tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29595959949129226562024-03-14T03:44:17.211-04:00New Zealand Study AbroadOver a 3-week period, our merry band of Mount Saint Mary College students and faculty will travel throughout the two main islands of New Zealand. We're geared-up to learn about the flora and fauna as well as the conservation measures taken to preserve native New Zealand organisms, and absorb as much of the culture as we can!Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-70099029147491389732018-01-17T02:16:00.002-05:002018-02-01T13:49:12.322-05:0017 January 2018: Christchurch: Antarctic CentreBy Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20)<br />
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we went to the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch. It has a museum covering the
history of Antarctica including the geology and various expeditions, some of
which are on going. In addition to that, there is also a center for Little Blue
Penguins and White-Flipper Penguins. They had 15 total, and each penguin was
there because they could not survive in the wild. Most of them had suffered a
traumatic injury that left them disabled. Amusingly enough, they even had a
penguin that was afraid of water. Our tour guide Diane allowed us to see the
penguins up close and told us about about how they came to the exhibit. After a
tour of their tank and how they are cared for, Diane fed them their breakfast
which was fun to watch.</span></div>
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Diane, the penguin keeper, discussing the webbed feet of ‘Squirt’, the Little Blue Penguin.<br />
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Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘19) looks on at “Squirt”, the Little Blue Penguin, during our backstage visit at the Antarctic Centre in Christchurch.<br />
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Antarctic Center had a room which simulated an arctic storm. The room dropped
to 17</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">°</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">F and had 25 kph
winds. Everyone was definitely shivering after a minute or two and stepped back
out into the relatively warm museum. Once we were done with the exhibit we
headed outside where an animal rescue group had some huskies for people to meet
which was a pleasant surprise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Our crew after we experienced an ‘Antarctic storm’!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
our experiences at the Antarctic Centre, we drove back into Christchurch for
lunch. We had the rest of the day to ourselves and explored the city of
Christchurch. Overall today was a very good day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-16893322763708686522018-01-16T02:22:00.000-05:002018-01-17T02:32:54.884-05:0016 January 2018: Dunedin to ChristchurchBy Ray Shepherd (Nursing ‘21)<br />
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Our group giving some perspective on the size of the Moeraki Boulders!<br />
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A quick pose with the director of the Otago University Anatomy Museum, Chris Smith. Thanks for being so accommodating!<br />
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Our group in front of a silhouette of a Northern Royal Albatross (the red bird).<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Our students observing several Northern Royal Albatross incubating their eggs at the colony site at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Hiltrun Ratz, Research Scientist, talking to our group about the Little Blue Penguin colony located at Pilot’s Beach on Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula. Fantastic basic biology being studied by Hiltrun!</span></div>
Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-53260912972376534992018-01-15T01:02:00.000-05:002018-01-17T02:35:48.240-05:0015 January 2018: Queenstown to DunedinBy Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘20)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Today began with a huge adrenaline rush. Jenna, Amanda, Harley, Sam, Emily and I went bungee jumping off of the Kawarau Bridge, which was insane. We can now say we’ve bungee jumped in the place that first made bungee jumping a thing in the 80’s!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">On the way back, our bus driver told us a Māori molding creation story which I thought was really awesome. He told us that, according to Māori legend, there was a girl who went to Lake Wakatipu (next to Queenstown) and was taken by a monster, but was saved by a man who then went to kill the monster. But the monster was indestructible, so the longest lake in New Zealand, Wakatipu- rises and falls 20 cm every 15 minutes —this is the monsters heart that is still beating. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Afterwards, we went to a few souvenir/ crystal necklace places and the girls got jade for ourselves and our loved ones back home. Then, we were off to Dunedin- and on our way, we got pulled over by Peter “Morepork”, the Police Officer- human proof that New Zealand is the friendliest place on the planet. We all got out and took a picture with him, and then got back on the road.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We then were off to the south side of the Otago peninsula outside of Dunedin. We went to Sandfly Bay, which was amazing. We literally had to jump and roll down the sand dunes to get to the beach and experienced authentic wild beauty in pure nature. We saw Yellow-eyed Penguins (~2,500 individuals in the world!) and NZ sea lions, and walked along the sand. All in all, today was an amazing day where even more memories were made.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The group takes a moment for a picture with Sandfly Bay in the background.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20) examines the carcass of an albatross on the beach at Sandfly Bay.</span></span><br />
