Columns, Opinion

RILEY: New to New Zealand

The native Māori people of New Zealand traditionally introduce themselves in their native language of Te Reo by first describing the geographical features of their home environment, such as a mountain (maunga) or river (awa). They then list the names of their tribe (iwi), chief (rangatira) and extended family (whānau). Lastly, they give their own first names.

After being in New Zealand for only less than two weeks, I have observed that the people of Auckland seem to have a much more selfless view of the world than we do as Americans.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I spent 100 percent of my time preparing for my 13-hour flight from San Francisco across the Pacific, thinking about myself and a few petty obstacles I might encounter during my trip abroad. What will I do about having a cell phone in Auckland? Will I have access to Wi-Fi? How will I keep up-to-date on American news, on Instagram, on Snapchat? Will they have food I’m familiar with at the grocery store? Will I have all the comforts available to me in America at arm’s reach on an island halfway across the world in the southeast Pacific?

Of course not! Adjustment is a crucial part of the study abroad experience. Flexibility is on the syllabus. If I’m not going to change my way of life to fit the Auckland mold, then why did I fly thousands of miles from home to live, work and study for six months? As my cultural teacher said in class while poking fun at Americans’ habitual requests for ice cubes and constant search for Wi-Fi access, “Are you really going to be here, or are you going to be worried about streaming Netflix?”

When I arrived here, I selfishly told myself I was surrounded by outsiders in a foreign place. I realized within a few days how terribly backwards my thinking was.

Aboard Air New Zealand Flight 15, I had flown across the Equator into the southern hemisphere, and my world was literally turned upside down. The dead of an American winter had flip-flopped into the tropical summer of a faraway land, but my self-centric perspective had remained the same. It isn’t the people of New Zealand who are the foreigners. It’s me. I’m the outsider. Auckland is home to 1.5 million people, and I am just a visitor.

While waiting for my dinner at the bar of our long-stay hotel the night after our arrival, I began talking with the bartender Janeet, who had moved from Myanmar to Auckland several years ago. When I told him I was with the Boston University group, his response caught me off guard. “So, why New Zealand?” he asked. “Most people spend their lives trying to get to America. What made you choose Auckland?”

Researching different study abroad programs available at BU, I knew I wanted two things: an English-speaking country and a destination where I would be totally out of my element. I chose the Auckland Internship Program because I would have the opportunity to take classes at a local university while at the same time have the chance to get a feel for the workplace with my internship — real-deal cultural immersion.

What I’ve learned since my arrival is that this experience is not about me. It’s an opportunity for me to open my pores, transition to human sponge mode and soak up some of the wisdom and perspective of the people around me — the flight attendant who was kind enough to ask me about our group when he saw me flipping through a program manual on the plane, the sales associate who patiently talked me through using iMessage to communicate with friends and family at home as dozens of my classmates flooded her small store looking for cheap pay-as-you-go phones, the barista who helped me move my things outside so I could enjoy my cold-drip Costa Rican brew on the sunny patio.

From all that I have absorbed here in Auckland so far, the way of life appears more inclusive, more communal. Traditionally, the native Māori peoples didn’t believe in conventional land ownership — everything belonged to everyone. This view still resonates here today, with both Māori and non-Māori peoples. Auckland is incredibly clean, even the innermost parts of the city. Beautifully maintained public gardens dot the Central Business District with splashes of green, red, yellow and pink. To get to my classes at the University of Auckland, I often walk through a park that is practically a tropical jungle smack dab in the middle of the city, weaving through the gnarled trunks of ancient trees that reach upwards alongside the iconic Sky Tower.

The people here are amiable and courteous. As an American, I am most definitely conspicuous, but I don’t feel disadvantaged or ostracized because of my background. The crime rates are low in New Zealand compared to the United States, as if there’s a communal understanding that people are not inherently enemies but simply beings sharing the same earth.

I have so much to learn from the people of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole. I can only hope that I might bring something to the table.

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