Submitted by Lauren Belloff on the 2018 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
Our trip is focused on agriculture in New Zealand and sustainable management practices for farms. We get to visit different farms around the South Island and get inside tours! Our second farm visit was to a farm that was mostly sheep (as most farms in New Zealand are) but the focus was the working dogs on the farm. We got to observe these amazing dogs in action and see the incredible bond they have with their owner. Peter Kidd showed us his crew of dogs and taught us about how he trains the dogs and the different commands they know. His dogs know exactly what command he is giving them just based on certain whistle blows. It was fascinating and amazing to see the dogs in action.
One free weekend in New Zealand we visited Hanmer Springs which is a town with a lot to do. We stayed in a cute hostel and got to shop, eat and go to the hot springs. A few people and I decided to do a 5-hour hike which was challenging and beautiful. The hike ended with a beautiful 40-meter waterfall which made the hard trek up the mountain worth it. It was refreshing to get outdoors and see the beautiful scenery around us. I love hiking so I really enjoyed this day!
Towards the end of my program, we visited Hokitika and went to the Franz Joseph Glacier. I and a few other people decided to go on a glacier helicopter hike. This was one of my favorite activities of the entire program. I rode in a helicopter for the very first time and got to see amazing views of mountains and the Franz Joseph Glacier. Seeing a glacier in the middle of summer was exciting and refreshing. We got special shoes that helped us navigate on the ice and we hiked up and down paths made by our guides. He mentioned that the glacier changes everyday and he and other guides have to often make new paths every morning. Hiking on a glacier was an unforgettable experience.
