It’s 9 a.m. Another day in beautiful, somewhat sunny Dunedin. I grab my coffee and head to my first lecture of the week. As I open my Earth and Ocean Science notes, I write the date for today’s class: 8/03/26.
At first, it doesn’t hit me. Our professor begins talking about the plate tectonics that run through New Zealand and how they have played their part in creating the gorgeous landscape that seems to surround me everywhere I go. Then, I realize. Today marks exactly a month to the day since I landed in Aotearoa.
It’s a weird feeling. It feels like yesterday that I was saying bye to my mom at the airport and embarking on the treacherous, nearly 30-hour journey to arrive in Queenstown. At the same time, so much has happened in this past month that I can’t nearly come close to describing it all. But I can try my best!
I don’t think I will ever forget that first moment, stepping out of the airport in Queenstown. It had been a looong journey, and I was nervous. “What is this going to look like? What if I get there and everybody has made friends already?” Immediately, though, all of the fear and stress melted away as soon as I walked out the airport’s sliding doors, where I was struck with the indescribable New Zealand landscape in its full force. It felt like I had just landed on an entirely different planet, and I was about to embark on a quest to explore as much of it as I could.
The Remarkables mountain range looming over Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, as seen from the backyard of our hotel!
The entire first week in Queenstown felt like a dream. Nearly 50 American students staying in a beautiful resort with numerous events planned out for us, ranging from a cruise through the magnificent fjords of Milford Sound to learning the Ka Mate Haka with Tiki Edwards, a coach for the Maori All Blacks rugby team.
For our scheduled free day, I went exploring in the mountains with a group of my new friends and hit up the famous FergBurger afterwards for one of the most satisfying meals of my entire life. Everything – apart from watching the Patriots get blown out in the Super Bowl in an Irish bar filled with 49ers fans from Australia – was incredible. Alas, we reached the end of an action-packed four days of orientation, and it was time to pack my bags again and head to my home destination: Dunedin and the University of Otago.
Hiking above the clouds (and enjoying the view with a chirpy friend!).
Although Queenstown was unbelievable, I had the feeling that I was on a great vacation, and I was excited to get to Dunedin and to attempt to settle into a new routine, a fresh start. And so, 16 of us, along with three surfboards, crammed into a small van and headed off to our new home.
It has been three weeks now since settling into my new spot here in southeastern Otago, and it has been action-packed, nerve-wracking, exciting, and scary all at once. Throughout my travels, I have found that this period is always the most up-and-down time of a long-term trip or move. You’re meeting new people and trying new things every day, but you also have moments of doubt, where you think, “Is this really worth it? Why am I here and not settled back home, where I already have friends, family, and a set life?” How do you get over these thoughts and make your time in a new place positive? I don’t think there is one correct answer. I can give some of my thoughts, though.
For one, try to keep yourself busy. Whether it's joining clubs, going for walks, or finding new hobbies, all of these can help you stay in the present and enjoy what's in front of you, rather than thinking about what you left behind. Another big thing is to talk to people. Chat with others, whether it's a quick call with your parents or a random stranger you meet at a cafe; these small interactions can make you feel much less isolated in a new place. Stepping outside of your comfort zone won’t always be easy, but that’s what makes the journey ever so rewarding.
Clouds blanketed the rolling hills of Dunedin on my first day in the city.
Overall, three weeks into Dunedin, I am already beginning to feel much more settled. Although I have had some crazy adventures – such as tramping through Arthur’s Pass National Park and desperately climbing up to a random hut in the mountains right as 60 mph winds were preparing to sweep me away – I have also begun to learn the city of Dunedin and enjoy its intricacies, like the Saturday morning Parkrun through the botanic gardens, where hundreds of members of the community of all ages gather weekly to enjoy nature at its finest, or playing soccer with local Kiwis on what is probably the most beautiful football pitch I have laid my eyes on.
Although the time seems to be flying by, I have a lot planned for the near future, and I am looking forward to learning, experiencing, and enjoying as much as I possibly can over these next three months, so stay tuned!