Samantha Moran, student blogger from the University of Montana’s Business Sustainability study abroad program, writes about her first week of travel in New Zealand. Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Hey All!

This is Samantha Moran again, and I love world travel.

So today is day eight. Our first stop was in Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. It was fantastic. On our first day, we took a great tour around Queenstown with Hal Shaw. He is an entrepreneur in Queenstown, and taught us about how the tourism industry balances people and the environment to be more sustainable. On our free day, a few of us went ziplining through the forest where our tour was focused around sustainability and the environment. Our guides were very knowledgeable about the environment in which we were zipping through. They taught us about the four steps to sustainability: Take, Make, Break, and Cake. Living on Earth, we are only supposed to take what the Earth can replenish, we should only make what the Earth can digest, we must avoid breaking the Earth, and we must ensure the needs of everyone on Earth to finish the cake.

After learning all about tourism and the four steps to sustainability, our guide, Rob, took us on a beautiful hike up the Routeburn Track in the Mt Aspiring National Park. We were surrounded by gorgeous nature and hiked up to the waterfalls. Sitting on the top of this mountain, instead of learning facts or taking notes in a classroom, we were able to find an appreciation for nature and our Earth. The beauty of this hike instilled in me a protective spirit towards the Earth.

After Queenstown, we drove to Mount Cook and took a nature walk to the glacier lake. We jumped over rocks across the river and swayed on bridges while learning about the different plants, animals, and geological aspects around the mountain.

When we got to the end of the trail, a beautiful glacier lake was waiting for us. We stuck our feet in (and froze them), skipped rocks, and just took in the beauty of it all. Seeing how far the glacier has receded gave us a new look into how our lives, and the lives of others all over the world, can really harm the Earth.

All in all, this first week in New Zealand gave us a whole new look into sustainability. Protecting our home, the Earth, helping the economy grow, and being able to connect with everyone in our communities and in all of society, is what this experience is about.

Until Next Time,

Samantha Moran – World Traveler