This past Sunday was by far the best day I have had in New Zealand. It may not seem like all that exciting of a day, but a lot of things were put into perspective for me. This realization that I had has helped me adjust much more quickly to life in a big city and in a foreign country.
I got up relatively early to go to a local Farmer's Market. There are two that I know of around Wellington and one is only about 5 minutes away from my flat. The other is 30 minutes, and I learned through others who went there that it has more to offer. I'll remember that for next Sunday. This market was incredible. It had every fruit and vegetable imaginable all for a really good price. I got a week's plus supply of apples, oranges, bananas, eggs, lettuce, green beans and onions for only $10! This amazing deal has helped me tremendously in terms of adjusting to the cost of food here. This past week I've been extremely uncomfortable with the fact that food is as much as it is. Knowing that I have this option every week has put me at ease because I will be able to get my essentials for cheap. The market that is 30 minutes from my flat supposedly has breads, meats, and cheeses in addition to fruits and vegetables.
At 1 p.m., I met up with Ocean, my buddy through the International Buddy Program on campus. Her friend Raj drove us and her friend Millie to Newtown for an annual music festival. I may be overly excited, but this festival was simply a blast! There were tons of booths to purchase decorations, jewelry, clothes, hats, etc. There were also tons of places to buy food, and not just any food--ethnic food. I had my very first Crepe with Nutella on it. Basically the best thing I've ever ate in a long time, and I've decided I've been missing out. The day was filled with sweets--I ate a lot of chocolate and licorice that Raj bought for us to munch on while we walked around. We spent a good part of our day drinking Cider (an apple flavored beer) at a bar outside listening to live music. There were 4 or 5 stages with live bands throughout the festival. I met three people that are working on The Hobbit. It was sweet as, and I feel really lucky that I got to share the day with the people I did.
Ocean and Millie even worked a nut stand for a guy. I was going to help to say that I did work in New Zealand, but I wanted to see the festival. It amazes me that this man trusted strangers to work his booth, with all his money, will he took a 15 minute lunch break. Everyone here seems to be friendly. In fact, when we were at Monterey (the bar we drank at), we joined three people at a table. When we asked if we could join them, a man said, "Of course, we are all friends here." That sums up the hospitality of this country quite well: everyone is friends.
It may have seemed like just an ordinary day, but it was the first day that I have felt at home since I left. I'm happy here, and I'm glad I am here. It took some time to adjust, but now I find myself taking each little moment that I have to thank God for allowing me to be here, in this absolutely beautiful city that's a part of a gorgeous country.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Adjusting to Wellington
Although New Zealand is in a completely different part of the world, there are still a lot of similarities between back home and here. However, there have been a number of differences that I have been trying to get used to. I haven’t become frustrated with anything yet, but I usually find it entertaining. Here’s some of the biggest differences I have made note of or that have started to stand out.
School Differences
1. Kiwi's call school or college “Uni.” I have been around many people who have asked questions like “When does uni start” or “What uni are you going to.” It really does make quite a bit of sense if you think about it considering most college campuses back home are called universities and not college.
2. Classes are known as papers. This has been tough to get used to because people will ask me about something relating to papers and I automatically have a sudden moment of panic thinking I should be writing a paper.
3. Credits are called points. I haven’t figured out the logic behind it yet because “papers” that I have each week that meet less or worth more points which is just the opposite of the way things are in Wisconsin.
4. Each week, I have tutorials outside of my “papers.” These are small group sessions with older uni students where there is more discussion compared to lectures.
5. I have to read a lot here, apparently. Classes are just beginning so I am unsure what the work load will be, but every Kiwi I have met have said they actually read, whereas back home, I do not read.
Daily Interactions
1. Back home, when something is cool, we say “cool” or “sweet” or “awesome.” Here they say “sweet as” or “cool as.” This has been one of my most favorite parts of being in New Zealand.
2. They talk extremely fast. This sums it up pretty well and I am annoyed by how much I have had to ask someone to repeat themselves. They also talk much quieter. I’m catching on quick luckily and everyone here thinks I have a “sweet as” accent.
