Bungy Jumping- Queenstown, New Zealand

BUNGY!!!

This past weekend a few of us went down to Queenstown, which is considered the city of extreme sports in New Zealand. Our main goal for our Queenstown weekend was to BUNGY JUMP!!! We went to the Nevis Bungy Jump, which is the highest bungy jump in New Zealand (134 m!!!). It was a crazy experience and something I would definitely suggest to people who may want some excitement when they visit New Zealand. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

Bluntness...better or worse?

One thing that I’ve been particularly interested in about New Zealand is its honesty and openness. It's everywhere: road signs, television (commercials), radio, classrooms...etc. When first watching TV. with my flatmates (3 of which are American), we were all shocked to find the bluntness in New Zealand commercials. The commercials that deal with sensitive issues our very honest and open. They seems to be no sugar coating. We were also shocked by the lack of censorship on television. When watching American shows, we instantly noticed scenes that would usually have been cut our or censored at home. After my initial shock, I found myself wondering whether or not this was more effective or not? After being in New Zealand for a couple of months, I've grown to truly appreciate the honesty in which they describe issues. I think that it cuts out all of the nonsense and gets straight to the point. When there are important issues to be discussed, they don't seem to censor it and make everything PG, they simply state what the problem is and how it can be fixed.

One of the things I've really grown to appreciate is the road signs. Rather than just saying slow down or be careful, they have huge blunt billboards. These signs really make you stop and think and are effective attention-getters. I don't know if Kiwis are so accustomed to them that they overlook them, but they definitely get my attention. Every time I am in a car/bus, I look for all the different road signs. Above is an example of one road sign that we passed during our Easter Break. The sign has a speeding ticket on a corpses body. I couldn't believe it the first time I saw a sign like this...I was completely caught off guard. However, now I think why not? What is the purpose of America censoring everything? What's wrong with a little bluntness? It's one of the things that I've found refreshing about New Zealand.

Easter Break Week 2 and 3

For the remainder of Easter Break, I traveled around the northern part of the South Island with three friends. We visited Kaikoura, Nelson, Golden Bay, Abel Tasman National Park and returned back to the Glaciers (as well as making stops along the way). One of the things that kept being repeated was "where are we?" Not in the sense of being lost...but in regards to how beautiful everything was. We would often find ourselves sitting around just amazed by our surroundings. Above are just a few of the photos. The first one is of Bealey Spur Track in Arthur's Pass. The second one is of Lake Rotoroa where we camped one night. The third is one of many shots I took at Abel Tasman National Park.

Only a few of the pics from Easter Break Week 1

The first picture is of Lake Matheson in Glacier Country. It is suppose to be a reflective lake where you can see Mt. Cook on a clear day. However, we were not lucky enough to have a perfectly clear day, but it was still beautiful. The second picture is of me and my WU classmate, Megan, standing on top of Franz Josef Glacier. The third of photo is a Milford Sound. This was one of the most beautiful places I've visited in New Zealand so far. The last picture is of Cathedral Caves, which was also an amazing experience.

Easter Break Week 1

This past week was my first (of three) week of Easter Break. All of the WU students met traveled around the South Island with Professor Stas. We packed ourselves (8 of us total) into our ten passenger van and we were off!!

On the first day, we traveled from Dunedin to Invercargill. Our first few stops included stopping to view some beautiful scenery at Nugget Point Lighthouse and a short hike to a Catlins waterfall. One of the coolest parts of the day was our stop at Cathedral Caves. After a short walk, we were on the beach and making our way to the caves. The caves were so cool, but you had to make sure that you were watching the waves or you would be knee deep in water before you knew it. Along the way we stopped at Slope Point, which is the Southernmost point of New Zealand. By this point we were all really cold because it had been raining on and off all day. Only five of us decided to make the walk through all the sheep shit to get to the point. On our way to the point Stas slipped and after that we all pretty much lost our minds. We could not stop laughing the entire way out there. We were so miserable from the cold and the rain that we could not stop smiling out of misery =) It actually turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of the trip and it lasted for all of 20 minutes. That night we met up with one of Shaffer's friends from Otago and had a BBQ at his house. We made a feast of kabobs and devoured them =)

