi’s are really friendly, but sometimes you just have to introduce yourself first to make a really good friend :). It might be a little scary (I know it was for me), but you’ll be glad you did it!
Get an AT Hop Card. As a university student, you get a tertiary discount on bus fares. It takes a while to load the discount onto your card so the sooner you get the card the better. In my experience, the Auckland bus system was very reliable and was extremely helpful in getting around the city! I also recommend downloading the AT Transport app on your phone.
Carry Around Some Cash When You Go Out. I opened a bank account with Auckland Savings Bank, so I had a debit card as well as cash. I think it’s good to have both on you. I did not have a foreign transaction fee free credit card which is why I decided to open a bank account (the transaction fees do add up…), but it was also useful to have cash and coins for places that did not accept card or if I was buying something small.
Stock Up On Coins for Laundry. My building, 55 Symonds, had a laundry room but it only took $2 or $1 coins. At the beginning of the semester, I withdrew $2 coins from the bank to stock up for the semester. This way, I didn’t have to worry about having enough change for laundry each week!
Bring Tote Bags. This might sound like a weird tip, but it was really helpful with all the grocery shopping I did. Even though the grocery stores are within walking distance, it’s a lot easier to carry two tote bags than six individual plastic ones.
Go To Study Groups. Try to find people to study with in your classes. Although studying should be the same pretty much anywhere, students living there usually know what’s up regarding test prep, homework, and teachers. Not only is it nice to study in a group for extra help, you get to meet new friends!
Don’t Be Afraid to Drive. I was a bit nervous to drive in New Zealand since it’s on the opposite side, and I actually didn’t think I would. However, driving was pretty much the only option to get to the places I wanted to see outside of Auckland. I ended up adding it to my bucket list and happily checked it off :).
Make a Bucket List. I made my New Zealand bucket list a couple weeks into my semester abroad and it’s one of the most beneficial things I did for my experience away. My bucket list motivated me to get out of my comfort zone, make new friends, and explore new places in the country. I’m happy to say that I ended up checking off everything (except for seeing a wild penguin, unfortunately) on my bucket list!
This opportunity would not have been possible without Mr. Johnson’s generosity and support. I am truly grateful and honored to be a Johnson Scholar. This was a life-changing experience and I would like to thank Mr. Johnson for being a part of this journey.
It’s bitter sweet, wrapping up this last blog post… It’s amazing to think I wasn’t planning to study abroad at all entering college. But boy am I glad that changed! I want to thank all of you that have been keeping up with my journey abroad. During the times I missed home and everyone there, I felt comforted knowing I have awesome friends and family thinking about me and supporting me. This blog has allowed me to share this experience with you all and it’s a place I can look back on at my time here in NZ!
Thank you all for your love and support throughout this chapter in my life. I’m glad I got to share these Kiwi Adventures with you and I hope you enjoyed following me on this journey :).
I can’t believe my journey abroad is over and I am actually back home! It’s been a busy few weeks from finishing up my schoolwork to packing up my dorm to getting back into my life at home. Just want to give a heads up that this isn’t my final post, just about my last couple of weeks in New Zealand :).
After my last final exam, my mom and I headed down to Queenstown in the South Island (it’s a lot colder there in the south!). Queenstown is pretty much tourist central, so there were a lot of fun things to do :). My two favorite things we did in Queenstown were biking along Lake Wakatipu and skiing at The Remarkables Ski Field. The best thing about this trip was the beautiful sceneries! Although we have nice sandy beaches and lush mountain views in Hawaii, I was loving the snow-capped mountains, dark blue glassy lakes, and endless pastures full of sheep, cows, and deer (yes, deer).
Lake Hayes
Biking Lake Wakatipu
Queenstown
Lake Hayes
Sheep!
Lake Wakatipu
Biking Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu
Skiing at The Remarkables
Skiing at The Remarkables
Skiing at The Remarkables
Skiing at The Remarkables
We also drove to Te Anau, a small town about two hours from Queenstown. What a beautiful drive! It was a relaxing trip with mom who got to drive on the left side of the road for the first time haha. When we got to Te Anau, it was pretty empty. We found out that it gets a bit busier mid-morning when the tour buses stop for lunch on their way to Milford Sound. We walked to Lake Te Anau and stopped at a cute gift shop. This was honestly the best gift shop I visited in New Zealand because it had a variety of stuff to pick from and at reasonable prices, so I picked up some cute souvenirs to bring home :).
