Reflection: “There’s a saying: ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. ‘ That is why it’s called the present.”–Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda (a quote from a kids’ movie my brother and I loved). The old mate Master Oogway knew was onto something. That pretty much sums up this past…Continue Reading Another day, another oppurtunity
We are at the halfway point of our time here in Brazil. I have taken in quite a bit of the scenery and the culture in its unique way. My roommate Kurt and I get along like brothers, and we keep an eye out for each other and others who might need support. But hey,…Continue Reading Halfway and it is Waitangi Day! Yay!
Dharavi – Mumbai The division line could not be any clearer; the smell of incense hit us as if we were crossing a threshold. More obvious signs of Hindu identity became quickly clearer; swastikas and a mandir (temple) all came into view as we turned the corner out of the dark and narrow streets from…Continue Reading Disunity and Unity
Welcome back to another episode! Today I’m joined by Chloe Phillips and (Dr) Meera Patel. We discuss some highlights of the trip and then delve into our thoughts on elephant rides and how humane they are. Here are some links from Meera’s research that we discuss:…Continue Reading Elephant rides – Ep 3. Tea with Tia (ft Chloe and Meera)
The air is thick here. Thick with heat recoiling off of the looming buildings of the city. As I gaze out of the balcony on the eleventh floor, my eyes are met with buildings forever. They slowly fade into a muddled grey and meet a faux horizon somewhere in the distance – and I feel…Continue Reading Sensations of Brazil – First Impressions
This week was our 3rd week, meaning we are over halfway through our time here at uni, which is crazy! Our topic for the week was indigenous studies in Mexico, taught by the lovely María. We have discovered that there are many Marias, and many are twins. We have two teachers who are called Maria…Continue Reading Exploring new cities and cultures!
忘不了, unforgettable. That is the one word I can think of to adequately describe this trip. Sure, there have been ups and downs, but it is an experience firmly etched into my memory. The uniqueness of this experience dawned on me more and more as the trip came closer to a close. Like an impending…Continue Reading 忘不了。
Last week was all about indigenous rights across Mexico. Coming from little Aotearoa, New Zealand, where we have one indigenous group, led me to understand the Aztecs and Mayans as the only indigenous groups in Mexico. But boy, was I wrong. Mexico has an estimated 68 different indigenous groups and 63 languages. There are also…Continue Reading Indigenous Rights Week
Sensory Overload I can starkly remember the moment I walked out of the airport. It was a sensory overload. The heat of Vietnam hit me like a concrete wall. I felt like a rotisserie chicken under the heat lamp, and sweat poured from my body like never before. *Honk* “Water, Madam” *Honk* “Sim card” *Honk* …Continue Reading Sensational Saigon
Week three: León After kicking off the new week in this new city with our lectures, we kicked off in a little football match organised for us on campus. Given that no one realllly played football already, the game was a bit of a mess. We were playing 9ish a side on a very, very…Continue Reading Tercera Semana – León