The final part of the trip was in incredible! The day after we arrived in Wellington, we had the opportunity to take a ferry and go to Eastbourne, which was a little town across the Wellington Harbour. We stopped for gelato and the proceeded to hike. Though a little steep (nowhere as bad as the Bridle Path in Lyttelton), it was still a workout, with a surprise second incline making it even more work. However, the views were incredible as always, and afterwards we stopped and ate at a nice little French cafe.
The next day, we went to the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, which showcased incredible exhibits ranging from Māori culture to New Zealanders’ contributions to WW1. Afterwards, we went to Parliament and got to learn about the legislative process in New Zealand and the different subcommittees and procedures that allow New Zealand’s government to function. This was an incredible experience to see how a different government worked and the differences in how legislation is created and passed (or killed)!
Finally, on the last day of programs, we went to Victoria University and got to meet with other university students and converse. It was great getting to speak to other students my age, especially those with different experiences who grew up in a different country. The people in my group were from Nigeria, The Caribbean, and California (who moved to New Zealand when she was younger). Afterward, a group of us went to Weta Workshop, the design studio that makes a lot of the costumes, props, and special effects for numerous, famously for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit franchises. The entire place was astonishing! We got to see a little history of the studio, how props were made, and the different techniques used in prop design. The best part was hearing stories from filming, such as the pranks played, forced perspective used, how many thousands of hobbit feet needed to be made, the long days the dwarfs had because of their prosthetic ears and costumes, and even the small things such as how Sméagol’s eyes dilate when he switches from Gollum to Sméagol. Seeing the dedication, precision, and attention to detail when creating such large but impactful movies was such a rewarding experience!
Overall, I am still blown away by how much of an incredible experience I had. I will miss so much: the people, different cultures and perspectives, and the wide variety of food I got to try: from Italian to Asian cuisine to even fish and chips, it was all so delicious! The advice I would give would be to simply take the chance, say yes, and do it! Studying abroad is so worth it! I had so many incredible experiences and made memories I will forever cherish!
