Submitted by Abigail Cooper on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Communication…
This past weekend, I was extremely lucky to participate in one of the most rewarding experiences of my time in New Zealand, and quite possibly my life in general. My program had the amazing opportunity to take a three day rowing trip down the Whanganui River, led by a local Maori family that Dr. Holden became close with when she led a previous program to New Zealand two years ago. At first, we all really did not know what to expect, and I heard many nervous and doubtful comments about what was ahead of us on our way to the river. Seriously, we all could not have been more pleasantly surprised. From the very beginning, the Maori family made us feel completely at home and we could genuinely feel the love they had for their river and its surroundings. We rowed a lot, which was hard work, but it was always made better by lots of singing, joking, and water fights along the way. We were offered generous hospitality at night, plenty of home cooked meals and snacks, and a bonding opportunity between two cultures that never would have happened had we just continued our time in New Zealand doing the typical tourist activities offered. It was so inspiring to learn so much about the Maori culture from real people, not just a museum or journal article. I felt connected to their values of love, family, and interconnectedness to nature. Each person on my program definitely left the Whanganui River feeling refreshed and ready to live more caring, loving lives. This experience changed my perspective in so many ways, and I know I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I had and the people I met along the way.