The second day we traveled from Invercargill to Te Anau. We got ourselves situated at our hostel and walked around before our glow worms tour. However, when we went to check in for the glow worms, we found that the tour had been cancelled because the cave had flooded. Luckily, we were able to get on a tour that night, but now had the rest of the day free. So we were happy when Shaffer ran into his friend (Richard) from the night before, who offered to take us out on his boat at Lake Manapouri. It was a beautiful day and we had an amazing time!!! Two people (Megan and Pete) even got into the FREEZING water to water ski. After we returned we went to the glow warm caves in Te Anau. We got to go out on a board ride on the Te Anau Lake in order to get to the caves then got a brief introduction to what we would be doing. We were guided into the caves where the water was vigorously flowing from the rain the previous day. There was also a large waterfall that was being pushed through the cave by the strong current. We then sat in a raft in the pitch dark where our tour guide pulled us through the cave to see the glow worms. All you could see were these small spots of light lining the top and sides of the cave. Great day!!!

The following day we drove to Milford Sound. This was probably one of my favorite moments of the entire trip. The view at Milford Sound was absolutely amazing!! We got to go on about an hour long boat tour around the Sound where we were surrounded by spectacular scenery. At one point, we even got to stand almost directly under a waterfall! On our way back from Milford Sound we realized that the car was not functioning correctly, so decided to skip the side walks we had planned and head straight back to Te Anau. While the car was being looked at, we decided to do a short walk at Te Anau to the beginning of the Keplar Track. When we returned we found out that due to the car troubles, we would be spending an extra day in Te Anau rather than leave for Queenstown and Wanaka the following day.

On our third day in Te Anau, we decided to do a longer hike along the Keplar Track. We ended up doing a 25 km. hike that day. While the scenery was beautiful, it was the first track I had done since being in New Zealand where the scenery didn't really change much. Usually while hiking in New Zealand, I am surrounded be a multitude of changing scenery. However, this hike primarily took us through the forest so we saw similar scenery the entire way. That night we had Chinese food for dinner and went back to our hostel to drink Speights, play bananagrams (a game we've become obsessed with!!) and cribbage. For a day that was completely unplanned, we definitely did enjoy ourselves.

On the 5th day we had a very long drive ahead of us due to the day we lost. We started the day off in Te Anau and drove to Wanaka. Here we stopped for a lunch break at a burger place that Victoria told us had the best burgers in New Zealand...and she was right!!! The were huge and so delicious! We then continued our drive to the Glaciers. We stopped a couple of times along the way to enjoy the amazing scenery and take pictures.

The next day we were able to spend the entire day at the Glaciers and went on a half day tour at Franz Josef Glaciers. Here we actually got to walk on the glaciers and learn a little about them. It was one more spectacular thing to add to the list of things we'd already done. After the tour, we went to Fox Glaciers to make a stop at Lake Matheson. It's suppose to be a reflective lake where you can see Mt. Cook, however, due to the weather we didn't really get the full affect. That night we played some more bananagrams =) and made a list of the 50 things to do butt naked in New Zealand (based on our trip). Making the list had us rolling on the ground laughing.

On the 7th day we drove our final stretch back to Christchurch. It was another long drive, so other than a few stops we spent most of the time in the car. My favorite stop of the day was at Castle Hill, where there a these huge rocks. We were able to climb up to the top of them and had beautiful views all around us. The rocks were also the site of one of the scenes in Lord of the Rings!!! We ended the day in Christchurch where we made a Mexican feast!!! It tasted so good and was something we had all been wanting to eat due to the lack of Mexican food in New Zealand. Did I mention that after dinner we played bananagrams?!?!

The next morning the Otago Students left to make there final trip back down to Dunedin. While we saw many amazing things on the trip, one of the best things about the trip was that I was able to get to know seven people that I hardly knew. Willamette is a small school, but it's still remarkable how we tend to keep to our same group of friends. We all have our own bubbles within the larger Willamette bubble. However, this trip gave me the chance to really get to know some of my classmates and Stas as well. Overall, it was probably the best week I've had in New Zealand so far. And it was only the first week of my break!!!! 2 more weeks to go!