3. They have a playful way of harassing Australians, or Aussie’s. There appears to be a big rivalry.
4. Everyone here is friends. While at a bar on Sunday, we joined another table because they had room at it. That would never happen back in the US.
5. Some people greet friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek. This could mean nothing or something so you can imagine my confusion if I am ever in this predicament.
6. No one gets worked up about anything, everyone I’ve met has been very relaxed, always looking to have fun, and slightly on the crazy side in terms of wanting to make things more exciting or thrilling.
7. When eating at a café or grabbing coffee (which the coffee and café selection here is huge), you do not clear your dishes. You just leave them on the table.
8. Different word choices:
-reckon=think
-jobs=chores
-barbie=barbeque
-sandals=jandals
-after thank you, they say “It’s alright”
-bro=good friend or brother
-Kiwi’s=citizen of New Zealand
-trolley=shopping cart
-Wellywood=Wellington
-park=parking spot
-bin or rubbish bin=trash can
Differences in Infrastructure/Money/Tax/Sports
1. They drive on the other side of the road. This is so confusing, and I always have to look right first when crossing the street. There are a lot of one way streets in Wellington which has made crossing the street a little safer to me.
2. They also walk on the left side of the street, which is taking some getting used to. It makes sense because we walk on the right back home.
3. They use a lot of round-a-bouts. I haven’t seen too many stop signs since I have been in New Zealand.
4. Metrics is used here. I am still adjusting to a temperature scale, defining distance in terms of kilometers, and measuring out groceries in terms of grams or kilograms. Luckily, the ghetto phone I got has a conversion setting on it.
5. Tax is included and rounding is used when purchasing goods or items. If my grocery bill came to $58.73, I would pay $58.70. If something says it is $4, like a coffee for example, you pay $4.
6. One dollar bills are not used here. Rather, there are $2 and $1 coins. The smallest coin is a 10 cent piece.
7. Tipping is not a custom here. However, I recently learned that if you tip a bartender, they may make your drinks stronger or slip you a free drink at some point in the night.
8. The country is not politically correct in any way. For example, many things are provocative in nature. When going on tours, the tour guides have cracked a lot of sexual jokes. You do not see this back home, and many people would consider it inappropriate.
9. Back home, the world stops on Sunday’s for football. Here, well, Rugby trumps everything. The All Blacks just won the Rugby World Cup, so it is an even bigger deal here.
Other Differences
1. Walking is a way of life here. I have often walked 30 minutes to go grocery shopping and the beach is 45 minutes from where I live. I suppose that’s typical of a big city.
2. When Kiwi’s go out, they dress up. Girls wear dresses and guys often wear ties. Open-toed shoes are not acceptable and bouncers are able to not allow you in due to what you are wearing.
3. In general, people dress up way more than they do back home.
4. The bars close when everyone in them decides to go home, which is often at 4 or 5 in the morning.
5. Some airports do not have any sort of security measure. This speaks volume as to how peaceful of a country I am in.
6. There are two buttons on toilets: 1 is for less water usage and 2 is for more water usage (I'm sure you all can figure the rest out).
7. The outlets here need to be turned on to be used; there's an actual switch on them.
School Differences
1. Kiwi's call school or college “Uni.” I have been around many people who have asked questions like “When does uni start” or “What uni are you going to.” It really does make quite a bit of sense if you think about it considering most college campuses back home are called universities and not college.
2. Classes are known as papers. This has been tough to get used to because people will ask me about something relating to papers and I automatically have a sudden moment of panic thinking I should be writing a paper.
3. Credits are called points. I haven’t figured out the logic behind it yet because “papers” that I have each week that meet less or worth more points which is just the opposite of the way things are in Wisconsin.
4. Each week, I have tutorials outside of my “papers.” These are small group sessions with older uni students where there is more discussion compared to lectures.
5. I have to read a lot here, apparently. Classes are just beginning so I am unsure what the work load will be, but every Kiwi I have met have said they actually read, whereas back home, I do not read.
Daily Interactions
1. Back home, when something is cool, we say “cool” or “sweet” or “awesome.” Here they say “sweet as” or “cool as.” This has been one of my most favorite parts of being in New Zealand.
