Welcome!

Introduction:

Welcome to my blog! I am a second-year BGSU student adventuring abroad in New Zealand for three weeks. Since the farthest I have previously been was Canada, I did a little research on this far-away country and discovered a unique term: wop-wops. This is New Zealand slang for the middle of nowhere, distant from all cites and civilization. As I travel through mountains, oceans, and amazing landscapes, I will indeed be deep in the wop-wops of New Zealand!

This blog will be regularly updated with my experiences. Follow my three-week journey in the trip of a lifetime!

Arts:

My experience with the arts is extremely limited. I have a lot more experience with the arts of knitting and writing, but I am open to trying sculpting and photography. I am a little nervous to begin since I know so little, but I am also very curious about environmental sculpture. Working with materials from beaches and forests to make sculptures is unlike most of the art I have made, but as a child I always used sticks and rocks in mud to make patterns. I also love photography! With no formal training, I hope I am approaching it the correct way, but I am mostly looking to just have fun and capture some beautiful scenery. My biggest hope is to explore the unfamiliar New Zealand culture and climate through the many perspectives of art.

Environmental Science:

My knowledge of environmental science is a little more extensive than that of art. Starting from exposure as a child from playing in the woods from my house, to a week-long trip to an environmental protection center in fifth grade with my class, to visiting numerous US national parks, the environment plays a big part of my life. As a science major in college, I can appreciate the balance of biochemistry and biology required to preserve an ecosystem. I strongly agree with New Zealand's national philosophy of preservation for future generations, and I am very enthused for our work on the Mahu Whenua reservation! I know pollution, extinction, and global warming have become major political issues in the past decade, and seeing the affects of human exploitation on a completely different climate will be an eye-opener for any American. I hope to make any impact, however small, on the preservation of New Zealand and gain even more appreciation for the natural world.