Tag: University of Otago

The Bushball 2024

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Otago University Tramping Club Trip • 27 July 2024 – 28 July 2024

What a great weekend! The Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC) took 100+ members to spend the night at Aspiring Hut within Mount Aspiring National Park. The trip was catered towards those of all skill levels consisting of a two hour walk to the hut (6 miles) with minimal elevation gain. Densely vegetated natural regions of land within New Zealand are primarily referred to as the bush, (a term new to me but not just unique to New Zealand). Once we arrived at the hut the party (ball) began, hence the “Bush-ball!”

The theme for the weekend was “treasure island” which was dominated with pirate-esque costumes, but there were a few members were took different approaches to their outfit. I happened to be one of those, deciding to sport a kiwi-bird costume, something I felt met the New Zealand treasure island theme. Locals of New Zealand are referred to as “Kiwis” being named after the kiwi-bird. This became commonplace during World War I as New Zealand soldiers fought alongside the Australian and British (they were automatically entered into the war due to being under British control) to defeat the Ottoman Army, but more broadly to fight against the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Being a Kiwi holds significant weight and is a symbol of national identity.

The trip began at 07:00 as we departed on our five-hour bus ride. The first glimmer that set the tone for the weekend was a stunning sunrise that was accompanied by a double rainbow. This sight was something that I have never experienced before, thus I truly cherished the moment. It was beautiful to experience an anomaly like that with the many new-found friends on the same journey. To fill the remainder of the busride we attempted to play cards, but mainly enjoyed the cliche road trip games. We had several vans traveling with us that had to take us to the trailhead given the bus could not traverse the roads any further.

The tramp begins!

It was quite the sight to see so many people all traveling on the same path. So many different backgrounds all converging in the same spot for the weekend was rather unique. After our walk into the hut (slight rain the entire weekend) we set up our tents and prepared for dinner. The officers kicked off the evening with expectations and excitement for the night ahead. The hut was slathered with “treasure island” decorations and a Bushball banner. The festivities began and it was such a great time! A local band from Dunedin came with us to the hut and gave us a superb live performance and made for some great dancing. There were goons floating around the crowd (bags with liquid confidence) and that only added to the adventure. Some costumes consisted of pirates, a squid, eye patches, tramping gear, and everything in between. I remember standing amongst the crowd and feeling so grateful for the moment I was in- being with so many amazing friends and having fun with people I have never seen before and for some will never see again, (I took it upon myself to become the paparazzi for the party which resulted in 239 total photos).

We woke up the next day with the valley engulfed in fog which created a very beautiful scene. The tropical feel and rainforest vibe was serene. I felt as if I was living within the pictures and videos I have seen of New Zealand the many months prior to this. The power of being within nature and the peace it brings is something I will never take for granted. Another aspect of that is not having the urge to reach for your phone. Disconnecting from reality provides a calmness that is so much better when you are doing it with so many other people. Bushball ’24 was truly magnificent and I feel so lucky to have been a part of a years-long OUTC tradition.

Reference my Instagram below for pictures associated with most of the things I wrote about!

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

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Arriving in Dunedin, New Zealand • 6 July 2024 –10 July 2024

How does one prepare for a months-long solo adventure? What is the proper way to plan in advance? Rather, should you plan in advance? Should you pack less? More? What is the first thing I am meant to do upon arrival? These are just several questions that were racing through my mind in the many weeks and days before I officially departed from the US. Given the countless directions that these questions have taken my mind, the most efficient conclusion I have drawn is to just catch the current wherever it may take me. There are no correct answers through this entire process.

Forcing myself to be alone and navigate every day without any type of backboard to bounce off of has produced too unique of feelings to explain unless encountered by yourself. However, I can elaborate on what it has taught me and the mindset shifts it has allowed me to embrace. For lack of a better word, walking around in a completely new city is rather humbling. Nobody knows you nor does anybody really care to initiate any sort of unprovoked contact. Nobody approaches you to tell you where to get your food. Nobody approaches you to tell you what the best mode of transportation is. Nobody approaches you to give you any reassurance that you’ll figure it out. This has taught me what it truly feels like to be absolutely free- not in the physical sense- but mentally free in a manner I would never have experienced otherwise. I am forced, and by forced I truly mean involuntarily thrown into a completely new society where being proactive is not a recommendation.

A proverb that has been recycling itself through my mind when reacting to these everyday experiences has been “the world is your oyster.” This proverb is such a landing spot for humans in times of decision making, but what does it really imply? Truth be told, there are a myriad of interpretations and meanings derived from this proverb. It was first seen in Shakespeare’s 1602 play “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and Aliya Uteuova, an outstanding journalist graduate student from the University of Maine, also took part in this analysis. After several interviews and exploration from sources of different backgrounds, she drew two conclusions. What was most commonly shared was the idea that “opportunities await for those people who take advantage of them and make opportunities for that to happen,” which was also compounded with Aliya’s own opinion that “the gray, unattractive body is delicious and beautiful to those who understand the worth of this calcium and iron rich protein.”

When deciphering upon these judgments for myself, I have begun to apply them and hope to consistently apply them during my time abroad. I can choose to call myself a fool for traveling to an island completely solo, or I can choose to view this as one of the greatest opportunities that life has ever given me. What I do know is how beautiful the opportunities are that await even though it seems as if I am trapped in a lonely abyss. Every uncomfortable moment yields such profound newness. Embracing this, alongside the lack of direction, has enabled me to take full control over a life so fortunate to live as I could ever have hoped for. There is insecurity to not knowing exactly what awaits, however the mindsets I have begun to apply consist as follows:

  1. Walking to events alone is OK- you will meet the people you are meant to meet, do not force these interactions because those around you that are meant to enter your realm will enter your realm. Meeting people to navigate all of the opportunities is not an if, but a when.
  2. I know that I will have less “fun” than those who have immediate connections & people to exchange energy with. However, my “fun” will ultimately come from finding my true self along this journey and embracing the long-term growth that comes from not having immediate social outlets.
  3. It is cliche to say that uncomfortability breeds growth. It is cliche to say that change is difficult but beneficial. However, cliches are overused because they. are. true. Everything that is occurring on this journey has been navigated by somebody else, and they have all succeeded in some way.

My time here in Dunedin is finite which only amplifies my excitement waking up every day knowing the opportunities that I will choose to let guide me. Albert Einstein shares the message that “wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” Meeting every opportunity when provided to me during my time here is exactly the path that will further me towards a heightened state of wisdom to wield in a world so ever-changing and unpredictable. The ability to learn this wisdom cannot be accomplished without failure, which is why I must proceed with committing myself to this unpredictable journey!