2. They talk extremely fast. This sums it up pretty well and I am annoyed by how much I have had to ask someone to repeat themselves. They also talk much quieter. I’m catching on quick luckily and everyone here thinks I have a “sweet as” accent.
3. They have a playful way of harassing Australians, or Aussie’s. There appears to be a big rivalry.
4. Everyone here is friends. While at a bar on Sunday, we joined another table because they had room at it. That would never happen back in the US.
5. Some people greet friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek. This could mean nothing or something so you can imagine my confusion if I am ever in this predicament.
6. No one gets worked up about anything, everyone I’ve met has been very relaxed, always looking to have fun, and slightly on the crazy side in terms of wanting to make things more exciting or thrilling.
7. When eating at a café or grabbing coffee (which the coffee and café selection here is huge), you do not clear your dishes. You just leave them on the table.
8. Different word choices:
-reckon=think
-jobs=chores
-barbie=barbeque
-sandals=jandals
-after thank you, they say “It’s alright”
-bro=good friend or brother
-Kiwi’s=citizen of New Zealand
-trolley=shopping cart
-Wellywood=Wellington
-park=parking spot
-bin or rubbish bin=trash can
Differences in Infrastructure/Money/Tax/Sports
1. They drive on the other side of the road. This is so confusing, and I always have to look right first when crossing the street. There are a lot of one way streets in Wellington which has made crossing the street a little safer to me.
2. They also walk on the left side of the street, which is taking some getting used to. It makes sense because we walk on the right back home.
3. They use a lot of round-a-bouts. I haven’t seen too many stop signs since I have been in New Zealand.
4. Metrics is used here. I am still adjusting to a temperature scale, defining distance in terms of kilometers, and measuring out groceries in terms of grams or kilograms. Luckily, the ghetto phone I got has a conversion setting on it.
5. Tax is included and rounding is used when purchasing goods or items. If my grocery bill came to $58.73, I would pay $58.70. If something says it is $4, like a coffee for example, you pay $4.
6. One dollar bills are not used here. Rather, there are $2 and $1 coins. The smallest coin is a 10 cent piece.
7. Tipping is not a custom here. However, I recently learned that if you tip a bartender, they may make your drinks stronger or slip you a free drink at some point in the night.
8. The country is not politically correct in any way. For example, many things are provocative in nature. When going on tours, the tour guides have cracked a lot of sexual jokes. You do not see this back home, and many people would consider it inappropriate.
9. Back home, the world stops on Sunday’s for football. Here, well, Rugby trumps everything. The All Blacks just won the Rugby World Cup, so it is an even bigger deal here.
Other Differences
1. Walking is a way of life here. I have often walked 30 minutes to go grocery shopping and the beach is 45 minutes from where I live. I suppose that’s typical of a big city.
2. When Kiwi’s go out, they dress up. Girls wear dresses and guys often wear ties. Open-toed shoes are not acceptable and bouncers are able to not allow you in due to what you are wearing.
3. In general, people dress up way more than they do back home.
4. The bars close when everyone in them decides to go home, which is often at 4 or 5 in the morning.
5. Some airports do not have any sort of security measure. This speaks volume as to how peaceful of a country I am in.
6. There are two buttons on toilets: 1 is for less water usage and 2 is for more water usage (I'm sure you all can figure the rest out).
7. The outlets here need to be turned on to be used; there's an actual switch on them.
Friday, March 2, 2012
First Week in Wellington
I arrived in Wellington on Sunday afternoon. It was a waiting game at the airport for my shuttle, but it was well worth the wait. I arrived at my flat around 4 and met two of my three roommates right away. Casey is from Arkansas and Dan is from Pennsylvania. So far, they have been great and I'm looking forward to getting to know them more. My last roommate arrived later Monday evening. His name is Zane and he's from New York. I haven't talked to him as much as I have talked to Casey and Dan, but he is very friendly and excited to be here.
A lot of the people I met during the BCP last week were jealous when I told them that I'd be living in Wai-te-ata. Supposedly they are the best international student accommodations offered through Victoria. Since being here for only a few days, I can see why people were so jealous. I have also learned that I am also in the best flat because it has the best view. It's incredible to walk by my living room every morning and see a sunrise and every evening to see the city all lit up. I feel blessed and I know I will already miss that view when I leave in July. Also, to make things even better, I live right next to the campus gym and right next to the campus where all of my classes will be. Can life possibly get any better for me here?