Lake Te Anau
Veggies the sheep eat
Snow-capped Mountains
See the Rainbow?
Driving on the left
Pastures at sunset
Lake Te Anau
Lake Te Anau
Lake Wakatipu
Lake Wakatipu sunset
Lake Wakatipu sunset
Queenstown sunset
My last couple days in Auckland were bitter sweet. I have to admit, I felt sad walking from uni back to my dorm for the last time. As I cleaned up my studio, it felt like just yesterday I was unpacking and putting everything in its place. Sleeping in my studio bed for the last night reminded me of the first night I was alone in my apartment, freaking out over freaky breathing noises I later found out were coming from the refrigerator and partly my imagination. It made me sad to leave this short but significant part of my life, but I was looking forward to going home. I felt that I had changed through this experience, but I wasn’t sure in what ways. I wondered if I would be able to notice the ways I grew when I returned to my life in Hawaii.
Goodbye, studio!
Headed Home
After packing up my suitcases and saying my goodbyes to friends, I was soon on a plane back home. It’s hard to believe that I’m here in Hawaii again! The whole thing felt a bit like a dream and I sometimes ask myself, ‘did that actually happen?’ And it did (I have a lot of pictures to prove it)! I am looking forward to the ways this experience will shape my relationships, academics, and the ways I give back to my community.
Instagram Ambassadors
S.A.S.S. Buddy Julia
Last NZ Acai Bowl
S.A.S.S. Buddy Julia
Navigator Girls
Last Lunch with Aoi
Thank you all for keeping up with my journey abroad :). My final post is coming up soon!
So I am halfway done with my final exams! Two down, two more to go. I have to admit that the exam period feels drawn out, but I am glad that I have more time to study for each final. I’ve got a bit of time before my next exam, so I thought I’d update you guys on the road trip I went on last week up North!
My friend from Hawaii came to visit, so it was fun showing her around NZ! The weather was projected to storm that weekend, but that didn’t stop us from going in with a positive attitude. The first stop we made was Whangarei Falls (the “wh” is pronounced with an “f” sound). It was a short walk down to the waterfall and even though it was raining, the falls were beautiful. You can see that Whangarei Falls looks a lot like some of the waterfalls we have in Hawaii! :’)
We kept driving up to the Bay of Islands where we stayed overnight. Before that though, we made a quick pitt stop at a beach park with a Tip Top ice cream run (my favorite is the Lime flavor)!
Pitt stop
Tip Top ice cream!
Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands
By the time we made it to the Bay of Islands, it was pouring rain and we were absolutely freezing! It felt nice to snuggle up in bed, and we prayed for better weather the next day… and what do you know, it was clear skies for our second day of travel! What a relief because our next stop was the Te Paki Sand Dunes. This was my favorite part of the whole road trip and a highlight of the semester.
The Te Paki Sand Dunes is a big tourist attraction not only because it’s really cool to see but also because it’s fun to ride down on boogie boards! We rented from one of the stands around the dunes and headed up to the peaks. Man, what a workout! You actually feel like you’re in the middle of a dessert. It reminded me of the Scorch Trials when they were running from WICKD (if anyone understands that movie reference). I’ll be able to empathize with the characters the next time I watch that movie. What you have to remember is that after you slide down the slope, you need to walk back up. But I loved it so much that I didn’t mind the trek back to the top. It reminded me of paddling out to surf. After catching a wave, you need to paddle all the way back out again! But because that means I get to catch another wave, I totally don’t mind :). After this, the Health app on my iPhone read 59 floors climbed (yay for exercise). This is definitely a must-do for those traveling here to NZ! [bring sunglasses because the sand flies everywhere!]
The bottom of the hill…
Heading to the steeper slopes
Board Rental
Crossing the Stream
Destination: that peak
View of 90-mile beach
One of the other things on my bucket list was to travel to the top of New Zealand which we did! Cape Reinga is the lookout point at the very top of NZ. It has a lighthouse and a post with signs pointing in all different directions to places around the world. It would be even better if they had one pointing to Honolulu! One of the interesting things we saw at Cape Reinga was the direction of the waves. There was one spot where you could see white wash moving towards each other in a criss-cross type of way (very weird, right?). The wind could have been a factor, but one of my Kiwi friends told me that the ocean is supposed to look greenish on one side a blue on the other from this lookout. Since it was a bit overcast and almost evening by the time we made it to Cape Reinga (we stayed a bit longer than expected at the sand dunes…), it was a bit too dark to see that.
Me and Taylor
Chicks!
