Me on rope swing at Lake Hayes in Queenstown

Author: Prezley Strait | Majors: Physics, Math | Semester: Spring 2023

This semester I spent 18 weeks studying at the University of Auckland in New Zealand through Arcadia Abroad. While there I worked towards my physics degree and conducted independent research for my Honors thesis. I chose this program in New Zealand because I wanted to travel somewhere adventurous that I could explore while continuing my academic pursuits. Since it’s not easy to get all the way across the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand, I chose to enroll in a lighter load of classes to give me free time to experience as much as possible. Courses at the University of Auckland are modeled after the British system of schooling, emphasizing less coursework and more independent study. With less assignments and exams to worry about, my schedule was fairly flexible, allowing me to take advantage of my time in Auckland. However, less coursework also made it easy to slack off -which almost came back to bite me, but I was able to grind out my courses before finals.

Located in the central business district of the city, the University of Auckland has a beautiful campus with an extremely diverse population of students slightly bigger than the University of Arkansas. As someone who is half Pacific-Islander/Asian it was very refreshing taking classes in an environment with other Pacific-Islanders and students from all over the world. I was given the unique opportunity to take a class in Pacific Studies (PACIFIC 100), covering Pacific cultures, traditions, and stories from an indigenous framework of knowledge. Some of the topics we discussed include Pacific settlement, language, dance, taonga, gender in Oceania, and voyaging (which I will be doing my thesis over). A key element that made this course so valuable was the discussion of New Zealand and Oceania culture in the context of colonialism. The University and the country as a whole does not shy away from discussing New Zealand’s colonial legacy and its effect upon indigenous Maori people and society. As of the 1980s, New Zealand experienced a civil rights movement involving decolonization efforts such as indigenous land reclamation, economic and social empowerment, and addressing racism towards Pacific peoples. I found it very interesting to learn about New Zealand history and its social protest movements as it’s something you’d never learn, much less become aware of in an American education.

Drone shot of Coromandel taken by friend Zander Colman

Although I stayed in a flat near campus in the urban center of Auckland, I was able to get out of the city nearly every weekend and explore the country. As I quickly found out, the best way to see and experience New Zealand is through road trips. Some of the places I visited include Waiheke Island, Raglan (surf capital of NZ), Rotorua (a city with extreme geothermal activity), Coromandel, Queenstown, Dunedin, and Te Anau. Some of the most fun I had in New Zealand was during our mid-semester break where I road tripped the South Island with three of my good friends I met there. For about a week straight we explored beaches, mountains, massive lakes, and rainforests, camping in tents and staying in hostels all throughout the south. When traveling I got to take part in super fun activities like surfing, hiking, skydiving, jumping in freezing cold lakes, swinging on the world’s biggest canyon swing, and legally enjoying a cold pint at pubs with my good buddies -all experiences that I’ll cherish forever. While it was mainly pictures of New Zealand’s crazy landscape that lured me into traveling there, they didn’t do justice in capturing the natural beauty of the country. However my good friend Zander, who happens to be a professional drone videographer, took some pretty cool pictures that do a decent job nonetheless.

I definitely recommend Arcadia’s program for studying abroad as they provided activities and support, which was especially helpful when first settling in. Although small, the program was always there to answer questions and make me feel a part of their study abroad community. They also gave me space to explore independently and learn about New Zealand on my own, which I greatly appreciated. Because English is spoken in New Zealand I had no troubles communicating with people and it was fairly easy to adjust to the culture. The only thing I struggled with was driving on the left side of the road. Also I wish I’d done a little more research about transportation in general before going because it took me a while to get the rental car process down. As I learned, through apps like Mevo, you are able to quickly rent cars by the hour which could have saved me time and money in the beginning of my study abroad. In regards to the independent nature of classes, it would be wise for any future New Zealand study abroad student to find designated time to study during the week. Even if there’s no assignments or exams, it’s important to stay on top of the class material so you don’t have to cram before finals like I did. Lastly, to make the best of your study abroad experience it’s important to be open and friendly to everyone you meet. Many other international students are just as new to the country as you are and are eager to explore, so it’s just a matter of finding your people. Also meeting locals is one of the best ways to learn about a country and the way of life. Although I miss New Zealand as a place, I miss the friends who shaped my experience there more.