Blog

Touchdown in Australia! I think I can speak for us all when I say we were all pretty anxious to arrive to begin our adventures with the completely charming and winsome “land down under .” As we slowly begin to learn culture and the lingo, we are yet to see a dingo! The long plane put me in the mindset of ancient voyagers. The flight was long and intense at times but it ‘twas the start of our journey. We were greeted with the most cheerful and wonderful attitudes. Everyo… Read more

Yesterday was one of the best days of the trip so far. Beforehand, I had no idea what to expect. Everyone else was excited and mentioned how Steve Irwin was very influential to them during their childhood. They explained to me how Steve Irwin would wrestle with crocodiles and live life on the edge. I was definitely intrigued, but I still thought that the Australia Zoo would be the same as any other zoo in the world. And I’m glad to say that I was wrong.  Upon entering t… Read more

G’day mates,   This week was a week of “firsts” for us. Our adventure began as soon as we arrived to the airport. Team work was a necessity from the beginning. Jamming bags into a tiny trailer and grocery shopping for fourteen people on a budget were only two of the first challenges that we were faced with. After landing at Point Lookout and beginning orientation, we shared giggles, meals, and made memories. After being flooded with rain, we embarked on a new journey to… Read more

Hey, I'm jack from robin hood country England (Nottinghamshire)! I'm super excited to be leading the New Zealand & Australia Semester this Spring. I'm into everything outdoors, mostly hiking, climbing and mountain biking. At the moment I am loving spending lots of time in New Zealand - its so varied with such beautiful landscapes and friendly people. Travelling the world is amazing as it offers so many chances to take stock and remind ourselves of the wonders this pla… Read more

Concerning Humans: Ever flowing is the pen,  Pouring one's heart onto the page Like water down a mountainside.  Then the rivers pens have made,  Form rapids, ponds, lakes,  And oceans, from a simple swipe.  In each pen stroke lies a story, A trial, a journey, a quest From mountaintop to riverbed, From A to B through a canyon, To find a seat at the base of a tree And pause.  Each stroke of ink, a gust of wind That conjures the waves we ride to shore For dri… Read more

GillianNever in a million years did I expect to go skydiving. I am so happy I was given the opportunity to go because I was able to face my fear and was extremely proud of myself.Foster One of my highlights was the time we spent at surfaris. I loved the relaxed vibe and of course Ben and Sandra. I also got really into surfing, which is something I'd never done beforeStephen A special highlight in the trip was watching all my close pals stand up on a surfboard for the fir… Read more

End of trip reflection.Trudging into the airport Gigantic duffels set heavily on our shoulders Filled with not only with clothes and gear But the nerves, excitement and apprehension That served as a constant reminder of the unknown we were about to enter That was 70 days ago 70 days pushing ourselves Toeing the thin line that was our comfort zone 70 days of trying new things Of enjoying each other’s company (or not)   The sparkling white sands at Byron Bay Th… Read more

This past week, the group embarked on a backpacking trip through the Tableland Circuit in Kahurangi National Park. Armed with not enough toilet paper and too much peanut butter (among other things), the team walked about 25-30 miles during these four days, many of which were at a steep incline. For meals, the group split up into 3 cook crews; my group consisted of me (Sam), Jaipal, Zephyr, and Harm. For breakfast, we had oatmeal and granola; for lunch, I had peanut butte… Read more

On Monday Alex and Chloe told us how to pack our bags so it was easy accessible throughout the hike. We packed our sleeping bags on the bottom, then our spare clothes (underwear, socks, spare thermals) in between. Then on top we put in all the camping necessities like our trangias, our tents supplies and all of our food for the next 4 days. On Monday night we were all very nervous but very excited because we didn’t know what was going to come. On Tuesday morning we head… Read more

NZA group C has fallen in love with New Zealand and we’re only a little over a week in. At the beginning of the week, we got our nerd on in Hobbiton where The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were filmed. From there, we made our way down to Rotorua, where we would be staying in the Rangitihi memorial meeting house. We got to experience a traditional welcoming ceremony with the Chief and his daughter. We touched noses and foreheads with the Chief in traditional Maori greetin… Read more