I chose to go to New Zealand on exchange with my home college because I have heard amazing feedback from students who went before me. New Zealand is also an interesting case study when it comes to environmental management. The country has a lot of beautiful, conserved land, but composting is not very present; just being in another country for a few months enables me to see what actions are being taken elsewhere.
Alumni Spotlight: Holly Francis
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Holly is an Environmental Studies & Policy student from Champlain College in the US. She values travel, sustainability, new experiences, and a good education.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
Since my program was through an exchange between Champlain College and AUT, the initial process was fairly simple for me. I still had to apply for the exchange to both schools, but Champlain dealt with the tuition payment and classes to take. This will make transferring my credits back home much easier as well.
Outside of these aspects, I was largely on my own for my visa, transportation, phone plan, housing, and various travel. This was not very difficult for me, as I have traveled quite a bit in the past, but it is a lot to think about; that being said, if you are reading this and feeling nervous about any of these, reach out to someone who can help guide you!
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I wish that I had known that the whole ordeal would not be as scary as I was anticipating. This may differ for other people, but, with good planning, the process was not as anxiety-provoking as I thought it would be.
I also wish that, before I left the US for my semester abroad, I had researched more about where I wanted to go in New Zealand while I was here. I love going into travel with open options so I can discover as I go, but I was left wishing I went to the 90-mile beach when it was still warm out. Create a little bucket list before you leave!
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Because my visa doesn't allow me to work here, my schedule is very open compared to back in the US. I only have four courses for the semester, and any other events I participate in have been voluntary. I have found that this free time has been valuable for me to pursue personal projects and goals outside of my college education. I started going to the gym, reading more books, and working on creative projects.
As for the weekends, a lot of my friends and I often have three-day weekends, so we have been able to take little weekend trips around the North Island.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear was that I would feel out of place or uncomfortable in the big city of Auckland, New Zealand. I grew up in a town of less than 1,000 people and go to college in a city of around 60,000; Auckland has a population of 1.5 MILLION people, and that made me wary. However, the city is beautiful and very welcoming. The key is being open for a change and looking for a place that, even if it pushes you outside of your 'normal,' can accommodate what you seek.
Were there any experiences that pushed you out of your comfort zone?
No matter whether you go overseas or not, there will always be instances of something pushing you out of your comfort zone, but living abroad for a few months really brings new experiences I couldn't have imagined. Personally, I am a pretty bad swimmer, but I swam in the ocean with wild dolphins and fur seals.
For some people, this doesn't sound daunting, but I was incredibly nervous. After doing these activities, I can confidently say that pushing myself was well worth it. I learned so much during it, both about myself and about the places and animals I was around. If I hadn't studied in New Zealand for the semester, I don't think I would have progressed like I did.