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-70822729546166298082018-01-14T01:00:00.000-05:002018-01-17T01:17:32.184-05:0014 January 2018: Milford SoundBy Dr. Mike Daven (Math & IT)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Today we headed out </span><span style="color: #0072c6; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;">at 3:30am</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> for the long drive to Milford Sound. It's located in the Fiordlands and Professor Robinson drove the 4+ hours while most of the passengers slept, including me! Once the sun came up, we enjoyed some amazing views, towards the end of the trip we passed under the mountains through the Homer Pass. This sketchy-looking tunnel is 1200m long and was constructed in 1935-1940.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">When we arrived at Rosco's Milford Kayaks, the two guides prepared for the excursion. Blake, originally from the town of Nelson, NZ, set us up with all the gear we would need, and told us that today's paddle wouldn't be nearly as tough as the kayak trip we took last week! J.D., originally from Iowa, USA, gave us instructions about kayak safety.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Throughout the float, our guides gave us information about the Milford Sound and some of the local Maori legends. We were fairly close to some Southern fur seals who were sunbathing and a Black-backed Gull that wasn't too happy with how close we were to its nest. We also saw several small planes and helicopters take off and land. My favorite sight was the Lady Elizabeth Bowen Falls. At 163m, it's more than three times as tall as Niagara Falls.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">It was a great day and we were all glad to have a calm day floating on the water and taking in these amazing sights. After the float, we stopped in Te Anau for lunch, then we headed back to Queenstown listening to some ska and similar music.</span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-9563471692071696482018-01-13T00:59:00.000-05:002018-01-17T01:24:38.315-05:0013 January 2018: traveling to QueenstownBy Harley Illingworth (Nursing ‘20)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Talk about getting ready in the dark!! We all woke up to the power at our hostel being out due to a tree falling on the power lines last night. Let me just tell ya the hostel was pitch black, but thankfully a few of us had flashlights and headlamps to help get ready for the day. After our crèche (morning meeting), we headed out toward Queenstown to start the day with nothing really planned other than finding interesting pitstops along the way.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We started today’s journey by pulling off on the side of the road to try one of New Zealand’s finest delicacies, whitebait. Whitebait are juvenile fish in Family Galaxiidae that are caught and then thrown in an egg mixture and grilled. After the initial hesitancy due to the little fish eyes staring back at everyone, we all decided that it didn’t taste terrible. Then we were off again.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Our next stop was at the “Blue Pools” near the Haast Pass in Aspiring National Park, where we had to cross a few swinging bridges to see the incredibly blue pools along the Makarora River. Let’s just say some people had a little bit too much fun shaking the bridge to freak out some members of the group! Once we got there the water was a beautiful Caribbean blue, it was breathtaking. From there we decided to head to Lake Hāwea for lunch.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Lake Hāwea was astonishing. With the mountains butting up next to the water, it made the lake look like it was only a mile across when in reality it was about 4+ miles across. We all swam around in the freezing cold water, took some pictures, ate our lunch, and found some bones. Then we were off to our final stop: Queenstown.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After we left, we saw a cool little lookout along the Karawau River called ‘Roaring Meg’ that we decided to stop at. We learned that at the lookout, the Department of Conservation (DoC) was in the process of getting rid of the pine trees that were invading the land because it was killing and taking homes away from some of the native animals. Then after reading about their project we were off once more for Queenstown.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After arriving to Queenstown, the group decided to retire early for the night because we all had to get up at 3:15am to go kayaking at Milford Sound.</span></div>
Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-61691767166413350412018-01-12T00:58:00.000-05:002018-01-17T01:51:49.285-05:0012 January 2018: Fox and Franz Josef glaciersBy Ray Shepherd (Nursing ‘21)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Today is day 14 of our trip into the paradise that is “New Zealand”. We started out the day with coffee at a little cafe that has one of the most stunning views of the Franz Josef glacier valley. As we reminisced about the night before, we watched the helicopters take off and land, ferrying adventure tourists to the tops of mountains.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We left our cafe and we headed out to the Fox Glacier where we began a deceivingly long walk to an observation platform. The moment we pulled into the parking lot at the trail head, the scope of the valley, surrounding mountains, and the glacier itself was breathtaking. We were walking down 2km-long trail in a 600m-wide valley with 3100m-tall mountains surrounding us, on the way to a glacier that's over 15,000 years old! The sights were almost indescribable as we walked. When we get to the top of the observation platform, we finally could see the terminal face of the glacier and the little ice caves that had formed. This is one of the most memorable experiences of the entire trip and easily one of the most picturesque places of all New Zealand.