Wellington is a beautiful city and there is so much to do here. I have spent this week becoming acquainted with the city. I have already discovered some cool shops and delicious cafes; it feels as though I already have my favorite places to eat and shop. Everything here is steep, and when I say steep, I think steep is an understatement. I think I am going to have calves and buns of steel by the time I head home to the states. I am debating if I even need to join the gym since I have over 100 stairs to climb from my level of the city to the bottom level of the city. There are various staircases that can be taken into the city, or very steep hills that aren't fun to walk up or down.
It has been tough to accept the differences of prices of basically everything compared to the USA. For example, the cheapest I have seen shampoo has been about $6, mascara is $20-25, and food is at least double what it is back home. For example, my cereal costs me about $6 for a box. Luckily, this week is O-week (orientation week) and I have been able to get a lot of free food at events around campus, including two ice cream cones most importantly. On Sunday's there is a huge farmer's market. From what I hear I can get my week's supply of fruits, veggies, breads, and cheeses for about $20 to $30. I had to brave the grocery stores this week since I didn't arrive on time. Plus, a local bakery drops off day-old bread on campus every Wednesday and Friday. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I am getting and the less worried I am about the cost of living because of all of these random deals I keep hearing about. There is also a way to have groceries delivered which is supposedly much cheaper and convenient to not have to carry them 30 minutes up hills back to my flat each time.
As I mentioned, this week is O-week. I had an international student orientation on Tuesday where I was able to learn about different things the campus has to offer and register for my classes. NZ is about 5 years behind the USA in terms of internet (or so I hear) so I had to wait in line for 2 hours to register for classes. It wasn't too bad, but I felt bad for the people who had to enter in class’s student after student. It is crazy to think that I am officially a student here at the Victoria University of Wellington.
When planning to study abroad, I was focused on making this journey in my life a simple one. I spent a week and a half without my cell phone and loved the lack of stress that came with it. Since arriving in Wellington, I noticed how basically everyone had a cell phone. Despite not wanting to purchase one, I decided to get a pre-paid phone because it is hard to communicate with people without one. I spent a lot of my first couple days here on Facebook waiting to hear back from people to coordinate plans. The phone reminds me of the phone I got in 7th grade, and I haven't had to charge it once in the 4 days I've had it--I still have a full battery! It will be nice to have so I can easily make plans with people as well as feel a little safer when I'm out and about.
I start classes on Monday. Currently there is a severe weather warning due to heavy rain and 50+ mph winds. I do not think I will end up doing a ton this weekend because of the weather which saddens me. I'm looking forward to starting my classes and will post another blog in about a week to talk about how classes are going for me.
A lot of the people I met during the BCP last week were jealous when I told them that I'd be living in Wai-te-ata. Supposedly they are the best international student accommodations offered through Victoria. Since being here for only a few days, I can see why people were so jealous. I have also learned that I am also in the best flat because it has the best view. It's incredible to walk by my living room every morning and see a sunrise and every evening to see the city all lit up. I feel blessed and I know I will already miss that view when I leave in July. Also, to make things even better, I live right next to the campus gym and right next to the campus where all of my classes will be. Can life possibly get any better for me here?
Wellington is a beautiful city and there is so much to do here. I have spent this week becoming acquainted with the city. I have already discovered some cool shops and delicious cafes; it feels as though I already have my favorite places to eat and shop. Everything here is steep, and when I say steep, I think steep is an understatement. I think I am going to have calves and buns of steel by the time I head home to the states. I am debating if I even need to join the gym since I have over 100 stairs to climb from my level of the city to the bottom level of the city. There are various staircases that can be taken into the city, or very steep hills that aren't fun to walk up or down.
