I hate packing. After a few hours of trying to play Tetris with the stuff in my suitcase, I’m ready to just give up and get going.
But nope, there’s two big piles standing between me and the door. One pile is the stuff I’m leaving in California, the place where I’ve spent the last two-and-a-half years going to school and losing my ability to withstand cold weather. And the other is for home on the East Coast, and the adventure that awaits after my long winter break.
I’m studying abroad in New Zealand in the spring. I can’t say I know much about the place except that the Lord of the Rings lives there (just kidding), there’s a lot of sheep, and people are obsessed with rugby. But hey, that all sounds good to me, and I’ve been itching to get out of the dry and sprawling city that I go to school in.
I hope you’ll join me for the adventure. Why?
My blog won’t be a boring recollection of every touristy attraction I hit up. There might be some stories from my experiences and there might be some general travel hacks, but otherwise, I want it to be about the people I meet.
A lot of people who study abroad and only end up getting closer with other students studying abroad there. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I think there’s tremendous more value in getting to know the local people.
That’s why I made a goal for myself. Every single day I’m going to try to meet one new kiwi, or New Zealander, and write about them.
So I already know one thing that must go in my New Zealand pile–my laptop. My familiarity and comfort with the friends I have? I’m leaving that in California.