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 …

The Final Push

This past week I had both of my final exams for the semester. I had two weeks to prepare for them after classes had ended, but in true Christian Leathley form, I waited until the 4 days prior to the first one to start studying. The exams were in back-to-back days, so I had to …

The Best in Show

This weekend I went to the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby game. I had purchased my tickets several months in advance, as their games are in high demand, and the Dunedin stadium doesn’t seat as many as a typical American sports venue. I purchased the cheapest tickets available, and was seated in what’s known as The …

Spoonfuls of Nature’s Bounty

Over the last 3 weeks, I’ve gone on several weekend trips, while finishing up classes for the semester. The first trip was to the Fiordlands to hike the Routebourn track; one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The first day was by far the most difficult. We covered about 15 miles of ground over a 9-hour …

Interview with a Kiwi

The following is an interview I conducted with a native New Zealander, my Kiwi host, and very good friend, Tim Neilson.  Christian: Let’s get the obvious question out of the way first, what is your favorite part of living in New Zealand? Tim: Probably just the chilled-outness of the place, really. Everyone here is really …

A Week in the Life

SATURDAY As I awake from my slumber in a foggy haze on Saturday, the 7th of September, I look at the time and realize I have no discernable reason for waking up. However, instead of returning to my comatose state to try and get a few more REM’s, I decide to grab my laptop and …

A Delicious Burger, Among Other Things

The past two weekends I went on a couple trips, as well as spending some valuable time with my flat mates here in Dunedin. The first trip was up to Christchurch. Here I met up with my good friend and fellow Hope College student, Mary Kate, who is studying in Christchurch this semester. I arrived …

PB&J’s for Second Breakfast, Part 1

So I’ve been in New Zealand for 4 weeks now, and through absolutely no fault of my own, just got this blog set up. Now it’s time to get everyone reading caught up to speed on what’s going on over here in the Land of the Long White Cloud. However, due to the number of …

PB&J’s for Second Breakfast, Part 2

So I’ve been in New Zealand for 4 weeks now, and through absolutely no fault of my own, just got this blog set up. Now it’s time to get everyone reading caught up to speed on what’s going on over here in the Land of the Long White Cloud. However, due to the number of …