So this is the end of a great experience. I am quite pleased in how I have adapted to life in another country so easily, where I am very comfortable and feel at home.

I have happy to have adapted to the point of having a very stress-free time. I have been able to adapt to the challenge of being on a bigger campus and having larger classes. To cope I made some contacts in my classes who i could discuss coursework with and found some spots on campus where I could hang out and study. I have also adapted to living with 5 others in an apartment which for the most part has been reasonable and free of problems.

There are many priceless experiences that I have done in travelling with great people here. This includes a wide range of activities from swimming with dolphins in the Bay of Islands to Surfing in Raglan and Piha to roadtrips around the Auckland area travelling as far south as Christchurch to the north tip, Cape Reinga. Furthermore I have seen mountains, beautiful coastline scenery, waterfalls, and dolphins, cool birds, penguins, and of course lots of sheep. I have also experienced hot springs, mountain biking, dune boarding and snorkelling coral reef in the local pacific island, Tonga. I have also seen stars more clear than ever down in the country in the South Island.

I guess I cannot quite realize how much I have changed until I get home in a few days. I know that life will not be the same. Through people I have met and become friends with here, as well as with what I have experienced, I know I will be a much different person than when I left.

The challenge will be to keep my New Zealand experience a part of me and be able to continue to enjoy every moment of life. The same things may not excite me and it will be up to me to utilize how I have grown as a person to better the lives of those who will be around me. I am certain that overcoming challenges and obstacles involved with travelling have made me a stronger person and will help me to succeed in what I choose to pursue in the future, be it sports, work, or life.

Finally I thank CIS for making my trip run so smoothly and so enjoyable. It will be tough to have to say goodbye to Auckland, New Zealand and all the friends I have made down here, but I must go on. I intend to share my experience with other students looking to study abroad and convince them that it is an amazing experience. I definitely have caught the travel bug and plan to travel a lot more in the near future, as I really feel like a global citizen.

-Craig-