It has been tough to accept the differences of prices of basically everything compared to the USA. For example, the cheapest I have seen shampoo has been about $6, mascara is $20-25, and food is at least double what it is back home. For example, my cereal costs me about $6 for a box. Luckily, this week is O-week (orientation week) and I have been able to get a lot of free food at events around campus, including two ice cream cones most importantly. On Sunday's there is a huge farmer's market. From what I hear I can get my week's supply of fruits, veggies, breads, and cheeses for about $20 to $30. I had to brave the grocery stores this week since I didn't arrive on time. Plus, a local bakery drops off day-old bread on campus every Wednesday and Friday. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I am getting and the less worried I am about the cost of living because of all of these random deals I keep hearing about. There is also a way to have groceries delivered which is supposedly much cheaper and convenient to not have to carry them 30 minutes up hills back to my flat each time.
As I mentioned, this week is O-week. I had an international student orientation on Tuesday where I was able to learn about different things the campus has to offer and register for my classes. NZ is about 5 years behind the USA in terms of internet (or so I hear) so I had to wait in line for 2 hours to register for classes. It wasn't too bad, but I felt bad for the people who had to enter in class’s student after student. It is crazy to think that I am officially a student here at the Victoria University of Wellington.
When planning to study abroad, I was focused on making this journey in my life a simple one. I spent a week and a half without my cell phone and loved the lack of stress that came with it. Since arriving in Wellington, I noticed how basically everyone had a cell phone. Despite not wanting to purchase one, I decided to get a pre-paid phone because it is hard to communicate with people without one. I spent a lot of my first couple days here on Facebook waiting to hear back from people to coordinate plans. The phone reminds me of the phone I got in 7th grade, and I haven't had to charge it once in the 4 days I've had it--I still have a full battery! It will be nice to have so I can easily make plans with people as well as feel a little safer when I'm out and about.
I start classes on Monday. Currently there is a severe weather warning due to heavy rain and 50+ mph winds. I do not think I will end up doing a ton this weekend because of the weather which saddens me. I'm looking forward to starting my classes and will post another blog in about a week to talk about how classes are going for me.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
NZ: Bridging Cultures Program
I have only been in New Zealand for about a week, but it has already started to feel like home. In fact, I think New Zealand looks a lot like Wisconsin on a gorgeous summer day with the inclusion of some tropical trees. This past week I have been busy participating in the Bridging Cultures Program (BCP) that the program I am studying abroad through (AustraLearn) puts on for its participants. Here’s what this last week has all entailed for me. DISCLAIMER: Not all of my weeks in New Zealand will be this exciting.
The plane ride was approximately 12 hours and I didn’t sleep the greatest, but the free wine and ice cream given to me really helped in keeping me happy. Unfortunately I didn’t have a window seat so you can probably imagine my excitement when I felt the plane officially land. After exchanging some money, picking up my bags, and going through customs I was able to meet two of my group leaders for the week: Ella and Gavin. Our rooms were not ready because it was only 8:30 a.m. so we “killed” time by visiting Mt. Eden. I’m not entirely sure if it was a former volcano or a giant hole of some sort. It looked like a giant hole, but the coolest part of it all was that we were able to overlook Auckland. Seeing the landscape of New Zealand was something highly anticipated on my end so I was thrilled to get a view so quickly. After grabbing my first bite to eat (a BLAT Sandwich: Bacon, Lettuce, Avacado, & Tomato) at a small café a block away from our hotel, we were able to check into our hotel. A shower has never felt so good at any other point in my life especially after carrying around my “mobile” home for over an hour, and I packed light!
We had our first session at the University of Otago where we were able to learn more facts about New Zealand. The Prime Minister is John Key; The All Blacks are the World Champion Rugby World Cup team from New Zealand; and there are 9 sheep for every one person. To be honest, the session was boring because I already had to research a lot of this as a requirement to study abroad through UW-La Crosse. After the session we had an amazing Italian meal at a restaurant called La Porchetta. I somehow managed to misread the ingredients of my spaghetti and was not pleasantly surprised to find muscles, squid, and clam in it. Luckily, the personal pizza’s everyone else ordered were equivalent to a medium pizza in the states so I did not go hungry.
