Earlier this year, in a task to find the next great filmmaker, a competition was launched called Your Big Break. The task was to capture the spirit of New Zealand in a three-minute short film. Sir Peter Jackson (like we need to explain who this is) judged the entries, and multi Academy Award winner Barrie Osborne (American movie producer turned…
Continue readingAUIP Director of Academic Affairs, Lee Stoner, was recently taken to Queenstown for the weekend by his fiancé Krysina. Queenstown, surrounded by the beautiful Remarkables mountain range, was listed as the #4 top destination in the world by Trip Advisor in 2010. Lee was joined by fellow AUIP colleague, Eleanor Hand, the AUIP marine biologist for the North Queensland program,…
Continue readingWhen you’re alone or just simply can’t find a kind stranger, taking a solo or group picture can be quite the challenge. Who hasn’t done the extremely awkward Stretch Armstrong maneuver of ‘let me see how far I can extend my arm to put myself in this picture’? Our friend and office neighbor, Marty Coyle, brought to our attention the…
Continue readingLast week from August 4 to 6, AUIP hosted its staff for an annual retreat. The retreat took place in Hanmer Springs, which is approximately 85 kilometers northwest of our main office in Christchurch, New Zealand. We all stayed in a five-bedroom house, which served as our accommodation, meeting space and café-style dining. Our agenda was comprehensive (read: meeting from…
Continue readingYou have probably heard of the Balkans for all of the wrong reasons. The region hit the headlines in the 1990s when it was ravaged by genocide and war. The scars of this conflict remain, but this beautiful, mountainous area is now a safe and fascinating destination for those seeking an experience off the beaten path. In June, AUIP Director…
Continue readingRemember our June post Green Living: Drink up tap water? Well, we had some great comments after that post about people, especially our students, always carrying reusable water bottles. Students on the South Queensland program said that a reusable water bottle is an absolute ‘must pack’ for studying abroad. Instead of racking up costs on buying bottled water or soft…
Continue readingWe know you have a hilarious video of you talking to the kangaroo, like the Virginia Tech students pictured left. And what about that video of your friends singing and performing hand motions to “Home Among the Gum Tree” on Paul Harris’ bus? Well, break out your Australia video footage and enter the Study in Australia 2010 Video Contest. Running…
Continue readingOne of the most popular walks in Mount Cook National Park, the Hooker Valley trail leads up the Hooker Valley toward Mount Cook, also known by its native name of Aoraki. Students on the New Zealand program cross two suspended bridges, one pictured above, over the Hooker River and ultimately end at the river’s source, Hooker Glacier terminal lake.
Continue readingIf you’re a college student, then you probably don’t like being referred to as a ‘kid.’ But in parents’ eyes, their child is always their kid, regardless of age. A recently published booklet, Backpack Kids: The Safety Planning Checklist for Overseas Travel, outlines essential information for pre-departure planning prior to studying, traveling or working abroad. We think the guide is…
Continue readingA firm favorite of our students on the North Queensland program this year was having the chance to experience real Australian culture away from the tourist trail and stay in a farm stay accommodation. The farms students stayed on ranged from beef to permaculture to buffalo in the remote areas surrounding Malanda. Pictured right, AUIP’s Donna and Virginia Tech teaching…
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