Directions, please
Kylie and Taylor
Lighthouse
Criss-crossing
We stayed in the Bay of Islands one more night before heading back to Auckland. Before heading back though, we went to check out Haruru Falls which was right next to the place we were staying. Because it was a bit rainy, the water looked like chocolate milk but it was a very nice waterfall. Can you make out the little rainbow :)?
We had the car for one more day after returning to Auckland, so we headed to Piha Beach. It was really windy that day, so the waves were choppy and wind-blown, but on nice days this is a really nice surf spot. Piha is another black sand beach as you can tell from the photos. It is also known for the rock formations just off the beach. While we were exploring, we crossed a little stream that fed into the ocean to get closer to one of the rock formations. My friend Taylor walked across the wide part of the stream, but I decided to look for a shorter route. I found a narrower part of the river to walk across, but what a tragic mistake that was. Because the sand is so dark, it’s difficult to make out the depth of the waters, so of course when I walked across I ended up waist-deep in water! My legs were numb from the freezing water (not to mention, I was wearing leggings), but we couldn’t stop laughing for about five minutes straight.
Black Sandy Feet
HI girls
The Stream I crossed…
Kooks
Kooks pt. 2
On the way back, we made use of the time we had left with a car and picked up some groceries (I have a greater appreciation for my car back home)! It was a fun trip, but the studying needed to start some time… Thankfully I am done with two finals. I can’t believe I only have two more to go and then it’s time to head home! I am so glad that I got to check off more of my bucket list during this last month I have in Aotearoa :).
Remember the Australia trip and first road trip I shared with you guys? Well, I compiled some footage and pictures from those adventures into short videos! Some parts are a little silly (it’s what makes adventuring fun), but I wanted to share them with you guys if you were interested in seeing more from those trips :). Here are the links:
Australia
Raglan/Waitomo/Lake Taupo
I’m working on a video for the most recent road trip, so stay tuned for that one :). Thank you all for keeping up with my journey here in New Zealand. I am so glad to know that I have such supporting people in my life. It encourages me to try my best everyday. It makes me sad to think that my time here is almost up, but I am so grateful for this opportunity and how it has challenged me as an individual. Love you all!
Man, what a few weeks it’s been! Sorry it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. Don’t worry though, I’m alive and well! The last two weeks of school flew by, so I’m glad I got to see people I’ve met here at least once more before I leave soon. Granted I still have about four weeks left here in Aotearoa, it was nice to see everyone before entering heavy exam study mode.
Last week of classes
During the last week of school, we covered the last bit of content (if any) of the semester and spent the rest of the time ‘revising’ for the final exams. Most people I talked to haven’t started studying yet, but it might be because we still have a week left before testing begins. Rather than the Friday “study day” at UH, UoA has a study week before the exam period. I haven’t started revising yet, but I really should because my first exams are on Monday and Thursday next week! (wish me luck on productive study sessions to come)
Study Breaks Around Auckland
It’s important to take study breaks! But not too many I guess… I just wanted to share a few places around Auckland where I grabbed a yummy bite. They’re all within walking distance from the school, so they were easy to get to. My favorite was the donut stand! The Lil Orbits donut truck comes to campus every Thursday, but I never tried it until the second to last week of school (which is actually a blessing because that could have been a weekly donut run). To me, they were the closest thing to malasadas around here, but that could just be me missing my Hawaii food!
No. 1 Pancakes
Melt New Zealand Ice Cream
Cinnamon and caramel pancake
Mini Donuts
Te Ara I Whiti, the Lightpath, is a pink bike path here in Auckland which was very cool to walk along at night. There was a good number of bikers zooming by as we strolled along the pathway, so you could see the lights lining the path change from white to purple as they rode past. I could see how the chilly air and hot pink pathway could make jogging here pretty fun!
Lightpath
Some ‘Cool As’ People
I met some really great people here in New Zealand! It was definitely uncomfortable in the beginning of the semester when everything and everyone was new to me, but this is an area I have grown in throughout this semester. Branching out and meeting different types of people was out of my comfort zone but also one of the more meaningful experiences I’ve had here.
The Marketing Department here held a luncheon for the top 30 test scorers on the mid-semester exam and I’m happy to say I was one of them (yay for studies)! At the luncheon, people from the department congratulated us on our achievements in the course and spoke to us about post-graduate options in Marketing. Although the post-graduate part of the luncheon didn’t directly apply to me, I thought this was a good way to reach out to undergraduates while providing networking opportunities. I also met Simone, who is going on exchange to Australia next semester! It was a cool coincidence that as I’m beginning to wrap up my semester abroad, she’s preparing to start hers.