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After having our breath taken away by the Fox Glacier, we wound our way back through the mountains to a small-community run plant nursery that was tackling the task of keeping native seeds and plants available for use around the South Island. We met with Paula Sheridan (<a href="http://www.okaritoboattours.co.nz/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">www.okaritoboattours.co.nz</span></a>), who gave us the rundown on the how, why, and what about the Okarito Native Plant Nursery. As a bonus, Paula invited Ian Cooper (<a href="http://www.okaritokiwitours.co.nz/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">www.okaritokiwitours.co.nz</span></a>) to talk with us about the kiwi sightseeing tours he leads in order to generate a greater knowledge of the Okarito Rowi Kiwi, the smallest of the species of kiwi species. It was amazing to see that a community of around 30 permanent residents were doing important conservation work for the remainder of the island. </span></div>
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Paula Sheridan describes the plants being raised in the greenhouse while Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘19), Harley Illingworth (Nursing ‘20) and Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘20) listen intently and take notes.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After the nursery, we returned to the hostel and cooked up dinner. After our refuel, we went to the Franz Josef Glacier and hiked to the observation point. The entire hike rose over 1400 feet from start to finish and the Franz Josef Glacier looked to be around twice the size of the Fox Glacier. This whole day was filled with such amazing views; it was really hard to put into words or perspective the size and beauty of the mountains and glaciers. With less than a week to go after today, I can't wait to see what the trip offers next. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The small group that took on the challenge of hiking to two glaciers on the day! Behind us is Franz Josef glacier. Left to right: Dr. Mike Daven (Math & IT), Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20), Ray Shepherd (Nursing ‘21), and Dr. Robinson.</span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-55904716913850546432018-01-11T00:57:00.000-05:002018-01-18T14:58:18.331-05:0011 January 2018: Greymouth and Franz JosefBy Ryan Feeney (Nursing ‘19)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">I can’t believe we only have 8 days left. Time flies when you’re having fun. Our day began at 7am with Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20) and Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20) talking with Mrs. Shuta’s and Mrs. Cifuni’s 2nd grade class at Balmville Elementary School (Newburgh Enlarged City School District) about our travels and experiences in New Zealand. The students loved talking with Sam and Jenna about the animals that we’ve seen and some general questions about New Zealand, such as, “What side of the road do you drive on?”! </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We left Westport en route to Greymouth and made a quick stop to see "pancake rocks” in Punakaiki. Pretty cool. They actually looked like pancakes stacked on top of one another. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 16px;">We next made a visit to Grey Base Hospital (in Greymouth) to get a sense of what health care is like in New Zealand. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We sat down with Karyn Bousfield (Director of Nursing) and Brittany Jenkins (Associate Director of Nursing) at Grey Base Hospital for about 2 hours. We talked about things ranging from the duration of an average nurse’s shift to the origin of the health care alliance between the five regional districts on the South Island. It was a cool experience learning from individuals in the same field as I am but who live on the other side of the globe. Karyn and Brittany briefly took us through the process of becoming an RN and what their responsibilities may consist of. They told us that if we (Americans) came to New Zealand as a licensed registered nurse (RN), we could not practice in NZ; we would need "additional training", as they put it. Turns out these Kiwi don’t mess around when it comes to health care practioner preparation. I could go on for a while telling you about the distribution of cash and why someone might want to have private vs public health care in NZ but I won’t. I’ll keep it light and tell you that if you are ever in New Zealand and get hurt, you are in good hands. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">After thanking Karyn and Brittany for their time, we jumped into the van for a 2 hour ride to Franz Josef through torrential rains. Nice hostel and a cool town. I found a cool souvenir shop and a delicious Indian restaurant. After dinner we called it for the night to get ready for whatever tomorrow brings. </span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-10946418640501680522018-01-10T00:55:00.000-05:002018-01-17T02:06:37.108-05:0010 January 2018: Marahau and Westport<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">By Nick Terzulli (Nursing ‘19)</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We’ve been in New Zealand for about 2 weeks now. Can you believe it? I sure can’t! What an adventure it’s been. Our group is really bonding to the point where we have so many little inside jokes that none of us can keep track. After a couple of days camping, we spent the night at The Barn in Marahau. We woke up this morning and gathered around the van </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">at 9am</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">. We cleaned up the van (imagine how disgusting it’s been after nearly two weeks of travel.. yeah). So we set voyage to do some grocery shopping in Motueka for the next three days. We then made a pit stop to look at the beautiful scenery around us. Then it started to rain (MASSIVELY), so we all ran to the van to continue the day’s journey. I’m pretty sure we’re all thankful for the superb driving skills of Doc Rob to get us out of there, but anyways let’s continue.