My real answer to the "How was study abroad?!" question

If I had a nickel for every time I've been asked "How was study abroad?" I'd probably have enough to cover the cost of the flight there. (Actually, I probably wouldn't but close maybe.) 

The answer to that question has become carefully scripted; a line I've memorized to get me through this last year of college, which I am now halfway through. *cue confused crying*

There's no way to tell someone who wants to hear, with a wistful eyeroll, "Ugh, amayyyzing," that study abroad was, in fact, life. Just in another country. 

Okay, so it's a little more complicated than that. Yes, studying abroad was fun and exciting and different and -- time for the ultimate cliche -- life-changing. But it was also difficult and alienating and stressful and often times not fun. Which is exactly as it should be. 

It left me with a weird guilt, however, posting pictures of stunning mountaintops and multicolored sunsets, suggesting to the world back home that life overseas was the constant stream of bright landscapes and friends smiling against a backdrop of gleaming rivers. 

It was the "Highlight Real" theory of Facebook in action. 

Here's a brief intro to the "Highlight Real," if you haven't had that drunken epiphany in one of those college party conversations:

If I post these two pictures to Facebook...

... you might think all toilets in New Zealand are cute and colorful, right? (Bear with me here.)

That's because I'm definitely not running around New Zealand taking pictures of everyday toilets or, worse, the yucky public ones which are barely standable for the length it takes to pee and wash your hands, let alone snap a picture. 

Nothing about these two pictures invites you to think that NZ toilets are just as average as those in the States. Much to his confusion, I had my friend Will take a picture of his today and send it to me just to prove it. Here you go, readers:

Also to clarify two points: toilets do not flush in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere and do not all come with a cat, as this picture might suggest. 

If I haven't lost you with all of this toilet talk, let's move on. 

I was considering starting a photo series (or something) that would essentially act as an Anti-Highlight Real; a collection of photos that showed the mundane and the ugly, or at least unattractive, sides of studying abroad. I didn't commit to the project very hard, but these are two of the first photos I started with:

Above is my messy little room on one of the many rainy gray days in Christchurch. I'm a big believer in how physical environment impacts experience. When you're living in a negative setting, it affects the rest of you to your core; it's inescapable. Going from a small, centralized campus to one where I hardly ever found myself around other students was a big leap. On top of that, not having a meal plan or central place to do work kept me tied to home like a ball and chain, leaving me with a lot more alone time than I was used to. (But hey, that was my first time having my own bedroom which was pretty cool.) 

To clarify: this isn't a "studying abroad sucked" post. That would be a big fat lie. I'm incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to go at all (shout out to the numerous family, friends, and employers who helped get me there). I certainly haven't stopped counting my blessings. 

You probably know by now that I'm not about falsely romanticizing or sugarcoating anything. As most things do, studying abroad fell in the inbetween. It was life. It was hard. It was school, but done very, very differently. 

For one, it made me really appreciate the liberal arts environment. In many ways, studying at the University of Canterbury felt like reliving freshman year in an alternate universe; I love my little school in Pennsylvania, so no wonder I had a hard time at this gigantic university where I wasn't challenged, busy, or able to pay an individual club fee for all the organizations I wanted to join. 

         

And it certainly changes things when suddenly your grade for an entire class hinges on two huge tests. If you're considering studying abroad at a traditional university basically anywhere, get ready for that. 

In many ways, I didn't have a typical study abroad experience, especially for someone in New Zealand. 

New Zealand is home to many of the world's unofficial wonders. Most people who travel there have a very set agenda of places they want to see. Just like every other traveler who's gone to NZ, I did too. 

The minute I told anyone I would be studying abroad where I was, I was immediately bombarded with a list of things I "haaaaaad to see."

     Glow worms; 

     Milford Sound; 

     Nugget Point; 

     the glaciers; 

     Cathedral Cove; 

     The Bay of Islands, 

     Hobbiton; 

     go bungy jumping; 

     sky diving; 

     heli-hiking; 

     wine tasting; 

     the lists go on (and on and on and on and on). 

