Submitted by Jolyne Stoup on the 2017 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Computer and Information Sciences…
The Kiwi culture is both very similar yet very different than ours. From first view, Christchurch is no different than Newark. It has the same houses, the same buildings, the same cars. It all seems the same until you look a little closer. The cars are on the opposite side of the road, the buildings have Maori on them, and people always say “hi” to you as you walk past. The Kiwi way of life is a lot more laid back then it is back at home. That is something I really appreciate because it lets me take more time to see the area. It lets me see not only the wreckage from the earthquake, but also the beautiful street art that has come out of it. Although, we spent quite a bit of time exploring the city, we also got to see beautiful sites all over which would be reason enough to come visit this beautiful country. We were able to enjoy the beautiful land of Port Hills when we took a gondola ride up to the top. We went hiking through the Rakia Gorge and Castle Hill, a day which left us speechless as we gazed from the top of the mountain. We also went to a wildlife sanctuary and saw the famous Kiwi bird, we also had the opportunity to see a Haka from a Maori tribe. So far, I have been very surprised by the parallels between the Kiwi people and the people I know back home. Although slightly more friendly, while also more blunt, the people here are really not much different from back home (other than their obsession with Texas), but those subtle differences are making for quite the learning experience.
