International Exchange Programs at MBA: Daniel Maynard: Christ's College New Zealand, 2014

This summer I was blessed with the opportunity to go on exchange to New Zealand. I stayed in Christchurch, New Zealand and stayed with my host family, The Camerons. Richard Thorton, Parker Logan, and I left on July 8th and returned on August 9th. For the first week of our stay we were on vacation and were able to travel to all the amazing places in New Zealand, and the last couple of weeks we went to Christ College and took classes with New Zealanders.

We left Nashville in the morning and after a day of traveling we reached Christchurch. During my first couple of days in New Zealand my host family took me too a very good seafood restaurant, a Cantabury Crusaders Rugby Match, and a party for one of Will's friends. Then the real fun began as we drove up to Queenstown for a couple of days. My host family and I went skiing for two days and all three host families and exchange students went up the gondola to the luge downhill ride and sailed across Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak Farm Excursion. I also had the opportunity to go bungee jumping off of the cite of the original bungee. After we went back to Queenstown we went to school.

The first day of school I went into my house called Rolleston House where I hung out with my fellow schoolmates. Richard, Parker, and I all took the same classes together, but we were put into higher level classes than we were used to. We took more challenging courses like Digital Media, English, History, Economics, and Math. All of these were senior classes, so we didn't understand a ton of the material.

My host family kept me bust on the weekends by planning trips and activities for every day available. One weekend Mrs. Cameron and I went to Rotorua and saw glowworm caves, thermal pools, and a geyser. We also went to a cultural experience where we watched traditional Maoris perform their ancient traditions. They performed the Haka as well as many other traditions. I was also able to see several kiwis, and I realized how fragile they are. They can't fly and they are extremely sensitive to sound, light, and basically everything. It is a puzzle to me how these birds are still alive when it seems as if they are built in the worst way possible.

After another week of school I was given an extremely exciting opportunity to meet the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key. Rolleston House had won some sort of lottery in the school and we had lunch with the Prime Minister. We were not allowed to tell anyone before it happened and we were all required to turn off our phones so the press didn't know. It was so exciting to meet the head of the country that I was just visiting! After the lunch we all went back to our normal days, but we all had a story to tell because we had all had lunch with the Prime Minister.

After what seemed to be the shortest trip ever, it was time to go home. I said goodbye to all of my New Zealand friends in Rolleston House and said goodbye to my host family. I boarded the plane and started the long tip back home again.

My trip to New Zealand matured me as a man because it was the first time I had traveled without my parents, and I also had the opportunity to try new things like field hockey and bungee jumping. It has given me a new perspective on my home and the differences we have from many other countries in the world (We don't have chicken chips!). I would like to sincerely thank the Warner family for making this trip possible and for choosing me to go on this exchange. I know that without them I would not have been given this opportunity, I would also like to thank Mr. Gioia and Montgomery Bell Academy for setting up this trip and allowing me to go. Without their support I would never have gone on this trip.