I didn't see any of those things. I didn't take a tour of Hobbiton. I didn't ride horses on a beach. And, as much as I may have wanted to, I didn't strap myself to a bridge and dive off. Instead, I spent my weekends making lollycake (a classic NZ dessert) on a farm, babysitting, and going to peewee kiwi* soccer games. 

*I don't think anyone actually calls it "peewee kiwi" soccer, but they should. 

My favorite picture from my entire semester might be this one:

Me helping six-year-old Sammy blow her nose at her Saturday-morning soccer game. 

Yup, that might be the most representative picture of my study abroad experience. 

And I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I am of the firm belief that traveling is not about taking in the famous sites and monuments with your group of American friends. It's not about hopping on a bus, hopping off to take a picture, then hopping back on to the next view and the next picture. 

It's about getting down and dirty and lost in the culture. It's about risk and disorganization and sometimes food poisoning. 

Sometimes it's about trying New Zealand's hottest pizza, which you have to sign a waiver before eating agreeing that you won't sue if you die from the combination of ghost pepper sauce, habeneros, and Carolina Reapers (the world's hottest pepper). 

Sometimes it's about attending town hall meetings regarding the country's emissions trading scheme.

And doing your part to learn about the history.  

           

It's about cheering for the local teams -- even if you're still learning the rules of the game. 

It's about making mistakes. 

About disappointment. 

It's about needing some time to withdraw and relax and read a magazine over a coffee.

It's about taking some more time alone, in another coffeeshop, to drink more coffee. 

Okay, yes, if you couldn't tell, travel has a lot to do with coffee for me.

Travel is about letting handsome strangers buy you dinner. (And cut it with a leatherman.)

Travel, sometimes, is about finding a partner in crime. 

And about being at the hospital when they're in an accident.

... for four days. 

As a side note, getting injured is a really effective way to learn about another country's healthcare system. However, for those who would rather not break a limb to find out, there's also the internet.

Anyway, my point is probably clear by now: travel isn't about checking off a to-do list. My best adventures came out of not having an agenda at all. 

Of course I'm not saying don't have goals, don't research the sight worthy spots, or don't travel with others from home. I took heaps of weekend trips with fellow study abroad students. Remember these guys?

In addition to being awesome, fellow students make great travel buddies because they have just as much drive and just as little time to see as much as they can. (They also know what you're going through in a way no one else around you does.) 

The bottom line is there's no correct way to travel. If hitchhiking or playing it by ear too much makes you nervous, why put yourself through that? Stretching the limits of your comfort zone, no matter how subtly, is important and usually comes with the territory. Some of the best advice I received before leaving was "Don't go in with any expectations."

I made the mistake of thinking my time in New Zealand was going to be a breeze and a constant stream of moments like the one in the picture above. Despite being proven very wrong, and not wanting to lead others to believe it was nothing but hikes and adventures, I do have to say that, even if it wasn't one of the easiest times of my life, it was one of the most liberating. 

What are your thoughts on the social media "Highlight Real"? Do you think we should be doing something to combat it? I'd love to hear your thoughts and keep the conversation going! 

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year, everybody. I hope 2016 holds plenty of adventures for you all!

Hey friends and readers!

I know it's been a while -- it's been a very busy past few months -- but I just wanted to say I haven't forgotten my blog and I hope you haven't either! I still have heaps of photos from the past year that I am planning on posting soon. 

Stay tuned for posts about New Zealand, Israel (which was actually over a year ago now) (oops), as well as a very spontaneous trip to Canada I took last week. 

Adventure always,
Lena 

New Zealand in 21 pictures

I've always had a thing for cameras. For years I shot with disposables just because I loved the funky pictures I got back. After endless envelopes of 4x6 prints, I stopped frequenting the 24-hour photo counters in drug stores because of the cost. And because I had enough pictures to plaster my walls five times over by my freshman year of college.

I did treat myself to a disposable camera before I left for New Zealand, knowing what a surprise it would be to develop the shots after getting back to the States months later. I knew there was no way I'd remember every single photo I took while there until I developed them, so it'd be a great reminder of hazier memories from my six months down under. 

Sunset from Mt. John Observatory, Lake Tekapo maybe?

Ironically, I had no idea where the first photo that developed was taken. This memory-jogging thing might not have been as flawless as I thought.

