Our topic for this week was the Indigenous of Mexico. It was very interesting to learn about their indigenous groups in comparison to our New Zealand indigenous. Throughout the week, we were guided by our lecturer and my tocaya, Maria (tocaya= ‘name twin’ in Spanish). I loved how passionate she was about this topic and…Continue Reading Remembering Those That Once Walked With Us
On Saturday the 28th, we checked out of our hotel in Sao Paulo and boarded the crowded bus to head to Ubatuba. The drive was incredibly long, but it was worth it once we began to descend down the mountains and see the beautiful coastline. We then checked into our hostel and were able to…Continue Reading A Brief Trip to Ubatuba
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!
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!
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
Our first week in Brazil has been a complete whirlwind. We’ve had the opportunity to try delicious Brazilian and international foods. We’ve heard from passionate and inspiring lecturers working in different fields related to history and Indigenous Rights. We’ve been to a few museums to get a glimpse of elements of Brazil’s immigration and Afro-Brazilian…Continue Reading Olá, São Paulo!
São Paulo is the farthest I have ever been from the moana, whenua and community that raised me. Every aspect of the haerenga to this city was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. From the 24 hours of flying to seeing Jacinda Ardern on a TV in Texas to touching down to a concrete jungle that…Continue Reading Não falo português…mas eu falo arte
Our second week’s topic was Migration, involving challenges asylum seekers and refugees. For our weekly NGO visit, we went to ‘La Casa de Refugiados.’ This non-governmental organization works alongside helping those seeking asylum and reintegration into their home country. Our conversation began with what reminded us of peace and violence. An interesting cultural difference noted by…Continue Reading “Freedom is not a Privilege”
Welcome to week two of living in Mexico City! This week has been more hectic than the previous week. All of us international students started uni on Monday, the 9th of January, alongside the domestic students. It was very packed. Starting uni in a new environment was nerve-wracking and felt like that nervous buzz you…Continue Reading A bumpy ride