AUIP welcomes Madison Dale, the Florida Down Under New Zealand Marketing Intern to the team. Madi writes:

Kia Ora!

My name is Madi Dale. I am a third year psychology and sustainability studies double major from the University of Florida.

I am so excited to be a marketing intern for AUIP this year. Having a student perspective made choosing a study abroad program so much easier for me, and I’m excited to share my experience with other students.

Gators in NZ

I have always wanted to travel. My bucket list is 20 countries long, and I was very tempted to choose a study abroad program that went to many countries, but I’m so glad I choose one that allowed me to truly experience one country instead of having a short exposure to many. Quality over quantity. New Zealand is an entity unto itself, I’m confident there is nowhere like it in the world, and I’m glad I’ve seen so much of it. We also traveled through the country with experienced professors and guides, so we were able to constantly learn about this amazing country as we traveled through it.  I have a personal stake in what we learned as I want to become an environmental lawyer. It was interesting to compare New Zealand’s conservation practices with those of the United States and I’m sure I’ll draw on that experience for the rest of my life in my career. However, one does not need to pursue a career in an environmental industry to go on this program. For many, it was simply a way to experience another culture and learn to become more aware of the land they use.

Before we left for New Zealand, we were taught the term “tourism bubble,” wherein people go to a country and have a completely artificial experience. We popped the tourism bubble as soon as we landed. From the moment I stepped off the plane onto New Zealand soil until the moment I left, every experience I had was authentic and unique.

Views in Queenstown, NZ

My New Zealand adventure was nothing short of breathtaking. I stood in Papamoa, New Zealand, and saw the first sunrise in the world on June 16th, 2017. I swam with 200 wild dusky dolphins, fed honey to an endangered Kea parrot, and saw a royal albatross. I kayaked the Abel Tasman, sailed the Milford sound, and saw glow worms in an old Maori forest. When people ask me what I did over the summer, I honestly don’t know where to begin.

“Traveling: It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller”