Week two in Vietnam was certainly very different to week one, and it brought with it a whole new set of challenges and experiences! While week one felt like a constant blur of changes, week two was a lot slower, and it was nice to have some consistency and stability again. I am so grateful…Continue Reading Life in Saigon – Week 2
I thought I’d have a detailed itinerary for Taipei. I have landmarks to visit, from Maokong Gondolas (gondolas which fly over the expanse of lush, green forestry to the south of Taipei) to Houtong Cat Village (the attraction is in the name!). However, thanks to Bonnie and Rachel’s influence, I’ve learnt that rough plans are…Continue Reading A Whole New World (in Taipei)
University in Tainan has plunged me into the kind of growth I’d never experienced in New Zealand. Who celebrates their 21st with friends they’d only met two weeks prior? Who tries yoga for the first time soundtracked to Taylor Swift at the university park? Who else has had the pleasure of learning cup music with…Continue Reading Familiar Places, New Beginnings, Same Me.
Monday 23 Jan Currently aboard the KTX bullet train on my way back to Seoul after spending Lunar New Year’s in Busan with the family. Spending time with my family in Busan is… interesting — I feel so grateful to have a big extended family and that I’m able to spend quality time with my…Continue Reading Lunar New Year’s in Busan
Saturday 24 December I spent Christmas Eve making kimchi with my aunties in my grandma’s apartment (located in the Suyeong district of Busan). When the image below was taken, we were at the stage of slathering the spicy marinade into the salted and rinsed cabbages and wrapping the marinated cabbages up to place securely into…Continue Reading Kimchi-making and solo train rides on Christmas
Happy New Year! Vietnam celebrated its Lunar New Year, otherwise known as Tết, on January 22 2023, and we were lucky enough to be here to experience it. Tết is the most important celebration of the year in Vietnam, and in our first weeks here saw the city come alive in preparation. For Vietnamese people,…Continue Reading Chúc mừng năm mới!
Time has continued to fly past, and I’m becoming ever more aware of our impending departure. With that in mind, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on my time here in South Korea. After two months of being away from home, I’ve realised there are most certainly things I miss and can’t wait…Continue Reading What do I miss?
On today’s episode I’m joined by Alex Johnson and Morgan Koster! We discuss some program highlights (gotta love food) before exploring our views on some of the NGOs we’ve visited and what it means to be selfless vs selfish….Continue Reading NGO stands for Not For Profit Organization – Ep 7. Tea with Tia (ft Alex and Morgan)
We have safely made it back to New Zealand, landing in Auckland just before the International Airport was completely flooded; so very grateful for that! Being back at home has been great, getting to catch up with friends and family and tell them all about the incredible time I had in Taiwan. All of the…Continue Reading A Reflection on my time in Tainan