Met Simone at the Marketing Luncheon
The group of people jumping in the slightly blurry photos below are from a club called Navigators. They are a Christian club here at the University of Auckland, but we also have a Navigators group at UH! Although I’m a part of Intervarsity (a different Christian club) at home, I was glad to be a part of a similar group of awesome, friendly people :). Some of them didn’t know what a ‘shaka’ was, so I got to teach them haha!
The Study Abroad Student Society (SASS) had a farewell party last week, so I got to see some old friends and meet some new people too. Although exams are coming, studying seemed to be the last thing on anyone’s minds. Exam schedules came up here and there in conversation, but most of the talk revolved around past travels, travel plans, and home countries. Although everyone seemed satisfied about their semester abroad, they were also happy to be heading home soon. I have to say I feel the same way. It’s been such an incredible journey here in New Zealand and I am so glad that I had this opportunity to go abroad. But even though I’m looking forward to my Summer break, I still have a month left of adventuring to do :D!
For Next Time
My most recent adventure was a trip up North! I can’t wait to share all the fun I had on this road trip with you guys, so I’m gonna share it really soon in the next blog post (stay tuned) :)!
This past week, I turned in the last couple big assignments for the semester (yay!). I still have quizzes and smaller assignments left before finals, but I’m relieved I’m done with the bigger projects. Since my last blog post, I’ve seen a student protest, sent a letter home to Hawaii, and watched my first rugby game! Pretty crazy and fun stuff, so keep reading for more :)!
So my Finance group finally turned in our group assignment this past week. I shared some Mauna Loa macadamia nuts with them that I brought from home and they really liked them! Below is a picture of us turning in our assignment. At the University of Auckland, most teachers ask that you submit a hard copy of writing projects. This hard copy requires a cover page which is the red piece of paper stapled to the front of our assignment. Each department has a different colored cover sheet which you need to sign to say you understand and agree to the conditions of the assignment. You then drop the hard copy of the assignment into the appropriate box like you’re mailing a letter. Since I’ve never had to submit an assignment like this (I’m used to just turning it into the teacher), I’m glad I had group members who were familiar with this system.
Half of our Finance group
Turning in the paper
On my way back from class last Thursday, I heard shouting coming from Symonds Street. Students gathered in the main intersection protesting the closing of specialty libraries at the university. The protest blocked traffic, so there were a lot of students waiting to catch the bus home. I couldn’t find any sources on how it ended, but I know it went on for a few hours. Because the protest was considered peaceful, policemen stood by just to monitor the situation. Although the protest did not directly involve me, it reminded me that there are students around the world standing up for what they believe in.
Since last week was Mother’s day, I decided to mail a card to my mom :). I had to send it about a week in advance since international mail takes a while. Sending this letter was another process that differed from back in the US. Instead of picking up stamps from a local store back home like Longs Drugs, I needed to buy stamps from a postage store. When I arrived at the store and asked if I could buy stamps to mail a letter to the US, the man asked what type of letter I was mailing. I realized he was asking me for the dimensions of the envelope I was about to send (which, surprisingly, I did not know). Instead of just buying a ‘Forever’ stamp, it turns out that there are different stamps for different sized envelopes. So I took my best guess on which envelope I had bought. Fortunately, I was right since it made it to Hawaii successfully (shoutout to my mom because she’s the best 🙂 )! This experience reminded me that often times we expect other places to do things the same way we do. Although it is one of many things I learned to do the ‘Kiwi’ way, it reminded me that this is one of the reasons I’m studying abroad! I wanted to learn about and experience another culture. Through this process, I have gained a more global perspective by understanding that every country has different ‘norms’ and systems. As a business student, I hope to apply this concept in my future classes as well as in my career.
