AUIP welcomes Jake Cardinal, the Ohio State Buckeyes Abroad Marketing Intern to the team. Jake writes: 

Kia Ora! My name is Jake Cardinal and I am the Buckeyes Abroad Marketing Intern. I am a third-year student at The Ohio State University studying Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS).

I grew up in a suburb of Toledo, Ohio and have since been living in Columbus to attend college. The outdoors and nature have always been a big part of my life as I enjoy activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and hiking. One of my favorite places to visit every year is Colorado as I have a love for the mountains. Combining my passion for sustainability and interest in mountains and nature, it was an easy decision to attend the AUIP study abroad program New Zealand: Sustaining Human Societies and the Environment.

Penguins, Sea Lion & Sheep on Dunedin Nature Tour

I often get asked, “What was your favorite part of the trip?” Answering this question proves to be difficult each time as it is so hard to pick one favorite part. I am never sure whether I should talk about being able to visit a protected wildlife reserve where I got to see penguins, sea lions, and sheep all on a beach at the same time. Or if I should mention that I saw one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes in Milford Sound. I also enjoy talking about the killer whales that were within ten meters of our boat in Kaikoura. Along with these amazing aspects, I learned all about the Maori culture and about how sustainability is impacting the tourism industry of the country. With just these few highlights, I have not even mentioned the relationships that were built throughout this awesome experience.

Sunset in Hokitika with friends

On my trip, AUIP supplied us with the best tour guide and bus driver anyone could ask for. Dave and Murray, respectively, were world class in talking about their knowledge of New Zealand and its flora and fauna. They could answer any and all questions us students asked and taught me more in three and a half weeks than I could ever have imagined. Throughout the trip, Dave and Murray became friends with everyone involved in our program and pushed us to always try new things and to experience every aspect of the trip to the fullest. Through the experiences led by Murray and Dave, all of us students became very close over the course of the trip. These experiences have created friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

Being the Buckeyes Abroad Marketing Intern, I am excited to share my experiences with people all over campus at Ohio State! Studying in New Zealand was by far the best experience of my life and I hope to influence as many people as possible to enjoy this program in the same way that I did.