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We continue to make our way to a quiet little suburban town named Westport. Westport used to be home to the coal mining industry in New Zealand up until the mid/late 1900s. Since the industry witnessed a major decline, it left the small town out to dry. Although it went through a rough patch, it still is really pretty and has a homey feel. So, now that you have this little background, I’ll continue to take you throughout our day. We’re not quite at Westport yet. It’s been like 2 hours so we’re playing games like “black magic”, “I’m going on a picnic and I can bring....”, and “I spy” in the van...wait; it gets better.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">It’s like </span><span style="color: #0072c6; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;">four o’clock</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> now and we finally pull into the parking lot for our place of living for the night in Westport after a long travel day. We cook up a FIRE meal of chicken parm, garlic bread, salad, and spaghetti. A nice Italian meal, if you ask me (I’m Italian and actually enjoyed the meal). We (the students) even had the company of Doc Rob and Doc Daven (they contributed with FIRE chocolate cake and ice cream... CHEERS TO THEM). We ended the night playing ping pong and just hanging around and laughing a ton. It’s been an awesome two weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Keep reading our blog and following our journey. PEACE FOR NOW. :-)</span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-79601119673058787642018-01-09T14:39:00.000-05:002018-01-17T02:09:15.640-05:009 January 2018: Abel Tasman National Park, day 3; Marahau<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">By Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20)</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">Unlike yesterday, today the crew was up early to leave Anchorage Hut campsite in Abel Tasman National Park to hike back to The Barn. The hike was approximately 12.4 km or about 7 miles and it was intense. From the really heavy backpacks, to the heat, and the hills, the crew was TIRED, but we all took a moment to enjoy the gorgeous views below us and fall even more in love with New Zealand. The hike was filled with nature and water and every step there was something new to look at. The various wood bridges over little creeks made us feel like we were in a Indiana Jones movie; it was quite fun!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">After the extremely long hike, we walked to the Park Cafe, located a block away from the hostel. Most of us got nachos and burgers, that we definitely deserved! After much needed showers and some sleep, the gang hung around for a couple of hours. We watched an intense game of ping pong between Sara and Nick and then Sara and Ryan, Sara won both games...go Sara! The ping pong game must’ve worked up an appetite because after it, we went back to the Park Cafe and all got pizza.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">As we walked back with our filled bellies, we laughed and talked about the trip. We also realized that we are more than halfway done; time really does fly when you are having fun! When we arrived at The Barn we all retreated back to our rooms for an early night; we are all still exhausted from the hike. Although the hike was long and hard we all agreed that we are proud to say we walked 12.4 km and lived to tell the tale! Today was tiring but it was also beautiful and amazing, and we are all so happy we embarked on such a trip!</span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-42689758131964701952018-01-08T04:57:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:49:24.701-05:008 January 2018: Abel Tasman National Park, day 2<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">8 January 2018: Amanda Krom (Nursing ‘19)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Good morning from Torrent Bay! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">It was a relaxing day considering all of the running around we’ve been doing during the first week of the course/trip. Our family woke up slow to an oatmeal and raisin breakfast in the middle of nowhere. We are camping in the southeast corner of Abel Tasman National Park. It is beyond beautiful here! Today we were beach bums, glow worm watchers, and adventurers, of course! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">My morning went like this....while drinking my instant coffee, I observed a cicada. Dr. Robinson pointed out that it had markings on its wings that looked exactly like musical notes. It was a beautiful little insect up close! Then, I caught some rugby balls with my ‘mates’ in the crystal blue water. Then, we caught some rays in the sand. I did a mini yoga session in the sand by the water. It really enhanced my sense of inner self peace and balance. After, I walked the shoreline to collect some beautiful sea shells.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the millions of cicadas ‘calling’ in the native bush/forest around our campsite. Notice the musical notes on the wings!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Family dinner was delicious, given what we had: fresh peppers, an onion, tortilla shells, hummus, and salsa. After dinner, took an adventure to Cleopatra’s pool! Cleopatra’s pool is a natural-made swimming hole within a stream and is filled with water flowing down the Torrent River through a slide made of rock and covered in moss. Totally rad! Everyone went down the slide, even the ones who were second guessing it. They were glad they did. We all had a blast.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cleopatra’s Pool (center of photo), including the rock slide (upper right portion of the picture).