Study Abroad Trip: New Zealand
- LoAroundTheGlobo
- May 13, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 24
May 2014
After my freshman year of college at the best school on Earth (the University of South Carolina), I went on a "Maymester" study abroad program to New Zealand for two weeks. It certainly flew by, but we enjoyed every single moment of it.
About 15 students from UofSC's Darla Moore School of Business were set to travel to the North Island of New Zealand and learn real-world business practices, with the main objectives of the program including meetings with various New Zealand business executives that were either testing out marketing strategies or launching new products/services.
These "meetings" included a trip to a local ice-cream manufacturer, where we adventured around and immersed ourselves in the ice cream manufacturing plant, carving out time to taste test. the product, of course. In between these meetings and our accompanying course work, we adventured around the cities where we were staying, met locals, and explored the nightlife.
On one particular evening after Googling "popular clubs in Auckland," we stumbled up to a building with huge doors and large brass handles called the "White House" that displayed in the foyer a 10 x 12 foot painting of none other than former U.S. President Bill Clinton. We unwittingly but soon realized we'd stumbled into a gentlemen's club... quite a different vibe from the night out of innocent dancing and drinking that we were hoping for. We laughed our way out of there, down the presidential staircase, cracking up to ourselves for the rest of the trip about this mishap we couldn't share with our program leaders.
As for the city itself, Auckland is a beautiful town, and very clean. The Kiwis were all very friendly and kind, and the views were gorgeous as it's situated right on the water. One night, we made reservations to dine at this fancy-shmancy restaurant perched on the top of New Zealand's own Space Needle that spun ever so slightly to provide 360 degree views of the city. The other days in Auckland, we walked around, visited the world-renowned zoo and aquarium, and enjoyed all the yummy cuisine that the city has to offer.
From the Auckland port, we took a ferry ride across the harbor one day to a volcanic island known for its caves and scenic views, and this was so so cool. We hiked for a few hours on the island, and bopped in and out of caves, some of which were almost a quarter mile long from one end to the other, narrow enough at certain points that we shimmied through single-file. My claustrophobia didn't kick in thankfully, but perhaps we can chock that up to the tequila sunrises enjoyed at breakfast (but who's to know)!
We also hiked to some other beautiful spots including the main volcano and a park perched overlooking the water, so serene and beautiful that you'd think you're at Heaven's doors. We were also able to explore around this other beautiful park that had some gardens and a gorgeous view of Auckland's skyline from across the harbor. It really was a cool, laid-back metropolis and the late-summer weather was perfect to us the whole time.
So we then embarked towards Wellington, on the south-end of the North Island, and made some pretty awesome pitstops along the way: yet another volcano(!), some waterfalls, and a teeny farm town where we stayed the night in a motel with no electricity. It was chilly, but the liquor jackets and laughs from stupid card games kept us warm through the night. While out in these rural parts, we visited a family-owned farm business, in which the owners proudly showed us their herding dogs in action and the property's lush greenery.
When we finally made it to Wellington, we were all floored by its quaintness and fairytale-like effervescence. We met with some business executives there from a tourism company, who were so engaging and appreciative of our help, who went on to share many fun facts about their adorable hometown. We then sat on a rooftop with our program leader, sipping wine and munching on cheese, as the sun sunk down between the mountains where Wellington is nestled in the valley.
Here, we also went to a movie museum as New Zealand is a very popular location for movie production (think "Hobbiton" for all you "Lord of the Rings" fans) as its diverse topography offers some fascinating and unique panoramas. We also did this random adventure where we got into waders and fed eels in the creek of a nature reserve. The eels were technically wild but knew to go there at set times because of the feedings. I don't really even remember why we were there or where we even were, but obviously I stood down there and fed these creepy water monsters.
And of course we couldn't leave New Zealand without learning about its indigenous population, namely the Maori people. If you haven't heard of the Haka Dance before, just know that it is one of the coolest things to witness. It's essentially a ceremonial performance that includes posturing, dancing, stomping, and coordinated chanting with specific facial expressions. We were able to witness this by a group of young men, and we were also shown a traditional Maori dance performed by a group of young women, all of whom donned the beautiful and ornate attire of this indigenous population.
The MOST memorable thing about this trip, however, is the fact that I went bungee jumping! New Zealand is the unofficial bungee jumping capital of the world, so I knew that we'd have the opportunity, but I wasn't convinced I'd actually do it. The only way I convinced myself to follow through was to go tandem with our program leader, whom I'd become friends with during our time there, somewhat attributable to the fact that he shared the same first and last name (with matching spelling) as my then-step-dad. He agreed to do it with me on one condition: that I didn't scream in his ear.
Well (of course) I didn't honor that, but not on purpose. We were strapped in, and standing at the edge of this dangling platform over a ravine where we were set to plummet towards this supposedly deep, bending river. There was the option to dunk into, graze, or avoid the water, and seeing as the people who chose to "graze" the water ended up getting dunked, we selected not to touch the water, hoping the calculations would hold up for us. (How crazy to think that these inaccuracies about the bungee cord's slack didn't deter me from doing it!)
So anyway, Tim and I were strapped in and standing on the ledge - of the platform and our sanity. We're side-by-side as we're given the countdown, then the world went black for a few moments. I came to, koala-bear hugging Tim, full-on screeching in his ear, and momentarily terrified I'd pee at any second. But just like that... we gently reached the end of the slack and bounced towards the water several times before the small boat freed us from our upside-down positioning. It was honestly one of the wildest things I've ever done in my life, but I'd do it 100 more times if I could.
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To Do or Not To Do?
Yes, yes, yes, do it!!!! New Zealand is one of the coolest places I've ever visited. It's obviously pretty outdoorsy, as we did a ton of hiking, trekking, caving, and such, but it also has anything else you'd be interested in, too, like cityscapes, cultural activities, and delicious food!
I definitely recommend everyone visit at some point but prepare to be floored by its natural beauty, so distinct with volcanic activity, and so taken care of by its eco-friendly population. It truly is one of the most unique places I've ever been, partly because of its gorgeous landscapes, but even more so because of its interesting culture.
To me, New Zealand is like the unproblematic kid: liked by all, basically minds its own business, but is open and friendly to everyone. So pack your hiking boots, your water bottle, your sunscreen, and your taste for adventure. This country will not disappoint. I'm ready to go back already, and next time I want to explore the South Island.
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