Alyse Horn, Lions Abroad marketing intern, writes:

It’s weird to think that one year ago I was embarking on the adventure of a lifetime in New Zealand. Now, I sit in disbelief because the memories made during my study abroad are still fresh in my mind. I can still hear our field guide, Dr. Pat Devlin, reciting the hoards of information stored in his brain about the country.

I remember our stop after Queenstown, St. Arnaud, was shocking to say the least. We felt like we were thrown into the middle of nowhere, with the closest convenience store a few miles down the road from our accommodation. I never expected my most precious memory from New Zealand to come from this place. But that’s exactly what happened.

Photo provided by alumnus Andrew John.

It was a cool, crisp morning that Dr. Devlin took us along the beginning of the St. Arnaud Track. After a half hour of observing the plant and animal life, Dr. Devlin said the group was going to split into two groups. One group could choose to hike up the St. Arnaud Track, and the other could do a less physically-demanding loop around Nelson Lake. I chose to hike the St. Arnaud Track.

That hike was one of the most challenging things I have ever done in my life. I remember after about an hour of hiking on a slight incline, it turned into a climb. Some students couldn’t handle the stress on their bodies and had to turn back. None of us expected the hike to be that difficult, despite what Dr. Devlin had told us.

But upon reaching the St. Arnaud ridge, with my legs burning as hot as the sun, I felt on top of the world. My senses felt sharper than ever. It was one of the few times when my body, mind and soul felt completely alive. I had packed a drab peanut butter and banana sandwich to eat that day for lunch, and I ate it while sitting on top of the St. Arnaud ridge. To this day, that was the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten.

To all the students currently in New Zealand, I hope you enjoy the St. Arnaud Track as much as I did!