Submitted by Elias Tapia on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Australia and New Zealand…
Auckland, New Zealand, is an interesting place to visit, as it is one of the few countries to have had direct British influence on so many of the local life, customs, and traditions. They share the land of New Zealand with the Māori people, the indigenous people of New Zealand, with the government striving to include their native language and their customs throughout the country. Kia ora, a greeting wishing good health, is one that many use to greet people, especially tourists, to inform them of the rich culture that is bursting throughout New Zealand. The first week was spent in Auckland, a city on the northern island of New Zealand, where the lifestyle of the people of this country became apparent as most of the shops closed early, with most of them opening only a few days of the week. This is because the culture is extremely laid-back, calm, and peaceful, a stark contrast to the lifestyle of the United States, where the hustle and bustle of city life runs rampant. The reason I believe this is due to the place they live. With scenic views, fresh ocean breezes, and landscapes straight out of fiction, many would sit back and appreciate what they have been given, even at the cost of potential profits.
This impression was from when I first landed in the country and started walking around the city. Seeing these different shops, the way people drive, and how the locals interacted with one another made it seem like a completely different world. Throughout the week, we visited sites such as Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and Piha Beach, where the beauty of the northern island was shown as the people there explained how they are trying to do their best to restore the beauty of their country to the way it once was before the European settlers came to New Zealand. Their efforts have been greatly paid off, as people who don’t know the history wouldn’t be able to tell that this is only a fraction of the beauty that the country once had, explaining why the people of New Zealand are so conscious of their impact on the planet. The time difference between here and the United States caught me by surprise, as the difference is apparent on paper, but I feel it is otherworldly as night starts to fall around a little bit after 9 p.m., giving the impression that the country doesn’t want to sleep. This is still giving me difficulty, as I know I need to sleep, but due to the sun not setting earlier, it gives me this sudden burst of energy to keep exploring even when the rest of the world is sound asleep. (Submitted on January 12, 2024)