I’m also excited to share that I went to my first rugby game! If you aren’t familiar with this sport, it’s basically New Zealand’s NFL. I went with the study abroad group, so I made some new friends! We watched the Auckland Blues play the Christchurch Crusaders at Eden Park. Even though we weren’t sure what was going on most of the time, it was a fun game to watch! I could definitely see a blend of soccer and football, but it sure looked a lot rougher. I’m used to hearing helmets clash at football games, but I’m not sure what the clashing noises were at this rugby game since they had no helmets or padding… (I can only conclude that it was the sound of skulls but that’s a bit dramatic). I have to admit, it did seem like a slower sport since a large portion of the game was guys huddling together trying to push the other team back. But there were also other plays where they would throw their teammates into the air to catch the ball, so that was cool. Unfortunately, our team (the Blues) lost… but it was fun when they scored because not only did the crowd cheer like crazy but the stadium also shot spouts of fire from the field into the air (you can see what I’m trying to describe in the picture…). The new friends I met are Aoi from Japan and Yen from Singapore. Aoi is another exchange student at the university and Yen is an international student. It was nice getting to know them and sharing about our experiences in New Zealand so far. After the game, we headed back home on the bus. And even though it was cold enough for us see our breath, we headed to ‘Maccas’ (that’s what they call McDonald’s here btw) for some ice cream :).
Go Blues!
Taylor, Aoi, and Yen
Touchdown!
To close this blog post, I wanted to thank Mr. Johnson again for his generosity and support. I’m honored to be a Johnson Scholar, and I am very appreciative of this experience. I’ve not only been learning a lot about another country but a lot about myself. I am grateful for my time here so far and I’m glad that I can share these adventures with you all :). Talk to you soon.
It’s Week 9 of classes here at UoA! This week I have an exam and presentation, so I’ve got some studying to do. But over the past couple of weeks I had the opportunity to get to know my group project members. We also celebrated a holiday here known as Anzac Day, so I’ll share a little bit about that too!
So most of the people I met in my groups moved to New Zealand about five years ago or longer. It’s not uncommon for local students at UH to dorm, but here at UoA most students living in University housing are on exchange or live outside Auckland. And UH students not living on campus commute usually by car (like what I do :)… starting to miss having a car…). If you don’t have a parking pass for the university structure, you can always park in the Manoa neighborhoods (if you come early enough or just get really lucky). However, almost everyone here catches the bus. One girl in my group told me her commute is about two hours by bus from home to school! At first I was shocked, but I learned that this is pretty common. The people I talked to explained that one, the university housing is expensive and that two, even if they had their own car there isn’t anywhere to park. And yeah, there is actually nowhere convenient to park around campus… I appreciate my ten minute walk to class!
Auckland Region in Green
Anzac day was April 25 which meant no classes that Wednesday! Anzac day is similar to Veterans day in America, honoring soldiers who fought for their country. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by New Zealand and Australia in the First World War. See the video link below to learn more :). That day Taylor and I went to see Avengers Infinity War (it came out that day!). It was extra fun because the movie wouldn’t come out for another three days back home :D! You guys should really go see if you didn’t yet!
We also found time to go on another short hike up Mount Victoria in Devonport this weekend. Devonport is a short ten-minute ferry ride from Auckland and the hike itself was also about ten minutes or less (we took a shortcut up the side of the hill… it was steep but good thing it wasn’t slippery!). At the top, we not only got a nice view, but there were Super Mario toadstools! You can also see the Rangitoto Island Scenic Reserve from the top (it’s the dark figure in the background of some of the pictures). It was my first time at Devonport and I thought it was a cute, relaxing town. It was right next to the water as well which was nice :). There are also some beaches in the area, but it is starting to get colder so I’m not sure I’d enjoy jumping in… but I did love the scenery!
View of Sky Tower
Shortcut Up the Hill
Devonport Dock
Mount Victoria Entrance
Devonport Decorations
See Rangitoto Island?
Auckland Port at Night
I can’t believe I have just four weeks left of classes here… I’m still hanging in there with cooking for myself btw! I’ve gotten a lot better at grocery shopping too. I don’t overshop or forget things 🙂 Not to mention, it’s helped with the budgeting as well haha. See the picture below for one of my Tarakihi fish dinners 🙂 It’s one of my favorite meals here! Be proud with the vegetables on that plate.
One midterm to go… The first week back from break was a bit rough (granted most are), but I made it through! I also received the scores of my other midterms which were not as bad as I thought they’d be (yay!). At first, I was a bit disappointed looking at the percentage scores of my exams. BUT, please see the grading scale below:
As you can see, it’s much different than the grading schemes in America. In fact, compared to it, the Kiwi grading scale seems a lot better (especially for us hard-working college students:) ). So even though I was disappointed with the D I got for one of my exams, I was happy to discover that it’s actually a B which is above what people “normally” get. Phew! It was also nice to know an A- I thought I got turned into an A+ :D! Since my final grade depends on a few heavily-weighted exams and assignments, it’s nice to know there’s a bit more room for higher grades than I originally thought :).