          

Summit of Mt. Somers, Canterbury, New Zealand

The last four photos were all taken on the hike from hell, aka Mt. Somers. The tramping club at my uni organized a number of tramps (hikes) during orientation week. Me, being the confident noob I was, signed up for the "advanced" tramp. DUMB. I was also a little dumb for using four of the 24 exposures on this one day. Definitely wasn't thinking of rationing out pictures like I would get used to as the semester pressed on. It was a learning experience. 

I'd go into more detail about that hike, but I have a whole post about it planned. You'll probably see it in three months from now. I hope that's just a joke. Anyway. 

Mueller Hut Track, Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park, New Zealand

The picture of Claire, Charlie, and I (R to L) in front of Mt. Cook is probably one of my favorite shots in the whole bunch. You have no idea how stoked we were to have made it to Sealy Tarns (this viewpoint of New Zealand's tallest mountain). You also have no idea how sweaty we were.

 Sunset at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

Words don't describe how insane this sunset was. We hitched back to Tekapo after our day on Mueller Hut Track -- unfortunately we didn't get to stay in the famous hut itself. Watching this sunset while sipping a beer made it well worth it though; despite my exhaustion from the day, I sprinted to the lakefront to snap a few shots of the tie-dye sky. 

Kaikoura, New Zealand (I think)

Mt. Fyffe, Kaikoura, New Zealand

I don't think I actually brought my DSLR with me on this overnight trip. That's one of the things I love about disposables: they're tiny and super lightweight. Basically a backpacker's dream.

Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand

Routeburn Track, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Kepler Track, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

I had totally forgotten about that picture of my legs in the snow on the Kepler Track. I wasn't exaggerating! 

Autumn at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

Blowhole at Punakaiki "Pancake Rocks," West Coast, New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand

Burwood Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand

First selfie after this poor guy's operation. Pretty sure I spent more time in NZ's hospitals than I have in America's. Who knew I'd be learning so much about the country's healthcare system while studying abroad?

"That Wanaka Tree," Lake Wanaka, New Zealand

It seems appropriate that the last picture that came out, unfortunately some don't when you use a disposable, was of the tree I had been dying to see the whole time I was there. Going to Wanaka was a long time bucketlist item that I finally crossed off in between finals for various classes. 

I'm sad that a few shots didn't come out, including one of my dude and I in the airport less than twenty minutes before my flight took off to come back to America. Maybe that's okay though. I was crying. A lot. It wasn't pretty. 

So there it is, six months worth of adventures in 21 little pictures. 

Cheers!

3 Weeks in a 30 Litre Pack: Part 6

Here it is: the final part of my "30 Litre" series! (We don't have to talk about the fact that it's almost four months late. It's forgotten? Great.)

While walking the Kepler I met this nice woman who was planning on driving her rental car west to Dunedin after finishing the track. (We'll call her "GL" for this post.) She offered me a ride before we even introduced ourselves and it seemed perfect: that's where I had actually planned on rounding off my three week break. 

She told me which hostel she was planning on checking into back in town and we made plans to meet up there the next morning to start the next leg of our adventure. 

After meeting Rich -- remember him? the cute pie shop guy? -- he also invited me to travel with him. Even though he was heading the direction I'd just come from, it sounded like fun. We booked it back to the Lakefront Backpackers to see if they'd let me check out early without a fee, and they did because they're awesome. On my way to grab my pack, however, I ran into the woman who offered me the ride to Dunedin. I told her that plans had changed, but hardly got the words out after seeing the look of profound disappointment on her face. It looked like I had told her that her puppy had died.

Dunedin with GL it was. 

After a shower, a beer or two by the lake with Rich, a real night's sleep in the comfiest hostel bed I've ever slept in, and a few more pies from Miles Better (three to be exact), GL and I set off for Dunedin with a few hitchhikers in the back, who we'd drop off at the start of another highway.

We decided to take the scenic route through the Catlins, which would mean an extra few hours on the road but a much prettier ride. This is the route we ended up taking:

I'm gonna be totally honest. I didn't have that much fun. 