On Wednesday we left Auckland around 8 a.m. for Rotorua which was about a four hour bus ride. What better way to see this country than to drive through it?! I honestly feel like I am not even in a different country, rather I am on a completely different planet. This place is beyond gorgeous. The hostel we checked in at was the KiwiPaka and I was surprised by how nice it was. I never have had a hostel experience prior to this week and it’s been positive. After check-in we had another boring session about culture shock, which I’ve heard about 13 times now since I decided to study abroad so I’ve got it down pretty good at this point. We also learned the Haka, which is the Maori war dance. The Maori are the native people of New Zealand. We also visited Blue Lake in Rotorua which was beautiful, like everything else is here.
Thursday was adventure day. I was able to go in an ogo, which is a giant ball filled with hot water. Once in the ogo, we were rolled down a hill. It was “sweet as” like everyone says here. Who would have thought warm water and a giant ball could allow a girl to have so much fun? After ogoing, I was able to go white water rafting for the first time ever. We went on the Rangitaiki River. It rained the entire time which made the experience surreal when we were not going through rapids. I am so glad I went. I was beyond terrified once the safety talk was finished and honestly felt like I was going to die. They gave all the worst case scenarios in this talk so you can imagine my fear. Our rafting guide, Joel, was super cool and it was awesome hearing his stories from rafting all around the world. Thursday night we visited a Maori Village which was unique. We had to be accepted to come into the village by the chief before experiencing educational stations on their culture, watching traditional performances consisting of song and dance, and eating a traditional meal. The experience was cool and it made me even more thankful for my culture.
On Friday I was able to explore Waitomo Caves. I chose the Tuma Tuma Toobing Adventure package which involved seeing glow worms and going black water rafting. It was beyond cool; caves have always fascinated me. Our tour guides, Chris and Ryan, were really cool. Everyone in NZ so far has been welcoming, relaxed, and fun. We stopped at a water hole outside of Rotorua on our way back. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my suit on anymore so I didn’t go. I feel like it will be something I will always regret not “living in the moment” at the time I was there. I mean who needs a suit? My clothes would have been just fine. Friday was a fun night out as well, although drinks here are anywhere from $7 to $10. I am not in NZ to drink; I am here to travel, learn, and experience a different culture.
Saturday was our volunteering day. We trimmed brush in areas were the Kokako bird is found. It’s a native bird of New Zealand that is nearly extinct. It was a neat experience to be a part of and wished I could have seen one of the birds. It is always sad to me that more people do not make an effort to prevent losing beautiful animals that fill our world. We had one last session on Saturday afternoon and then had about 4 hours to ourselves. I chose to explore the hot water springs that were in Rotorua. They were pretty neat, and the smell wasn’t all that bad. The Bridging Cultures Program concluded with a fun talent show. We left today (Sunday) for the airport and I’m officially in Wellington. My next blog post will provide more details about attending school here and what my new home is like. I’m anxious to get out and explore Wellington.
The plane ride was approximately 12 hours and I didn’t sleep the greatest, but the free wine and ice cream given to me really helped in keeping me happy. Unfortunately I didn’t have a window seat so you can probably imagine my excitement when I felt the plane officially land. After exchanging some money, picking up my bags, and going through customs I was able to meet two of my group leaders for the week: Ella and Gavin. Our rooms were not ready because it was only 8:30 a.m. so we “killed” time by visiting Mt. Eden. I’m not entirely sure if it was a former volcano or a giant hole of some sort. It looked like a giant hole, but the coolest part of it all was that we were able to overlook Auckland. Seeing the landscape of New Zealand was something highly anticipated on my end so I was thrilled to get a view so quickly. After grabbing my first bite to eat (a BLAT Sandwich: Bacon, Lettuce, Avacado, & Tomato) at a small café a block away from our hotel, we were able to check into our hotel. A shower has never felt so good at any other point in my life especially after carrying around my “mobile” home for over an hour, and I packed light!
We had our first session at the University of Otago where we were able to learn more facts about New Zealand. The Prime Minister is John Key; The All Blacks are the World Champion Rugby World Cup team from New Zealand; and there are 9 sheep for every one person. To be honest, the session was boring because I already had to research a lot of this as a requirement to study abroad through UW-La Crosse. After the session we had an amazing Italian meal at a restaurant called La Porchetta. I somehow managed to misread the ingredients of my spaghetti and was not pleasantly surprised to find muscles, squid, and clam in it. Luckily, the personal pizza’s everyone else ordered were equivalent to a medium pizza in the states so I did not go hungry.
