Tag: travel

In the moment with the usos – Ep 8. Tea with Tia (ft Daniel and Brandon)

Hello! We’re up to episode 8?! Today I’m joined by Daniel O’Brien and Brandon Jost-Turei. We talk about some trip highlights and then share our views about living in the moment vs the challenges of wanting to document your experiences. We determined that it’s hard to get that balance, especially in this program where everything…Continue Reading In the moment with the usos – Ep 8. Tea with Tia (ft Daniel and Brandon)

The Colour of Joy

I have always considered joy to be a warm yellow. The kind of yellow that catches the sunlight in the afternoon and glows so bright you have to look away.  I always thought of joy simply, I think. A yellow hue that feels both nostalgic and futuristic. ~ Today I saw joy in every colour…Continue Reading The Colour of Joy

Life in Saigon – Week 2

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

A Whole New World (in Taipei)

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)

Lunar New Year’s in Busan

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

Chúc mừng năm mới!

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!

The opportunity of a lifetime 

3rd Jan – Stepping into the unknown As I stepped into the Auckland Airport, my nervousness consumed my body. It hit me; this is my first time travelling alone, my first time going to an Asian country, and my first time working in a corporate setting, let alone working in Vietnam. Several thoughts rushed through…Continue Reading The opportunity of a lifetime 

el fin

The multitude of experiences, enjoyment, and excitement this trip provided for me was totally worth the 15-hour flight back home (it wasn’t pleasant). Leon and Monterrey were both crazy in entirely different ways – Leon was more of an exciting, adrenaline-inducing experience with fairs and swimming, while Monterrey was more formal with goodbyes, celebrations, and…Continue Reading el fin

Social inequalities and a visit to Guadalajara

The topic of this week was poverty and inequality. This week, our classes had a more practical aspect; we developed a definition of poverty and a poverty measurement tool. In these, it was interesting to see the many different perspectives of poverty and how this varied spatially. The most surprising thing we learnt was how…Continue Reading Social inequalities and a visit to Guadalajara

Leon and Monterrey

These last two weeks of the trip flew by so, so fast. I am so grateful to have been a part of this experience and definitely want to go back to Mexico in the future. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to all of the friends we made over the course of the past month,…Continue Reading Leon and Monterrey