Submitted by Olivia Chamberlin the 2025 Winter program in New Zealand…
Me at the top of Mt. Cargill
Going on my first study abroad was very nerve wracking, but so exciting at the same time. After spending a little over a week in the first destination, Dunedin, NZ, I’m able to reflect on how my first few adventures went. My favorite excursion we went on was the wildlife tour. We saw many different bird species native to NZ, sea lions, seals, and rare penguins. Our tour guide told us we were lucky to see the penguins at all, let alone seeing four of them. Something that stuck out to me is that a lot of the people who live here know a lot about their culture and the history behind NZ. It was very interesting to see this because I feel like not many people in the States would be able to tell you a lot of information or the history behind where we came from in so much detail. So far, this program has allowed me to see things I would have never been able to see and I’m so excited for what’s to come! (Submitted on January 15, 2025)
Submitted by Margaret Parker the 2025 Winter program in Dunedin, New Zealand…
Within the first week of my arrival in New Zealand, it has become so clear how loved and respected nature and animals are here. The culture here is to take care of the environment and protect the species that have been affected by humans. During the first few days, my project group for the classroom went to the Settlers Museum in Dunedin. We learned about the whaling industry and how whales were hunted to extinction by the European settlers and the indigenous group on the island, the Maori. We followed up this research with the program’s trip on a wildlife tour. My guide explained how whales are some of the only animals in the world that have migrated back to the region after extinction. It is very rare for animals to disappear after hunting and then choose to come back. That being said, they stay very offshore, away from where the hunting occurred, even generations later. This was referred to as generational trauma by my tour guide. The tour guide then showed us fur seals, sea lions, and penguins. We saw the world’s rarest penguins, the yellow-Eyed Penguins, and she explained the conservation work they are doing. The penguins are ridden with diseases that are passed onto the babies when in the eggs. Once the adult penguins lay eggs, they are taken to a clinic, given medication and fed back to health, then returned to the parents. This increases the survival rate of the babies from almost zero to 100% survival rate. This is just some of the work New Zealand does to protect endangered species.
As for the sea lions, we saw the world’s rarest sea lion too, the New Zealand Sea Lion. These guys are also in danger of extinction. Our tour guide has spent her academic and professional career researching and protecting sea lions. They are often thought to be aggressive, but really they are just the “dogs of the water” and people are more intimidated by their size. If a human stays still and acts boring, the sea lion will not be interested in you. The sea lions are facing danger with gun violence and being shot by people who thought they were under attack. The sea lions are on protected beaches and there is a large movement of education for these animals in order to protect the species. The work that I learned about was truly inspiring and I felt the love and care being shown to the animals. The respect for nature is near and far and it was very remarkable to see such care for the environment. I was very lucky to see such rare animals, and my hope is one day, with the help of people just like I met on the wildlife tour, the animals will not be nearly as rare as they currently are. (Submitted on January 9, 2025)
Through my binoculars, I captured three Yellow-Eyed Penguins, which are the world’s rarest penguins. We had to be silent, as they would run away if they heard too much noise. Their eyes are also very sensitive to light.
Submitted by Emma Morandi on the 2024 Winter HOSPprogram in Australia and New Zealand…
After a short plane ride, we made it to New Zealand! I was surprised to learn there are more differences from Australia to New Zealand than I expected. The geography is mostly mountains, farm land and beautiful sights. We got to have an awesome experience with the locals of Napier. Outside of our hotel, a food truck festival took place. We got to try some really tasty food such as seafood paella, crapes, and donuts. We sat on the lawn of the town square with the locals and listened to live music. This band wrote all their own music and it was amazing to relax and listen to their great songs. The locals are very friendly and have a huge sense of community. Many people were dancing and children were running around playing all night. We got to watch a beautiful sunset after. The next morning, in the same area, they hosted a farmers market. I got some amazing coffee and a croissant. The vendors were very friendly and I loved getting to meet locals.(Submitted on January 30, 2024)
Submitted by Mara Cabreraon the 2024 Winter KAAP program in New Zealand…