On Wednesday we left Auckland around 8 a.m. for Rotorua which was about a four hour bus ride. What better way to see this country than to drive through it?! I honestly feel like I am not even in a different country, rather I am on a completely different planet. This place is beyond gorgeous. The hostel we checked in at was the KiwiPaka and I was surprised by how nice it was. I never have had a hostel experience prior to this week and it’s been positive. After check-in we had another boring session about culture shock, which I’ve heard about 13 times now since I decided to study abroad so I’ve got it down pretty good at this point. We also learned the Haka, which is the Maori war dance. The Maori are the native people of New Zealand. We also visited Blue Lake in Rotorua which was beautiful, like everything else is here.
Thursday was adventure day. I was able to go in an ogo, which is a giant ball filled with hot water. Once in the ogo, we were rolled down a hill. It was “sweet as” like everyone says here. Who would have thought warm water and a giant ball could allow a girl to have so much fun? After ogoing, I was able to go white water rafting for the first time ever. We went on the Rangitaiki River. It rained the entire time which made the experience surreal when we were not going through rapids. I am so glad I went. I was beyond terrified once the safety talk was finished and honestly felt like I was going to die. They gave all the worst case scenarios in this talk so you can imagine my fear. Our rafting guide, Joel, was super cool and it was awesome hearing his stories from rafting all around the world. Thursday night we visited a Maori Village which was unique. We had to be accepted to come into the village by the chief before experiencing educational stations on their culture, watching traditional performances consisting of song and dance, and eating a traditional meal. The experience was cool and it made me even more thankful for my culture.
On Friday I was able to explore Waitomo Caves. I chose the Tuma Tuma Toobing Adventure package which involved seeing glow worms and going black water rafting. It was beyond cool; caves have always fascinated me. Our tour guides, Chris and Ryan, were really cool. Everyone in NZ so far has been welcoming, relaxed, and fun. We stopped at a water hole outside of Rotorua on our way back. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my suit on anymore so I didn’t go. I feel like it will be something I will always regret not “living in the moment” at the time I was there. I mean who needs a suit? My clothes would have been just fine. Friday was a fun night out as well, although drinks here are anywhere from $7 to $10. I am not in NZ to drink; I am here to travel, learn, and experience a different culture.
Saturday was our volunteering day. We trimmed brush in areas were the Kokako bird is found. It’s a native bird of New Zealand that is nearly extinct. It was a neat experience to be a part of and wished I could have seen one of the birds. It is always sad to me that more people do not make an effort to prevent losing beautiful animals that fill our world. We had one last session on Saturday afternoon and then had about 4 hours to ourselves. I chose to explore the hot water springs that were in Rotorua. They were pretty neat, and the smell wasn’t all that bad. The Bridging Cultures Program concluded with a fun talent show. We left today (Sunday) for the airport and I’m officially in Wellington. My next blog post will provide more details about attending school here and what my new home is like. I’m anxious to get out and explore Wellington.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Six Simple Rules for Life By John Maxwell
A five-year old slugger smacks the baseball out into the field and sprints toward third base. A tiny midfielder, playing her first soccer match, reaches down and scoops into her arms the ball rolling through the green grass toward her.A small child on the basketball court receives a pass from a teammate and excitedly races to the hoop…without remembering to dribble. If you’ve ever coached a children’s sports team, then you know the importance of explaining the simple rules of the game. Initially, chaos and confusion reign supreme as children accustomed themselves to unfamiliar regulations. Yet over time, the once-confusing rules become second nature, and the kids play together without even having to think about them.
RULES TO LIVE BY
Playing a sport without knowing the rules leads to chaos, confusion, and even can result in injury. Likewise, going through life without a reliable set of rules gives rise to disorder, dissatisfaction, and even harm. In this lesson, I’d like to share six simple rules that have helped me to navigate life. I hope they provide you with food for thought as you consider, or reevaluate, the rules you live by.
RULE #1: Put family first.
