A couple summers ago I had the incredible opportunity to spend five weeks travelling and studying abroad in New Zealand and Fiji with an organization called Pacific Discovery. The experience changed my life and created an endless number of fond memories and positive experiences. The first four weeks of my trip were spent in New Zealand, primarily in the north island. During this time, I spent two weeks volunteering with the Department of Conservation: Te Papa Atawhai. The rest of the time was spent learning about the industry of adventure recreation and sustainable tourism, while also partaking in fun and exiting activities. The final week of the trip was spent in Fiji on Nacula in the Yasawa Islands.

If you are considering spending time studying abroad, or even just visiting the country of New Zealand, I cannot encourage you enough. The only two things needed to make it a wonderful experience are a positive attitude and an open mind. The experience provides unimaginable benefits. I grew as a an individual from this time abroad and I made lifelong connections with people I met during my travels.

The first week of my trip I volunteered at a working conservation farm in Mimiwhangata, New Zealand. The farm is located on one of the most beautiful coastlines I have had the pleasure to view. During our week at the farm, our group of 12 planted 4,000 trees, in hopes of filtering the water in a river that outlet into the ocean.

Volunteering was hard work, but it was exceptionally rewarding. Throughout the rest of my travels I noticed that the locals were much more receptive and friendly knowing that we were visiting their country not only as tourists, but as volunteers. I recommend spending a portion of all of your travels volunteering, not only for yourself, or the organization you’re volunteering for, but to open doors with native people. Later in our travels we spent another week volunteering at Golden Bay, New Zealand, relocating native species of plants.

My summer abroad not only taught me the lessons I was studying or the importance of sustainable travel, but how to face my fears head on and to be out of my comfort zone. This photo of me flipping out of a raft down the largest recreational waterfall in the southern hemisphere was one of the most terrifying moments of my life, but I walked away from it mentally stronger and ready to face new challenges.

The last week of my trip was spent on Nacula island in Fiji. This was a time for us to relax, have fun, and deepen our connections with one another. My time was mainly spent snorkeling and enjoying the beach, but I also learned new things and had major adventures on this tiny island. I swam in an underwater cave, scuba dived with sharks, and got to visit local Fijian villages. Every day on this adventure was a learning experience, and an opportunity to try something new. Immersing oneself in another culture is an incredible opportunity to learn about other perspectives and ways of life. If you are thinking about studying abroad, do not hesitate or let anything hold you back, just go for it. Dive right in! I promise you will not regret it. It is an investment in yourself that will have a serious return.

For more photos of my adventure, follow me on Instagram @dana_sbp. If you enjoyed this post, please follow my blog for more posts about my travels and adventures.