Submitted by Heidi Knutsen on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Computer and Information Sciences…
I am so glad that I decided to study abroad. Everything has been a new and exciting experience, and even though I have only been away from home for a week, I am already dreading having to leave this place. It is a bit of a challenge communicating with people back home because of the time difference, but I am trying to focus on the time that I have here.
The plane trip to get to New Zealand was very extensive. I traveled for two full days, with four different legs of my flight, and many hours in layovers. I have never done that much traveling ever, and never traveled before without any parents/teachers.
New Zealand is amazing. There are literally no bad pictures to be taken.
I have done a lot of hiking and taken scenic bus tours. We saw the town of Lyttleton and visited Sumner Beach and Rakaia Gorge. We also got to meet some members of the Maori people–the indigenous tribes of New Zealand and learn about their history, traditions, and language.
Some of the things that I miss from the United States include the luxuries that I couldn’t fit into my suitcase, and ice that goes in beverages! It is shockingly difficult to find ice-cold water here and many of us have noted it. I also knew that people drive on the left side of the road, but I didn’t think about how that applies to walking paths and staircases as well. There was a local woman who was frustrated when a whole group of us walked up the right hand side of the stairwell. However, these are only little annoyances and everybody is really friendly.
The classes I have started are very interactive and I love discussing and collaborating with my peers. We have all grown close as there are not many of us and we are the only ones on campus and in the country who are in the same situation.