Lots of leaders give lip service to putting family first, but they don’t actually practice giving their spouse or kids top priority. What does it mean to put family first? For me, it involves redefining success. I do not measure my success in terms of career accomplishments. For me, success is when those closest to me love and respect me the most. Practically speaking, I make sure to schedule time with loved ones before setting my work calendar. It’s far more important for me to give prime time to my family than to “get ahead” by working overtime.
RULE #2: Follow the Golden Rule.
As followers, we universally ask three questions about our leaders: 1) Do they care for me? 2) Can they help me? 3) Can I trust them?As a leader, regularly pose those same questions to yourself—Am I caring? Am I helping? Am I reliable?—as a reminder to treat others the way you would like to treated.
RULE #3: Take care of yourself.
Doing something for yourself is not a selfish act; it’s a sustaining act. In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relation of work to one’s other responsibilities:Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them—work, family, health, friends and spirit
and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls—family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.I’ve learned the importance of this rule the hard way—through the trauma of a heart attack. If you’re not carving out time to rest and replenish, to exercise, and to monitor your spiritual wellbeing, then eventually you’ll breakdown. When that happens you’re no good to
anyone.
RULE #4: Choose a positive attitude.
Happiness cannot be won, bought, or brought to you by another person. Rather, it results from a conscious choice to be grateful for our blessings and to make the best of life’s letdowns. Whatever happens to us, we always have control of one thing: our attitude.
RULE #5: Have a personal growth plan.
The key to personal growth is to have a beginner’s mindset. Beginners admit they don’t know everything and proceed accordingly. As a general rule, they’re open and humble, noticeably lacking in the rigidity that often accompanies experience and achievement.
RULE #6: Give more than you receive.
Everyone must ask for help at some point along the journey of life, but each person also has an inborn need to serve others. When I stopped trying to extract value from the people around me, and instead began searching for ways to add value, my influence soared.
RULES TO LIVE BY
Playing a sport without knowing the rules leads to chaos, confusion, and even can result in injury. Likewise, going through life without a reliable set of rules gives rise to disorder, dissatisfaction, and even harm. In this lesson, I’d like to share six simple rules that have helped me to navigate life. I hope they provide you with food for thought as you consider, or reevaluate, the rules you live by.
RULE #1: Put family first.
Lots of leaders give lip service to putting family first, but they don’t actually practice giving their spouse or kids top priority. What does it mean to put family first? For me, it involves redefining success. I do not measure my success in terms of career accomplishments. For me, success is when those closest to me love and respect me the most. Practically speaking, I make sure to schedule time with loved ones before setting my work calendar. It’s far more important for me to give prime time to my family than to “get ahead” by working overtime.
RULE #2: Follow the Golden Rule.
As followers, we universally ask three questions about our leaders: 1) Do they care for me? 2) Can they help me? 3) Can I trust them?As a leader, regularly pose those same questions to yourself—Am I caring? Am I helping? Am I reliable?—as a reminder to treat others the way you would like to treated.
RULE #3: Take care of yourself.
Doing something for yourself is not a selfish act; it’s a sustaining act. In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relation of work to one’s other responsibilities:Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them—work, family, health, friends and spirit
and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls—family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.I’ve learned the importance of this rule the hard way—through the trauma of a heart attack. If you’re not carving out time to rest and replenish, to exercise, and to monitor your spiritual wellbeing, then eventually you’ll breakdown. When that happens you’re no good to
anyone.
RULE #4: Choose a positive attitude.
Happiness cannot be won, bought, or brought to you by another person. Rather, it results from a conscious choice to be grateful for our blessings and to make the best of life’s letdowns. Whatever happens to us, we always have control of one thing: our attitude.
RULE #5: Have a personal growth plan.
The key to personal growth is to have a beginner’s mindset. Beginners admit they don’t know everything and proceed accordingly. As a general rule, they’re open and humble, noticeably lacking in the rigidity that often accompanies experience and achievement.
RULE #6: Give more than you receive.
Everyone must ask for help at some point along the journey of life, but each person also has an inborn need to serve others. When I stopped trying to extract value from the people around me, and instead began searching for ways to add value, my influence soared.
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