Once I finished university and got settled in to a job, I decided that the first holiday I would reward myself with would be a return 'home' to New Zealand. I spent an amazing five weeks there, becoming reaquainted with my favourite people there, and seeing how much the isolated country has been changed by "The Lord of the Rings" films.... read more

Note: This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 1994-1995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints. The day after acquiring a painful sunburn spending a sunny day at a school friend's pool, I headed to the South Island on my way to walk the Milford Track (which will be worthy of at least one separate blog entry) on a trip organized by Rotary for the Youth Exchange Students in our district. The first night on the South Island, we were billeted in Christchurch. It was long, hot day driving from Picton to Christchurch--above 30C. We stopped for a break in Kaikoura, to walk out on the rocks and see the views. Christchurch We visited the Antarctic Centre, which was really incredible! It made me want to visit ... read more

Note: This is a journal entry from when I was an exchange student in 1994-1995. The photos have been scanned from the original prints. We went up to New Plymouth for one night. We were meant to have a game in Wanganui on the way up, but it was cancelled, so we had time to stop at Mount Taranaki, where we played in the snow left behind by an avalanche. There is a saying in this part of the country--"If you can't see the mountain, it's raining. If you can see the mountain, it's going to rain." Well, the clouds were high enough that we could see Taranaki (except for a few rogue clouds clustered around the top), and we could see the other volcanoes in the centre of the North Island--the snows on Ruapehu, ... read more

I arrived in New Zealand on August 12, 1994 to begin a year as a Rotary Exchange student. I was nervous and excited, but nothing could have prepared me for how that year would change my life. Gaining a thirst for travel was just one of the benefits I have reaped from my experience as an exchange student. It made me want to travel, but it made me want to experience a country, not just see it.... read more