Not that I had any reason to rush, but we drove at a painfully slow pace. We stopped at every look out point and drove nearly every gravel turn off we saw. We took pictures of sheep and waited an hour for penguins that never showed up. We looked for dolphins (also no-shows) and followed signs to waterfalls that we ultimately wouldn't see because it would be dark by the time we reached them on foot.

Despite the awesome night's sleep I had the evening before all I wanted to do was nap, which is hard when you stop every 50 kilometers to take a picture. 

I've been trying to avoid basing this entire blog post on a cliche, but I'm finding few ways around it. Choosing to travel with someone I had nothing in common with to somewhere I'd never been vs. revisiting a familiar sight with someone I was excited to get to know better proved something to me. Maybe it really doesn't matter where you are if you enjoy the people you're with. (Granted, in New Zealand it's pretty hard to be disappointed with where you are. So just try to find and stick with good people with a similar travel style to you.)

Also I found out something that would have been really helpful to know before setting foot or butt in the GL's car: the reason she was so disappointed I wouldn't be coming wasn't actually because she enjoyed my delightfully bubbly personality and various tales of shenanigans past. No, she just wanted someone to pay for her gas. Awesome. 

While it wasn't exactly my idea of the ideal road trip, there was some good that came out of it. 

For one, I officially made it from the furthest point north on the South Island to the furthest point south, which is pretty cool. 

We also tried to catch a glimpse of Stewart Island from Bluff. We couldn't see it, but it only added about ten minutes to the trip. 

In addition to seeing a few sights I wouldn't have otherwise, traveling with GL introduced me to CouchSurfing. She had plans to stay with someone she met through the site once she got to Dunedin. Her host graciously opened her home to me too, after being asked the same day we were due to show up. 

          

They had an awesome house and were totally fine with me whipping out my camera the second night of our stay and clicking away. 

I mean, how could I resist?

They also introduced us to feijoas, an awesome little fruit which they had taken to freezing and eating in slices. 

After traveling on my own so much, I started to crave the alone time I'd had the privilege of while hiking the Kepler. The next day, we took the afternoon to explore Dunedin on our own. I mostly explored this quiet little coffee shop called the Excelsior to catch up on emails and let my family know I was alive, which they appreciated. 

           

The afternoon on my own was exactly what I needed to recharge and appreciate the time to explore the bustling city of Dunedin. (Bustling for the South Island of New Zealand, which is well known for being the home of more sheep than people.) 

GL and I met up, picked up some groceries, and drove back out to our host's house on the Peninsula. When we got home, we found that she had not only done all of our laundry for us, but hung it when their dryer broke down.

           

To show our appreciation for both hosting us and doing our laundry, we cooked dinner for the three people living in the house. Showing your hosts some love by cooking for them is a really good idea, and an absolute must if they happen to be opening their home to you for free. Some might not want to hand over their kitchen to strangers for the night, which is also cool. A bottle of wine (or two) is usually a good idea as well. We went with both just to play it safe. 

My travel mate snuggling up for the night on her mattress in the laundry-hung livingroom.

The next morning, after collecting our laundry, putting away our mattresses, and saying goodbye to our hosts, we set out for one final exploration of the Peninsula. While GL would be spending one more night in Dunedin, I was itching to start making my way north back to Christchurch. Even with clean clothes, wearing the same pair of shoes and the same two shirts for three weeks, day in and day out, gets a little old. 

 

Instead of taking my time working my way back home, I hightailed it and made it home by dark. (But not without accidentally leaving my "wallet" -- a plastic ziplock bag with my passport, credit card, student ID, cash, and house key -- in the car of one of the rides I got. Thank god Kiwis are a generally wonderful people and I had my wallet back within the week.) 

Even though I initially regretted the choice to turn down Pie Guy's offer, things turned out alright and it didn't slow us down. A huge part of travel is rolling with the punches and not allowing what seems like a semi-regrettable decision to ruin your trip. In the weeks to come, I met some amazing people through CouchSurfing, which I signed up for the second I got home. 

And hey, doesn't everyone need a "That-Time-I-Was-In-Another-Country-and-Lost-My-Passport" story? Anybody else have any CouchSurfing or passport-losing stories? Comment below! 

Cheers and, as always, safe travels everyone!