Week 2 in Dunedin has been such a dream! I am so sad to say that we will be leaving on the 17th. In the past two weeks we have been here I have learned so much about this beautiful town and its history. Just a couple of days ago, we went on the Otago Rail trail which is one of the most difficult group activities we will be doing on this trip. Having been scared for months about it, I can now say it was a very fun experience. I was very nervous about the duration (22 miles) and the intensity of the rail trail. However, after completing the trail I was very proud of myself and all my classmates for being able to do it. The Otago rail trail is something I will always remember and I cannot wait to see what else this trip has in store for us. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)
Submitted by Aly Markley on the 2024 Winter HOSP program in Australia and New Zealand…
This week we mainly stayed in a small town called Napier in New Zealand. During the days we went to six breathtaking wineries and tasted so many wines and enjoyed some great food. Napier also had a beautiful black sand beach where we were able to spend our free afternoon. On Saturday there was a food truck festival with live music from a local band and then Sunday morning there was a local farmers market where we enjoyed breakfast. We then traveled to Rotorua where we had a cultural dinner experience from the Maori tribe which was something I had never seen before coming here and I really enjoyed seeing it. Then we traveled to Auckland to close out the remainder of our trip and explore the city for the last 4 days. (Submitted on January 28, 2024)
Submitted by Alexys Padilla on the 2024 Winter KAAP program in Queenstown, New Zealand…
For our third week, we traveled to Queenstown from Dunedin and spent 3 days enjoying the town and diving into thrilling experiences in the adventure capital of the world! All of our program hiked Ben Lomond to what was called the “saddle” of the mountain as it was a brief plateau before the summit. Once our group collected there we had a quick snack break and most turned back to begin the decline of the trail from there, while 5 others and I and our two program advisors took on the challenge of summiting the mountain! This hike challenged both my mental and physical boundaries, but in the best ways and I felt so proud of myself being able to get to the top of such a challenging mountain. We took lots of pictures and celebrated our success at the top before making the downward trek, which was honestly more physically painful than the incline. The next day I spontaneously decided to go bungee jumping with 2 other girls in my group and I was the only one that day out of all visitors who opted to get dunked into the river below! That was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done but was well worth the money and overcoming the feelings of fear and anxiety. I learned so much about myself on this part of the trip and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to experience it! (Submitted on January 27, 2024)
Submitted by Andrew Gorskion the 2024 Winter KAAPprogram in New Zealand…
The third week of our trip was filled with hikes and adventures. Each day of the week, we went on an excursion that required heavy levels of elevation and decline. On Monday, we took on Mount Cargill in Dunedin. Mount Cargill is 676 meters above sea level. This hike was different from Signal Hill because we tried our trekking poles for the first time. The poles gave us our legs support as we climbed up the steep mountains. Mount Cargill had organ pipe rocks which gave an awesome rock climbing experience. On Tuesday, we visited Tunnel Beach which was another rewarding experience. What was supposed to be a quick visit turned into an enjoyable day at the beach. The air and wind complimented the hot sun to be the perfect weather. It was a good way to spend our last day in Dunedin.
Wednesday morning, we departed from Dunedin at 8:30am. We stepped onto the charter coach and waved goodbye to the friends we made at St. Margarets college. After a four hour drive filled with beautiful scenery, we finally arrived in Queenstown, also known as the “adventure capital of the world”. We unpacked our bags into our accommodation and immediately headed out on Queenstown trail. This trail was a hike where you thought you were at the top, but there was always somewhere to climb higher. We were also able to see mountain goats for the first time in New Zealand. It was always common to see cows and sheep, but we finally found the goats.
This Thursday was a day of excitement and adrenaline. At 10:30am, we rode the Skyline Gondola up 1 kilometer. At the top of the mountain was ziplining, luge, and bike trails, but we were there to climb the Ben Lomond Summit, one of Queenstown’s most demanding climbs. It took 6 hours to climb up and down the summit. Afterwards, we traveled 20 minutes out to the skydiving zone. 12,000 feet in the air before we jumped out of a plane with a parachute on our back. It was the greatest adrenaline rush I have ever had in my life. My instructor told me that he was also studying abroad in New Zealand, but he loved skydiving so much that he never came back!
