Submitted by Abigail Cooper on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Communication…
Honestly speaking, when I first heard that we would be spending one of our days here in New Zealand doing a service project, I had my doubts. Being in an unfamiliar place and not being given much direction about what the project would be, I couldn’t help, but think that another day spent on the beautiful beaches of New Zealand would be an amazing alternative to whatever I had in store. However, I could not have been more wrong about my experience. My study abroad group and I spent the day working with an organization that helps to remove pests from the forests that are killing the native trees, bush, and birds. These pests include possums, rats, and stoats. We were tasked with walking throughout the forest and finding old traps that needed to be re-baited in order to catch more of these pests that are ruining the native landscape and environment of New Zealand.
This experience turned out to be so meaningful for me for multiple reasons. First, it was great to have the opportunity to give back to this beautiful country that I am so lucky to be living in this winter in such a meaningful way. Second, I feel that I now have more confidence in dealing with different aspects of outdoor service in a forest setting, learning skills that I never would have attained in my normal life. In retrospect, I am now so thankful that I had this opportunity while studying abroad as I think it brought more meaning and understanding to my overall experience. And besides, there’s always another day to spend on the beach, but opportunities like these don’t present themselves too often.