Submitted by Danielle Lecce on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
Before I got off the plane in New Zealand, I had already noticed differences between our countries. New Zealanders have a promise to protect their lands called The Tiaki Promise, which is the commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations. A video popped up on all television screens on the airplane asking those that travel to New Zealand to make the commitment and acknowledge their responsibility in protecting and preserving the picturesque lands of New Zealand. I thought it was beautiful that New Zealand has this promise to its land and cares for it. While as Americans we care for our land, we don’t treat it with the same respect as they do here in New Zealand.
Some further highlights and learning experiences during my first week abroad in New Zealand include going to The Riccarton Market, an outdoor market selling artisan crafts and Quail Island, a remote island within Lyttleton Harbor on the South Island of New Zealand. At The Riccarton Market, I was able to familiarize myself with the exchange rate and become familiar with using a different currency. Coming to New Zealand was my first time out of the country and therefore my first time using a different currency. It was also my first real opportunity to speak with Kiwis otherwise known as the native people of New Zealand. We took a ferry to visit Quail Island. There were no garbage bins anywhere on this island. All rubbish brought onto the island must also be brought off. I was amazed to see how strictly people followed these rules. I never saw one piece of garbage on the island, which illustrates the respect Kiwis have for their land. While in America, littering is illegal, there is still garbage everywhere. It is hard to go anywhere in the United States and not see some sort of litter. I wish in the United States, we could appreciate and respect our land as Kiwis do here in New Zealand and make a similar promise to conserve and protect our land, for now and for future generations.
