In four days, it's impossible to gain a real understanding of a country. But you can collect pebble-sized samples of experiences, and put some into your pocket to take out and build upon on down the road. That was the idea of Orientation with Arcadia… More
It is incredible that just a week or so ago, being here in New Zealand seemed like a distant dream, and now I have NZ dollars in my wallet, a NZ phone number, and lots of Kiwi memories to treasure already! Traveling here was not as torturous as I thought… More
It's 7am, and the sun is just rising over Auckland. Nearly horizontal beams strike sharp, long shadows on the airport road and make golden halos around people's heads, who walk briskly with suitcases, greeting loved ones, waiting for a shuttle. I'm waiting… More
6 days. 6 days and over 8,000 miles are all that stand between my dream-come-true and I. Does it feel real? Nope. Not one bit. Everything still feels like a distant dream; a ‘someday’ kind of experience that maybe if I’m lucky I will get to do. Like… More
Two weeks from now, I’ll be in Lord of the Rings. Well, basically. Dunedin, New Zealand, where I’ll be studying for five months, is just a few hours away from the cerulean bays of Nelson, where Strider hid Frodo and the hobbits from Black Riders, and… More