What is your hometown?
Ballwin, Missouri
What is your major(s)/minor(s)?
Education Major
At this point in your life, what is important/meaningful to you?
My family is the most important thing to me. I absolutely love spending time with my family when I am home, including my two brothers, parents, and my dog. We all really appreciate nature, so we spend lots of time doing things outside!
What most intrigues and excites you about the Aotearoa/New Zealand study abroad?
I am very interested in learning more about the Māori culture, because of their extensive history. Learning and seeing what is unique to New Zealand will be super exciting!
What is the most meaningful idea you’ve discovered or learned about Aotearoa/New Zealand so far?
So far, I thought that the concepts of Tapu and Noa are really interesting! Tapu is a sacred and holy state, and Noa is the opposite of Tapu, a natural and common state. For the Māori, they do not mix Tapu and Noa. For example, the body is considered Tapu, and food (kai) is noa, so they would never sit on a table or anywhere else food is prepared.
For me, the Aotearoa/New Zealand abroad is an opportunity to … learn, grow as a person, travel, and gain new perspectives. I can’t wait!