Here I am about halfway through my trip in Christchurch, New Zealand! The trip so far has been an absolute whirlwind in the best way. Our days have been absolutely jam-packed and I am exhausted each night when going to bed. While there absolutely have been some cultural differences I’ve had to get used to, they have mostly been little things that I am relatively comfortable with. However, I still have to think twice when crossing the streets since here in New Zealand they drive on the left side. It also took me about three instances of continuously running into people on the sidewalk in Auckland to realize that they walk on the left side as well. Something I have found to be harder than I expected was finding time where I can be alone. While I have made great friends on my trip, I am not used to having virtually no time to myself. What I have found helpful is to go to a cafe by myself in the mornings to have breakfast; I’ve gotten to have great conversations with locals while giving myself time to prepare for the day in my own way. Doing this, I have been able to fully enjoy what each day in this beautiful country has to offer. I think my favorite things so far have been all the hikes we’ve gotten to do (pictured is one I took on Waiheke island off the coast of Auckland). It’s been amazing to see the vastly different landscapes New Zealand has compared to the ones I see at home. I am super eager to see what else this wonderful trip has in store!
