Submitted by Lindsey Cohen on the 2018 winter session program in Australia and New Zealand sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…
I landed a few days ago in Auckland, New Zealand. Throughout the few days I have spent here, I can easily say that New Zealand is breathtaking. The country is filled with beautiful green rolling hills, clear waters on the beach and untouched forests. The people are friendly and have a laid back lifestyle. I was surprised to learn that many of them take about a month off of work for their holiday break (Christmas and New Year’s), so the streets are less crowded and the retailers and restaurants close earlier than usual.
My favorite excursion my program has participated in thus far was going on a tour of the Hobbiton movie set. I have never seen The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies, so prior to going on the tour I did not known much about them. I also did not know about the influence that the books and movies have on New Zealand’s culture. I learned that Sir Peter Jackson, the director of The Hobbit trilogy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, chose to film the movies in New Zealand for its beautiful and diverse landscapes, which includes its rolling hills, beaches and volcanoes. Jackson utilized the country’s North and South Islands to film the movies to increase the diversity of scenery in the films. I enjoyed being on a movie set that has sparked imagination and creativity around the world. I also plan to watch these movies on my flight home from Auckland.
I am looking forward to the rest of my time in New Zealand before I travel to Australia in a few days!
