Submitted by Victoria Cappadora on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
In this hiking picture, I am hiking a mountain in Akaroa, New Zealand. Before my New Zealand experience, I did not know what to expect. Being on this program, everything has been so surreal. Hiking this mountain was a dream come true. I have always wanted to go to New Zealand and have always wanted to be able to hike. Hiking is a major hobby of mine and being able to experience this in another country is an absolute dream. The hiking path was the Children’s Bay. This path had many scenic views along the way. We were able to reach the top and see many incredible views. We saw the city of Akaroa from the top of the mountain. The harbor is shown in the picture.
As I was hiking up the mountain, it finally felt as if I was in New Zealand. Before this program, I was very nervous and super excited. To think that a year ago, I was applying to this program and now I am finally here does not seem real. I took a chance to apply to this program and took a chance to fly halfway across the world. I feel as if I have already grown so much as an individual and it has been one week. I have created incredible memories so far, developed great friendships and have seen amazing views. I am excited to see what the future weeks hold for me.