I am enrolled in four engineering courses here (easier said than done). Three of them include lectures, which are similar to home. However, their lecture halls are way less comfortable. I will be much more grateful for our desks and arm rests upon my return. These also have smaller, supporting recitations that I enjoy. My favorite class is about twenty people. I met one of the students outside of class who informed me that all the students in that major know each other very well. In other words, it’s obvious I am international. This statement made me chuckle; I am that new person that no one has ever seen. I am entering their normal world with a whole different perspective. So far, I’ve learned that merely being a woman in engineering and not wearing black automatically makes me stand out like a sore thumb.

I like the challenge of trying to integrate but also have greater appreciation and respect for the community I have formed for myself back at Penn State. While I see these students here with their long established friend groups and clubs, I know I too have that back home. It is exciting to start forming my new community abroad. My friends from the first few days I was here remain my best friends, meal, and travel buddies.

As part of integrating, I am looking into trying something new (tramping club) and perhaps something I’m more familiar with but curious to see from a new group (rowing). This past weekend, I signed up for a trip with tramping, or hiking, club. We went out to the Hunua Ranges where we hiked and stayed in cabins. It was overcast and muddy but an excellent time. It was nice interacting with actual Kiwis and people who appreciate the outdoors. Everyone was very kind, down to earth, and no one complained (rare when walking/hiking for hours).

The winter in Auckland is now in full force (rain rain rain). I am very grateful for packing a good raincoat and rain boots. Luckily, rain doesn’t put me down or keep my friends and I in. We booked our plane tickets to go to the South Island over semester break at the end of August so we are looking forward to planning that trip as well as some other weekend trips!