A Great Trip Back to New Zealand

I had originally decided not to volunteer or study abroad during college, however, when I found out I could go back to New Zealand for a month to work on environment conservation projects and explore the country I immediately changed my mind. I travelled to New Zealand with my family in 2007 and fell in love. Travelling with ISV was a great way for me to reconnect with the country. During the first two weeks I lived in a house on Motuihe Island with eight other volunteers and our leader. We completed the entire conservation process from collecting seeds, planting them, weeding the nursery, and finally planting them back in the fields and forests. We also used motion sensor cameras to track kiwi on the island in order to try to calculate their locations as well as any increase in their population. On various evenings our leader lead talks about climate change, sustainability, and conservation. This two weeks was a great opportunity to learn about our impact on the island and bond with the other volunteers.

The second two weeks was an absolute blast. I was able to repeat some of my favorite activities like the shotover jet and seeing the glow worm caves as well as experience new ones. My favorite day involved white water rafting, zorbing, and visiting the Tamaki Maori Village. On our free days, there were always suggestions about other activities to do or things to see.