Some of you might be interested in how my living situation has been (specifically if I’ve been able to keep my room in ‘clean’ condition). Well, this week our building is having room inspections. They’re basically checking to see if we’re keeping our rooms orderly, neat, and clean! You’ll be happy to know this girl has been cleaning her room regularly :). I’ve been vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, washing the dishes after every meal… stuff like that. I realize I haven’t shown pictures of my room yet too, so here are a few!
As an introvert, I find I enjoy having my own room (not to say I don’t miss my family 🙂 ). I’ll definitely miss this space when I go back home, but for now I’m making the most of it!
I have been missing some things from home a bit recently, and one of those things is acai! So my friend Julia and I visited a place called Bowl and Arrow in Orakei where they sell acai bowls. I have to say, I’ve never had an acai bowl with apples and oranges in it… but it was pretty good! BUT I don’t think it beats the ones from Hawaii :).
Acai Bowl from Bowl and Arrow in Orakei
It’s hard to believe I’m about halfway through my semester abroad! Time has flown by! I have six weeks left of classes, a month of exams, then it’s time to go home. I do feel like I’ve grown a bit since I’ve got here (hooray for personal growth!). Through this experience, I think I’ve gained a new sense of independence. Whether it’s making travel plans, flying on my own, or just buying my own groceries, I’ve had to navigate through new experiences in a new country. Although they can be uncomfortable, these experiences have been healthy challenges for me that I’ve been able to learn and grow from.
I miss you all back home and I’ll talk with you soon :).
Hey everyone! Sorry it’s been a while since I last posted. Here’s what I’ve been up to:
Midterms
Mid-semester break
I know it’s a short two-item list, but they’ve been taking up all my time recently since I just finished two midterms, had a week of break (with one more to go, yay!), and preparing for two more midterms after the break (sigh…). It’s been quite a crazy and fun couple of weeks so keep reading for the details :)!
So I’m not sure how it goes for the other schools in America, but UoA exam-taking is definitely different than UH exam-taking. Along with the fact that it’s not uncommon to schedule exams outside of the lecture blocks, we also have ‘reading time’ at the beginning of each exam. It’s usually about 5-10 minutes depending on the course, but basically during this time you are not allowed to write or mark the test. I started to answer a question during my first exam when the proctor asked me to put my pencil down explaining it was reading time only (since reading time is the norm here, just a heads up to remember the reading time). At first I wasn’t sure what the point of the reading time was, but I learned that this is the time they answer any questions you have about the exam. After this period is up, you’re on your own!
The first midterm I took was for Finance and that was a rough start. I have to admit I was pretty disappointed walking home after taking it. The questions were nothing like what I expected and I was stuck on a handful of problems. However, it was reassuring to check the messaging feature on Piazza and see that a ton of my classmates felt the same way! There isn’t much we can do now except wait for the results to come out after the break (hopefully it isn’t too bad!).
Now for the fun part ;D. So over break I had the opportunity to visit Australia and go on a little road trip here in NZ! There is so much I want to share with you guys, but if I shared all the details then this would be a really long post and I wouldn’t do that to you all :). But I will gladly share some of the highlights from this break’s travels!
Down Under
The first stop was Australia! I’ve always wanted to visit Australia so I checked this off my bucket list with a big smile :D. We stayed in Sydney so we got to see the main attractions such as the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. The Opera House was a lot bigger than I thought it would be and such a beautiful place. We visited this area in the early evening so we caught a nice sunset over the harbor!
One of my favorite stops during this trip was Bondi Beach (what a surprise, right)! We were lucky to have really nice weather throughout the entire trip as you can see from the pictures. I’m not sure how people manage to surf in this water even with a wetsuit. It was so cold! I loved watching the surfers here and just sitting on the beach on a sunny day. I am missing that part of home, but I know it’ll still be there when I get back and there’s still so much to see while I’m away :)!
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Tower Eye
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Bondi Beach
Sydney Opera House
Sunset at Opera House
Sydney Opera House
Bondi Beach
Hunter Sculpture Park
Bondi Beach
Bondi Beach
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Chinese Garden of Friendship
Royal Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse
Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
So I’ve got some new animal sightings to report. My favorite animal from this semester is still the Kiwi bird, but the ones from Taronga Zoo Sydney were pretty cool too! My favorites from this zoo are the Koala, the Kangaroos, the Wombat and last but definitely not least the platypus. And all of these animals are native to Australia!
