It has been quite some time since I have last posted. In the last few weeks, I have gone on many adventures including: skydiving, navigating through caves, climbing mountains, and more. I am adjusting more and more to this new life that I am living. It has just recently gotten to the point where I …
Tag Archives: Oceania
A Few Must-Do’s in NZ
This past week has opened my eyes to more of the natural beauty New Zealand has to offer. It’s no wonder why Kiwis have been calling it God’s Own Country, or Godzone, for over 100 years. A few days ago, a large group of us planned a day trip out to Rangitoto Island to climb …
100% Pure New Zealand
I have been in Middle-earth for a few days now and I have already fallen madly in love. I am convinced there is no city comparable to Auckland. One minute you’re walking down Queen Street (similar to Michigan Avenue in Chicago I’d say) and then the next you’re at the ferry port overlooking dozens of islands scattered …
Reverse Culture Shock
It isn’t that I didn’t really believe that I wouldn’t be surprised by some of the things I encountered in the US after my term abroad, but I was slightly skeptical of calling it a form of “culture shock.” However, after being in the US now for a full week I would agree that I …
Lost in Paradise or Paradise Lost?
As my semester has come to an end, I am able to look back on these past three months and see how much I have learned and see all the fantastic experiences I have had. It is impossible to sum up a whole semester of experiences in one blog post, and therefore, I will not even …
Independent Study Project
As a part of every SIT study abroad program, students must complete an Independent Study Project, or ISP. Usually the ISP has something related to the overall theme of the program and consists of a 20-30 page paper (depending on the program), and an oral presentation on your topic. This SIT Samoa program is about …
The Problem With Dogs
I really have enjoyed my semester abroad in Samoa. It is a fascinating place, and a unique travel destination. I happily recommend it to anyone willing to get a bit “off the beaten track.” That said, this semester I feel like I would like to acknowledge something that has troubled me this semester. After all, …
Fiji
This past week I went on my last SIT excursion. We spent one full week on the main island of Viti Levu in Fiji. What an experience that was. We arrived on October 25, which happened to be a big holiday in Fiji, the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali. Fiji’s population is divided roughly …
American Samoa
Last week we had an outing to the other Samoa, American Samoa. The Samoan islands were divided by the Germans and the Americans in 1899 after a few brief skirmishes. The Germans took Western, or what is now Independent Samoa made up of Savaii and Upolu, while the US took the islands of Tutuila and …
White Sunday
October 12th was one of Samoa’s biggest holidays–White Sunday. White Sunday originated with the arrival of the London Missionary Society in 1830. It always falls on the second Sunday of October, and it is a church service in honor of the children (in Samoan it is known as “Lotu Tamaiti,” or “The Children’s Service”). My …
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