WU vs. UC Round 1

As I'm nearing the end of the first term of my semester abroad, I've been finding myself comparing the University of Canterbury to Willamette. While I knew that I was going to a school that was much larger than Willamette, I don't think I was prepared for the lecture style classes. For a majority of my classes, I just sit in class while the lecturer talks at me. It's a style I am definitely not used to. I also constantly feel like I'm not really learning more than what is on the surface. I find myself missing the discussion based classes that WU offers and the interaction between Professors and students. While writing my first paper here at UC, I had such a difficult time starting because the paper topics seemed too simply. While the papers required me to do outside research, it really only required me to get a basic understanding of my topic. I'm writing about moko, Maori tattoo, and I found numerous subjects that would have been very interesting to write about, but my paper was to be focused on the overall structure and history. I think the one thing that I truly miss from WU is the controversy! I miss the truth!

I think I'd definitely have to say that Round 1 goes to WU.

Maori Weekend

This past weekend (March 15-17) we WU Christchurch students headed down to Dunedin to see the other WU students and to spend the weekend at a Maori school of learning. Bright and early Friday morning, we caught the bus to Dunedin. While the bus ride was long (about 5 and 1/2 hours), it was a beautiful day and we got see all the beautiful scenery that the east coast of the South Island has to offer. After finally arriving in Dunedin, we dropped our stuff off at one of our classmates flats and two of us took a walk around the area surrounding the University of Otago. It was great to be able to see how different that area is from the area around the University of Canterbury. That night we all went to Professor Stas' house to meet his family and have dinner. It was nice to have a real home cooked meal and good company =) We also got to discuss our fall trip that's coming up...can't wait for that!!! We are spending a whole week traveling to different places on the South Island including the glaciers, Queenstown, Te Anu, and Milford Sound.

The next morning we work up early and met Roka, who would be our host for the weekend. I was already excited before we even left, because Roka had a dog who had just had puppies in the back of her car. I already felt more like I was at home in this one weekend then I have the entire time I've been here. We then drove to Te Whare Wananga (A House of Learning), where we would spend the weekend with Roka and her whanau (family). We begin the weekend by participating in a traditional welcome ceremony. To begin the ceremony the woman walk in firsts followed by the men. As we walked in, Roka's daughter chanted welcoming us and Roka responded for us, since none of us knew how the traditional ceremony went. Then we sat down with the woman now in the back and the men in the front. This is not the first time that it's been explained to me that the reason the women sit in the back is for protection. In the old days when two groups were meeting for the first time, before you knew if the group came in peace the men sat in the front to protect the women. Roka's husband, Carey, welcomed us in Maori and then English. After that, he and his whanau sang us a song of welcome. Following there welcome, Stas spoke and behalf of our group in Greek and then English. Then Roka led us through a song, to respond to the welcome. The song we sang was called 'E Tore Nga Mea', 'There are Three Things.' This is the same song that the Christchurch Students had to sing during our International Orientation.

After the weekend, we put all of our stuff in the wharepuni, sleeping room, and then we came out to have 'tea and biscuits.' When we went to get our food we found trays and trays of food on three long tables. This was something that we grew use to over the next two days, lots and lots of food and tea =) We were definitely felt welcomed and were treated very well. After that we went into the town, or a short walk away, to support the local people there. They were holding an event that looked like a market or a large garage sale. There was an auction and different booths where people sold all kinds of things ranging from clothes to food. There were also many activities for kids like horseback riding or going into a tent of smoke to learn about fire safety. After this, we went back to the whare to eat again and then we had introductions. We went back to the wharepuni and each stood up to introduce ourselves. We were not the only students there that weekend. There were other students, ranging in all different ages, who were there to learn weaving from Roka and her daughter. Many of the other students could speak Maori, so did there introductions in the language, which was very interesting. The wharepuni was a beautiful room decorated with all sorts of carvings that students of the whare had made at one point or another. The interesting thing about the whare is that it began as a place for troubled youth. Roka, who is a trained social working, and her Husband Carey began the school to help children in need. At one end of the wharepuni there were pictures of those who had passed who were important to the whanau. While many were there own personal tipuna, ancestors, some were of students who they were not able to save who took there own lives. While there were a few students who chose this path, it seemed to me as if Roka and Carey were able to help many children. They used crafts, such as weaving and carving, to give the children a direction and knowledge.

