Kate Kilmer

Why did you choose to study abroad?

• I often heard about study abroad being an amazing experience, one that you will not regret. Best way to find out if it was true was to go myself. To get a good cultural experience, I figured the semester abroad would be the best option with what time I had. I wanted to take courses that could apply to my degree, which would be easier to do if I went abroad sooner rather than later. I went to the study abroad fairs and visited the study abroad offices to determine what program or location would be best. In the end, I found that Massey University in New Zealand was the best option for me. There was a wider range of courses that I could apply to my degree, I knew very little about the wildlife and the culture, and the tuition and fees would be about the same for me. There was also a wildlife rehabilitation center named WildBase Recovery near the Manawatu campus, which interested me greatly as a hopeful wildlife or exotic veterinarian. Going abroad to study at Massey University quickly became an experience I was enthusiastically looking forward to.

What have you learned from studying abroad?

• New Zealand has a lot of unique fauna, which I went abroad to learn about. But I learned much more than that. I learned about the Māori culture, I developed new study habits, I learned about ecosystems unique to New Zealand, and the devastation caused by introduced mammals. And then there was the global pandemic – a test on my problem and time management skills. I sought after and obtained an exception, as international travel would be riskier than staying in New Zealand. Plane tickets had to be reissued or changed. Even before the pandemic though, I was developing habits and life skills that aid me greatly. Studying abroad was a wonderful experience that changed me for the better.

Do you think your experience will benefit you personally, professionally or educationally when you return?

• Personally, the experience has benefited me greatly. I have developed habits and life skills, such as broadening my cooking skills and recipes. Professionally, I have gained experiences that aid in my confidence and skills. I have expanded my network due to people I met internationally, and I am more comfortable with making phone calls. Educationally, I have learned a lot more than I expected. I learned about the local fauna and ecosystems, and the issues they face from humans and introduced mammals. I also developed my study skills and realized the issues that were preventing me from being a better student. The whole study abroad experience has benefited me greatly in many ways, many of which I was not expecting.

What would be your advice to students interested in studying abroad?

• I highly recommend planning early and going within your first two years of college. This will provide a wider range of classes to take while abroad and will be easier to plan for. I started planning in my freshman year of college, starting my application process towards the end of that same year. The sooner all of your paperwork is turned in, the easier it will be. Especially with visa applications and the official school paperwork, as there can sometimes be unexpected delays in processing. Even if you cannot go for a semester, it would be worth it to look into the semester break programs. Due to the pandemic, it may no longer be possible to travel. But there are online experiences that are worth considering, which can bring the culture to the virtual platform.

How have I been recording my experiences?

• I do not commonly use social media, but I posted occasionally on Facebook to give updates to relatives and friends. Pencil and paper was my favorite method for note taking, and for this trip I got an empty notebook to record all the birds and animals I saw in New Zealand. I mainly wrote about the birds I saw, what colors they were, what size and shape, and then pulling it all together to try to determine the species. As I learned more about the local fauna during my journey, I would go back through my recordings to determine if I correctly identified the species. Occasionally I would try to doodle an outline of the bird. As I wrote more in the notebook, I started including thoughts on the birds, what behaviors they have, and more. The Kea that tried to poop on the red jacket uniform of a zoo volunteer. The Kaka that decided to perch on my head. The Australian Coot diving for food as the young swim overhead. There was much to see, and not all of it could be recorded by camera. The use of camera or pencil always had a chance of being a distraction, on which I may not see even more spectacular animals or behaviors. My best memories and experiences with wildlife were often the ones that I waited till after before recording on paper.

Studying abroad was an amazing experience, and I got to learn more about an ecosystem with wild animals I was unfamiliar with. I got to meet new people and learn about the culture of the Maori people. I got to visit various locations around the North Island, and there is even more I have yet to see on the South Island. Which just means I will have to go back sometime, to see the South Island and NZ yet again. A fantastic place, an awesome experience, and fascinating wildlife. An amazing study abroad all in all.