Alyse Horn, 2011 New Zealand student blogger, writes:

Finally, I have been blessed with the chance to experience the most diverse country in the world: New Zealand.

Alyse Horn

During my freshman year of high school, my then English teacher gave our class an assignment to research the different countries in the world and write an essay on our dream country to live in. I thought this would be a task for me. I love to snowboard and have been doing so since the fifth grade, but I also love hiking in lush forests and connecting with nature. Even more so, ever since I was a child the ocean has always been a peaceful place for me to go and reflect on myself as a person.

Then, I found it; Google had led me to the most magical place I had ever read about on Earth. Since then, I have been a devoted Google searcher, but also have been dreaming of the day to visit New Zealand.

I never thought it would have possible so soon in my life, and it almost didn’t happen. In the beginning of the spring semester I had been signed up to study abroad in Rome, until I received an email in February from our group advisor Angela about studying abroad in New Zealand. I immediately withdrew my application from the Rome program and called Angela asking how to apply for the program.

To my wonderful surprise, it was a class being offered through Penn State that I just needed to add to my spring schedule. Now, here I am three months later anxiously counting down the days until our departure and for my adventure to begin.