Taroga Zoo
Kangaroos
Taroga Zoo
Wombat
Taroga Zoo
Koala
Koala
Scene from Lift
Road Trip
I must say, this was quite the adventure. Driving on the right side of the car and on the left side of the road was a little weird at first, but it actually wasn’t so bad. I’d say mixing up the blinker and windshield controls was a mix of annoying and funny throughout the trip haha! We spent a lot of time on the road, but it was so scenic! As you can see it’s basically like driving to the North Shore with the two lanes and all which made getting places not so intimidating. And can I just say I now believe in the 7:1 sheep to human ratio statistic now (man there are a lot! But they’re so cute :)).
On this road trip we hit up Raglan Beach (which is a black sand beach) then drove to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. I was so excited to see this and was so glad I finally got to see them! We learned that the beautiful blue glow you see is actually burning worm waste (cool right). The worms are sensitive to light and sound so when we drifted through the cave on the boat, it was just the sound of water drops falling from the ceiling and the fluorescent blue spots reflecting off the water from the top of the cave. Photography is not allowed in the caves, so the pictures of the inside here aren’t mine but I wanted to show you what it looks like!
Fun facts from the tour guide:
The worms produce a mucus that hangs from the ceiling which acts as a net to catch their meals. Insects fly towards the light thinking it’s a way out of the cave and get caught in the mucus.
Three weddings were held in the cave! But they’re very strict about who they allow (you need to be a descendant of one of the first settlers of the town or from a family who’s lived in the town for many generations).
80% of the workers at the Waitomo Glowwowm Caves are descendants from Tane Tinorau and Fred Mace (the first to explore the cave in 1887).
We stayed in Waitomo for the night then headed out to Lake Taupo. This lake is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia and about the size of Singapore! It’s also 159 meters deep!! I thought I was looking at the ocean when we first drove by it. One of the most visited tourist attractions here in NZ is Huka Falls at Lake Taupo. The water was a beautiful ice blue at the falls which made it look even colder than it probably was.
Sheep Scenery
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
Roads Through NZ
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
More Sheep
Lake Taupo Bungy Jump
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
Waitomo Glowworm Cave Exit
Lake Taupo
Ngarunui Beach, Raglan
Driving in NZ!
Waitomo Glowworm Cave Entrance
Huka Falls
Huka Falls
Huka Falls
Huka Falls
Huka Falls
So after much traveling, I’m back at my home in Auckland now. And it’s starting to get cold here! This morning it was 47 degrees… to say I was cold walking outside is such an understatement (goodbye slippers until I get home). But this weather makes for cozy study times indoors :). I’m preparing for a couple more midterms coming up when classes start again and after a ton of adventuring I feel refreshed and ready to study (not sure if anyone’s ever ready to study but that’s the attitude I want to have going back to school :)).
Well I’m going to get back to studying now 🙂 (and going through all the pictures from the trips!). I’ll talk with you all soon!
Since I have a couple exams this coming week, I’m in my study mode (so fun!). So I thought I’d share a bit about school here in NZ with you folks :).
Canvas
This is the University of Auckland’s learning system equivalent to Laulima at UH. I can access all the lecture material, assignments, and study guides from here. Students and teachers also communicate through this platform through the Piazza feature which has proven to be very helpful since everyone can reference the questions and answers posted. This is actually how I found groups to join for the class assignments!
Tutorials
Three of the four courses I am taking have tutorials along with the lectures. These are basically what we call ‘labs’ back home. These are class periods with a ‘tutor’ who goes through a practice worksheet and answers any questions students have. Because the lectures are so big, I find the tutorials extremely helpful because they reassure me I’m applying the material correctly when we walk through the problems in a smaller group (thank goodness because I get confused… just sometimes…).
Semester Course Load
At UH, the average course load is five classes each semester. Here in NZ it’s typical to take four or three “papers” every semester. As I mentioned in previous posts, the study “norms” are different as well. It’s common to have a few assignments/exams making up the bulk of your grade rather than a number of quizzes and homework assignments with exams (still not sure which one is less stressful!).
Uni Degrees
Here in NZ students earn their degrees in three years. However, a number of students I’ve met so far do what they call an Honours degree. This is a one to two year period of self-directed study and research after earning an undergraduate degree. To enter into this study, a student usually has above average undergraduate achievements and credits pertaining to the area of study they propose. It sounds like a great experience to learn more about your field of interest and open doors to work opportunities!
‘Revising’
I was a little confused when I first heard this term used in class… What are we revising exactly? Well it turns out this basically just means study/review! “When you are revising for your exam…” is what I heard these past couple of weeks since they’re right around the corner, yikes!
