Week 1

The part of this past week that is probably engraved in my memory the most is the amazing scenery in New Zealand I've had the opportunity of viewing and exploring. It is amazing to realize how diverse certain parts of the world can be, while retaining some aspects of others simultaneously. Beaches, skylines, and caves exist back home, and contain somewhat similar processes and characteristics, but somehow seeing these features here causes me to feel as though I'm seeing them for the first time. The culture and the way people behave during some situations is fairly different here, and it really allows me to notice the gap between American culture and that of other nations. It is definitely harder to realize exactly how you behave yourself when you are immersed in the majority of people behaving similarly, but once you becoming the minority with various viewpoints, it is easier to open your mind to other ideas. I am looking forward to learning more about the country through out the rest of the trip and subsequently seeing the world in a different way.