Taking the Leap to Study in New Zealand; A Kiwi Ambassador

Like most millennials, I was bit by the travel bug young and it was strong! My first taste of international travel came when my family spent time in Jamaica. I immediately fell in love with the coastal vibe and the hospitality that seeped from every locals’ smile. Despite the economic struggles the country was going through, the people there made traveling internationally feel as welcoming as coming home. Since then, I couldn’t wait to set out again, this time on my own.

My choice to study in New Zealand was a no brainer. It has been at the top of my travel list for as long as I can remember. The first comment people make when I tell them that I want to go to New Zealand is always about The Lord of the Rings and the fact that it was filmed there. Honestly, until I told people about my interest in this country, I had never even heard of these films. Now I can’t escape them! (I’ve decided to save them for my long flight to help recapture my excitement when the inevitable flight jitters set in). People generally don’t realize how much New Zealand has to offer other than Lord of the Rings film sights. There’s so much more! The South Island alone where I will be studying has Queenstown, the adrenaline junkie capitol of the world! But what really drew me to New Zealand was the remarkable environment. Any landscape that you can think of, New Zealand has it. The respect and wonder for nature is immense, and unfortunately because I’m coming from a more urban environment, I’ve never been able to experience that before. I’m thrilled I’ll get the chance this spring.

Education-wise, I chose to study at the University of Otago. This university is the right choice for me because they offer classes in my fields, (business and hospitality) and, the location is in the South Island, the part of New Zealand I am most looking forward to exploring. I was lucky enough to speak to a former social media intern who also spent a semester at Otago, and she had nothing but positive things to say. New Zealand and Otago fit my needs and my passion for the best of New Zealand. While I’m there, I plan to explore as much as possible, my camera will never leave my side! There’s too much to capture, I have to take every opportunity to live in the moment I’ve been lucky enough to achieve, as well as make every student back home jealous! While I realize that not every moment will be dream-like, (homesickness is bound to affect me), I want to document it all. I plan to be honest about my experiences abroad to ensure that anyone thinking about New Zealand is as prepared as possible, but if they’re anything like me, they’ll understand that the lows are just as important as the highs, and what better place to experience some homesickness than New Zealand?