Well I’d better get back to ‘revising’ for my Finance and Marketing exams. I’m a bit nervous (if I failed to mention it before). Wish me luck this week guys! 🙂
Love,
Rachel
PS: Please feel free to follow @studyabroad_auckland on instagram! This is the account I am an ambassador for so if you would like to see UoA through the eyes of more study abroad students, go check it out! 🙂
The school work’s been picking up a bit so I’ve been keeping busy (my mom would say it’s about time…)! But I’ve been able to explore the city a little during my study breaks so enjoy some of the pictures I took :). Keep reading to hear about my new Instagram Ambassador selection, updates on my kiwi education, and growing up struggles (the constant trips to the grocery store), and more :).
7 March 2018
Today I enjoyed the greenery of the Auckland Domain and splashes of color in the Wintergarden. The Auckland Domain is basically a giant park here in the city at 185 acres and the Wintergarden showcases rare, beautiful plants. It was well maintained and such a beautiful area for a picnic, to throw the football around, or for photography! In fact at the Wintergarden, there were a few professional photographers shooting models who had wardrobes of outfits to choose from. The Wintergarden is even a wedding venue! On the other side of the spectrum, people were napping on the benches near the fountain. It was a really peaceful space! There were a lot of great spots for portraits too which made me wish I had a dlsr with me… But I’m definitely going back there to visit again :).
After walking through the park, my friend Taylor and I headed over to an ice cream stand called Eggloo. It’s a trending dessert place we found on Instagram, so we decided to give it a try and it was amazing! What made it so good was the waffle ‘cone’. It wasn’t the typical hard waffle cone you can get at ice cream shops. It was pretty much an actual waffle (made fresh!). It’s on a street I walk down every time I go to the grocery store but I never saw it before. It just reminds me to keep an eye out when I walk through this city because there are so many great places that are just ‘hidden’!
10 March 2018
Although studying is important, today was a beautiful day for a short walk through the city. During my study break I decided to check out High Street. Although it’s next to Queens Street which is the main road with many shops and eating places, High Street has a reputation for some great eating places and shops you can discover for yourself! I was surprised to find a handful of shops that opened up to areas with even more stores (kind of like those tents in Harry Potter that look small but are actually huge once you walk inside). I also discovered a little courtyard area where people were playing Ping Pong on electronic marble tables (that sounds weird but it’s true!). In the picture, those people are playing Ping Pong and each time the ball hit the racket or the table it made a ‘bing!’ noise.
On my way back, I walked up Queens Street, stopped at the grocery store then headed home. I’m beginning to feel a bit more comfortable getting around the city. The more I walk around and explore, the more familiar the area becomes. But back to studying!
11 March 2018
I can’t believe I have to go to the grocery store… again. I guess the grocery store is an important stop in adults’ lives because, you know, you need food. The good thing is everything here in Auckland is relatively close so it’s not a long trip. The Countdown is the grocery store I normally go to since it’s cheaper, but I’ll stop at the convenience store on my street if I just need a few things. But tonight for dinner I made macaroni and cheese with spinach, and it was good! With all the pasta I’ve been eating, it’s a really good idea for me to hit the gym on a regular basis… which I’ve been trying to do! So far I’ve been going about three times a week. I feel a lot better knowing I’m getting some exercise in my routine :).
12 March 2018
I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected to serve as an Instagram Ambassador for the Study Abroad program here at the University of Auckland! What this entails is posting for their Instagram account 1-2 times a week featuring various aspects of student life around campus. This is for students around the world interested in UoA for their study abroad program. I’m a little nervous since I want to represent the school well but also excited because this is another opportunity to share my experiences with others through the university. Stay tuned for the further info on this!
As for classes, I’m loving my Marketing class so far. I enjoy learning about various Marketing strategies and the processes firms go through to enhance the value of their products or services. The class I find challenging at the moment is Finance. It might be the fact that we are covering a lot of material for the exam coming up in a few weeks… I’m a bit nervous because I really want to do well, so I’m trying to do some practice problems everyday which is helping a bit. The tutorial for this class starts this week so I’m hoping that helps me prepare for the test and digest the material as well.
Science Building
13 March 2018
On a side note, I love my family! I received a care package from them today filled with meals I can make and some treats from home :). Just wanted to say thanks to them for supporting me through this season of my life and encouraging me to go on this adventure!
Rachel's Kiwi Adventures 