After the introductions, we went down to Blueskin Bay to look for clams! It was much easier then I expected to find the clams, but it was still so much fun! While we were at the bay, we decided to walk along the water a bit and found a cool cave. We then returned back to the whare where Roka taught us a bit about weaving. We began be preparing the harekeke, which is the leaves the use to weave with. Roka taught us how to make a small basket to put our clams in at dinner and was very patient with us. It was a great experience and I'm so appreciative that it was part of the weekend. We then had dinner and after dinner Roka's granddaughter taught a few of us how to make flowers with the harekeke. She too was very patient with our slow learning =)

The next day we spent most of the day with Carey and Roka talking about why they chose to start the whare and what it meant to them. We also talked a little about ourselves and got to know them better. Roka and Carey were sure to tell us that we were now a part of their whanau and that if we need anything we could contact them! Before we left Roka shared with us some of the traditional garments she makes out of harekeke and even let us try them on! Right before we left, Roka and Carey gave us gifts. One of the gifts we each received was a shell necklace with a design on it that represents the coming together of different people, specifically pakeha and Maori. I had earlier asked Roka if she knew of a Maori- English dictionary I could buy for my Uncle and she just gave me one right before I left.

Due to the fact that I am in Christchurch, I don't know if I'll be able to see Roka again while I am here. However, I would be honored if I had the privilege to meet her again and if I don't, I still was very grateful for the weekend with her and her whanau. Not only for teaching us of the Maori people but also for inviting us to be a part of her whanau. Great weekend!

Go to the right...no the left...wait what?!?!

Stop...look both ways...then cross. But which way do I look first?

I knew that when I came to New Zealand that they drove on the left side of the road. But this didn't seem like such a big deal to me considering that I wouldn't be driving. However, I didn't realize how much this one notion could change so many different things. The first time I crossed the road in New Zealand I told myself that the cars come from the opposite side, so I looked right first when I crossed the street. Easy enough. It seemed like such a simple idea, but take it from someone who's experienced it, it's NOT! I can't not tell you how many times, especially during my first week or so here, I looked the wrong way and had to jump back on to the sidewalk to keep from getting hit by a car. It is amazing how difficult it is to fight your natural instincts. And trust me, you want to fight this instincts when they is a car speeding towards you. It's strange how something that you're not actually taught can be so engraved in you.

Also, it's not only when there is a car involved that being on the left side is dominant. When you're just walking around, if you're going to pass someone you pass him/her on the left not the right. More often then not, I find myself doing an awkward dance back and forth with someone because I always go right. Or when you walk into the building, everyone walks in on the left side not the right. While it all seems like things that can be easily adapted too, it's hard to fight against your natural reactions.

I can remember people telling me before I left that I would be confused when I crossed the street, but I never thought it would actually make that big of a difference. It's funny how the things you don't think will affect you when you leave end up being something that you have to deal with on a daily basis.

Pictures of the University of Canterbury

These pictures are for my family who wanted to see some pictures of my campus. These are just a FEW of the buildings. The campus isn't actually as big as I thought it would be. The campus is just built in a way where there are tons of buildings in a small amount of space. It is definitely much bigger than I'm used to at Willamette though. The third picture is of our main library (that's right there is more than one library) that has 11 floors!

Just the Beginning

Although I've only been in New Zealand for two weeks, it seems as if I've been here for much longer. I spent the first week and a half getting to know the area and doing a little exploring. This past weekend I spent the weekend with two friends in Kaikoura. It's a town about two and a half hours away from Christchurch (where my school is). It was such a beautiful town and remindng me quite a bit of home. On our first day there we went on a hike that took us through the town and up into the mountains surrounding it. The hike gave us beautiful views of the ocean and the town. On the second day we spent most of the day lying on the beach and enjoying the sun. While the ocean was beautiful and clear, it definitely wasn't the same pacific ocean we swim in Hawai'i. It was much much COLDER!!! However, nonetheless it was an amazing weekend! The picture above is one of the views from the hike.