Kia Ora, Spartans!

I thought I would let you guys in on what I do when I’m not road tripping the South Island of New Zealand on my weekends. While here, I want to make sure I make the most of my time and get involved as much as possible. Just like at home, there are so many clubs and organizations to get involved with throughout the week. I have split up my time between a few different clubs on campus as well as a few volunteer opportunities. So here is a short list of some of my favourite things I’ve done so far!

1. Sinclair Wetland Conservation: I have gone to a few different places around Dunedin to help remove foreign weeds and replace the ground with native plants.
   
2. Koputai Kids After School Programme: Every other week I take a bus to a town nearby called Port Chalmers and help out at an after school programme. I have taught them about basketball and in return they have taught me about rugby!
   
3. Relay for Life: I recently took part in The University of Otago’s Relay for Life. It was a blast. Lots of walking, friends, good conversation, and raising money for such a great cause.
4. Orokonui Ecosanctuary: Another organization that protects and restores native vegetation along the Orokonui estuary in Waitati.
5. Lawn Bowl: I joined a “social sport” lawn bowl team (equivalent to our intramural teams). The best way to describe this game is that it is like a mixture of golf, curling, and bowling. One ball “the jack,” is rolled to the end of the green and then teams of 4 take turns rolling a ball to the jack with the goal of being closest to it. There are up to 25 rounds, but most times we only played around 8.
6. Otago Polytech Cooking Class: In this class we learned a few different recipes to cook on our own. We made things like Bliss Balls, beef salad, and sushi salad! It was delicious!
7. Tramping Club: Tramping is the Kiwi word for hiking. New Zealand landscapes are ridiculously beautiful. This club takes various trips around the south island as well as provides training for surviving in the wilderness.