The Auckland Experience

Auckland, New Zealand is a spectacular city that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, from my experience back at home because no one seems to know about it! It is a clean, diverse and unique metropolis located about 15 minutes from beaches and 15 from farmland and woods. To a girl from the suburbs of Reading, Pennsylvania, it was perfect. Living in Parnell, I got the small town experience that was only a beautiful 25 minute walk from my school, the University of Auckland, and the fascinating city of Auckland, itself. A typical day for me consisted of waking up around 10 am to go for a run around my breathtaking temporary home. I would run up to the Auckland War Memorial Museum, 2 minutes away from my Flat, where I would get an unbelievable view of Rangitoto Island and Auckland's harbour. I would often run around in the surrounding gardens and fields, or if I was feeling adventurous, run down to campus, through the city, down the the harbour and back home to Parnell. I would then eat some of my favorite Wheat Bix cereal and get ready for class. I loved the beautiful 25 minute walk to class as well as the University's campus. Its buildings ranged from massive, modern buildings that reflected the aqua blue sky to traditional Maori- inspired maraes. In my classes, I learned more about Pacific history than I ever have in my 14 years of schooling and developed a love and appreciation for the lovely Maori culture. After class I would either wander around in the city and grab something to eat or head back to Parnell Student Village to hang out with some of the 75 amazing new friends I had just made. I had never lived with a more welcoming, unique and fun group of people in my life. We liked to always spend our nights together whether it was at a potluck in our Village or dancing at a nightclub in Auckland. We always looked forward to the weekends, as well, because we tried to go on some sort of trip somewhere new, whether it was to a new part of the city or to a completely new spot on the North Island. I could go on and on about this amazing experience. But in brief, although it was almost 2 years ago, I still vividly remember the excited feeling I experienced as my Air New Zealand plane landed over the Manukau harbour to the heartbreakingly bittersweet goodbye hugs I gave to all of my friends as I left Parnell Student Village. I made great friends with people from all over America, traveled around New Zealand where I climbed a glacier, flung myself off the world's first bungee jump, slept in a cramped, freezing cold caravan for 2 nights with 4 girls just so I could skydive over Lake Taupo and hike the daunting Tongariro Crossing (where parts of the Lord of the Rings was filmed), spent a weekend in Sydney, Australia, and made hundreds of other memories it would take hours to describe. I learned not only things about myself one can probably only learn from leaving their comfort zone, but also about an almost unknown culture- the Maori, and about making the most of every single day by doing something every day that is memorable, and by spending time with the people you have limited time with. Of course there were times where I wish I could go home for a couple days and eat a giant Belgian waffle at my favorite diner and see my friends and parents, but I always kept in mind that this experience would not last forever and I needed to appreciate my time there while I could. I really only have one memory of a culture shock experience and it occurred right after the awesome Bridging Cultures program when we moved into Parnell and had to get our bearings and I felt a lot of anxiety about not just being able to go to a Walmart and get everything I needed to survive. Aside from that, I am obviously obsessed with my experience abroad and cannot still cannot believe how lucky I am to have had it.