We only stayed in Queenstown for 3 nights, but we definitely made the most of our time. We flew to the North Island and landed in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. I am excited for another week of adventures. (Submitted on January 21, 2024)
Submitted by Elias Tapia on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Australia and New Zealand…
Christchurch is a city located in the South Island of New Zealand, where the second week was spent, and the difference between Auckland and Christchurch didn’t become apparent until later in the week. The North Island and the South Island differ by the way they approach certain aspects of life, as Christchurch feels more vibrant compared to Auckland, and a lot of buildings have street art as if the community were given a voice itself. These arts range from different inspirational figures to abstract art, with it being left to the viewer to interpret what they mean, with the city being surrounded by beautiful scenery adding to the life of the city. Christchurch as a city is unique as it has many historical landmarks honoring those within their country’s history who took chances to go against the collective and went on their own path to achieve greatness. This sentiment cements Christchurch as a city, as while exploring the city, the people there tend to be more open and expressive, giving off a feeling of informality, rather than Auckland, where the colors, structures, etc. felt formal as if the two were total opposites. The approach they have to everyday life changes slightly as the people from Christchurch are even more relaxed than those from Auckland, as there are more scenic spots to visit than in Auckland. Spots like these include Mt. Cook and the Tasman Glacier, as these places provide a heavenly view of the country, possibly explaining why the people there are more relaxed as everyone seems to do things at their own pace when accomplishing their tasks. (Submitted on January 18, 2024)
Submitted by Lauren Stagnitti on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in New Zealand and Australia…
After our week in Auckland, New Zealand, my group and I traveled to South Island, New Zealand on January 10th to spend our next few days in Christchurch. Upon arrival, we did a walking tour of the city and quickly learned that the culture of Christchurch differs greatly from Auckland. Christchurch felt more urban and it was characterised by lots of street art and sculptures.
On top of the Tasman Glacier with my classmates
On Janurary 11th, we spent all day traveling to the Tasman Glacier. Since it was over four hours away, we left at 6:45 am and didn’t get back until 8:00 pm. We stopped at multiple lookout points along the way including a local market and Lake Tepako. We got fresh locally grown fruit and breakfast sandwiches. The hike to the top of the Tasman Glacier was the most beautiful I’ve ever done and sitting at the top felt so surreal. It is so grounding to sit at the top of a mountain and truly take in the beautiful views with my classmates. Although this day was a long travel day, it is one of my favourite memories from the trip and it brought my classmates and I together and helped us to bond.
On Janurary 13th, we spent the day at Akaroa Harbor. We spent the afternoon wandering the island and shopping. I’ve been collecting postcards from all the places we have visited and we found so many fun souvenirs for our family and friends. Some of my friends kayaked on the water and it was beautiful. Then, as a group, we did a dolphin cruise on the water. We saw dolphins, mini penguins, and sea lions. There was a dog on the ship named “Albie” who helped the captain find the dolphins because of his ability to hear the dolphin’s high pitched noises that humans cannot hear.
On Janurary 14th, (our last full day in Christchurch), we had a free day. I wandered the city by myself and did homework in a coffee shop. Later in the afternoon, I went on a gondola tour up a mountain with some of my classmates. We ended up at such a beautiful lookout place and spent time taking in the views. We ended the day wandering the city with our group and spending time in the botanical gardens. We went to the riverside market and got more souvenirs. We then had a group dinner and got ready for our flight to Sydney the following morning. It was so nice to spend down time in the city with my classmates and explore. Auckland and Christchurch differed greatly, but I enjoyed both of them so much! I can’t wait to see how Sydney compares! (Submitted on January 17, 2024)
Submitted by Owen Bubczyk on the 2024 Winter KAAP program in New Zealand…
A photo of me on the beach with my binoculars; this was during a wildlife tour, where we saw penguins, seals, and sea lions
My classmates and I have been exploring Dunedin ever since we arrived at the start of this month! We have seen panoramic views of the South Island by hiking to high peaks overseeing Dunedin. Each week, we have read scientific articles related to trekking poles and cycling. We have applied what we learned to our excursions. While biking 60 kilometers on the Central Otago Rail Trail, for example, we took time to understand how seat height and pedaling cadence affected our rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and the muscles we were using. While hiking three miles uphill to Mt. Cargill, all of us used hiking poles to understand their benefits of reducing lower extremity fatigue.
It has been exciting to discuss the cultural differences with those who live in Dunedin. Of course, a big interest of mine is sports. So, I spoke with the Head of College at our accommodation, St. Margaret’s College, about their perspective on American Football. Conversely, she told me all about their country’s passion for rugby, netball, and curling. Our group already had a curling lesson, and we look forward to further lessons in rugby, netball, and surfing. We also explored culture in New Zealand by splitting into small groups and visiting various museums. The Otago Museum, Settlers Museum, and iSite Museum are just some attractions we have visited to learn about the history of the country. New Zealand natives readily adopted a lot of the cultural differences that explorers brought along, much like those living in North America did. Some of these adoptions have included sports and physical activity. We have discussed how these used to only include men, but now include men and women. In fact, some sports such as netball are female-dominated.
Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the nature that Dunedin has to offer. I look forward to continuing my journey through New Zealand with my classmates. Next, we are off to Queenstown, known as the thrill capital of the world. It should be a lot of fun! (Submitted on January 15, 2024)