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Torrent Bay during low tide. The exposed tidal flat allowed us to shorten our hike to Cleopatra’s Pool. On the tidal flat were thousands of small crabs that raced into their burrows as our group walked toward them!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">When we got back to camp, we had some hot chocolate for dessert to get warmed-up after the chilly water at Cleopatra’s Pool. The night wasn’t over, though! Following our hot drinks, we headed down our beach in search of glow worms! Glow worms hide in colonies in dark caves. It wasn’t that scary though. Glow worms are fly larvae that have a glowing blue-green bioluminescence and a silk thread that dangles nearby. The fly larvae do this to attract prey at night. Pretty genius since flies are attracted to light at night. Glow worms are endemic to New Zealand. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Overall everyone had a day full of adventure and new things! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">P.S. The night of January 8th 2018 I saw the most stars I’ve ever seen in the night sky! </span></div>
Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-65561160128600725752018-01-07T23:48:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:49:01.528-05:007 January 2018: Abel Tasman National Park: day 1<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">By Sam Kenney (Nursing ‘20)</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">Today we left The Barn where we spent the night and headed to Abel Tasman National Park! We rented sea kayaks from Abel Tasman Kayaks (<a href="https://www.abeltasmankayaks.co.nz/"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16pt;">https://www.abeltasmankayaks.co.nz/</span></a>) and set out </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;">around 10am</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">. After being trained on how to kayak by ‘Captain MIKEY’, we took a quick tractor ride out to the water and paddled around a bit to get the hang of things. Once we set out, we paddled to Fisherman Island, a quick stop on the way to the campground. It was only supposed to take three hours, but we didn't make it until nearly 3 in the afternoon! The wind was pretty strong and the waves were very rough. Although we were all very tired (and a couple sunburned or seasick), it was very satisfying to have finished the 12 kilometer kayak ride and everyone had a good sense of accomplishment. We then had a nice lunch of peanut butter and jelly, pitched our tents, and hung out on the beach. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Harley Illingworth (Nursing ‘20) and Nick Terzulli (Nursing ‘19) training in the kayaks at the Abel Tasman Kayak facility in Marahau!</span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">The ‘Anchorage’ campground, in Torrent Bay, was very picturesque, and our campsite was just a short walk from the water. Throughout the woods, the sound of cicadas, mallard ducks (yes, introduced from North America!), and the occasional Morepork (one of the few owls left in New Zealand) was heard while camping. We swam a bit and threw the rugby ball around before heading in to make dinner. While the tide was out, there was lots of starfish and even a sand dollar washed up on the beach. At the end of the beach were some small caves to explore. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt;">Around 6pm, </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">we fired up the camp stoves and had quesadillas for dinner. Soon after dinner, everyone turned in for bed after quite a long day.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hanging out on the beach following a massive paddle from Marahau.</span></span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-85004513777696900252018-01-06T23:33:00.000-05:002018-01-18T16:04:37.237-05:006 January 2018: Nelson and MarahauBy Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20)<br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt;">Today was a relatively low-key day. Yesterday was very long and very tiring and I think it’s safe to say the crew was happy to have a day to sleep in late and simply walk around. The day began with a Skype session with a 2nd grade class from the Balmville School, then to shopping in the town of Nelson, and then onto to ‘The Barn’ in Marahau to prepare for our camping trip in Abel Tasman National Park. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">This morning, Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20) and I had a Skype visit with Mrs. Shuta and Mrs. Cifuni’s 2nd grade class at the Balmville School. It was an interesting conversation that ranged from whether there are elephants in New Zealand to the temperature outside. </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 18.66666603088379px;">Unlike at home, it is a very comfortable temperature today ranging between the 70’s, a very gorgeous day to walk around! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt;">The students were really enthusiastic and eager to ask their questions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: x-small;">Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20) and Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20) talking to the 2nd grade class about the birds seen on our trip.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt;">Since it’s a Saturday, the streets are alive with flea markets and music. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt;">The flea market was filled with venders that sold a variety of things, many of them being sure to include the New Zealand aspect of their items. One of the venders was selling earrings that were made out of real New Zealand Fern that were dipped in glass, they were extraordinary. There were also many people selling various items made out of sheep wool, I guess you can say New Zealand can spare some sheep! The flea market also had delicious food, like the wraps we ate that were the size of our heads! A man was playing the piano which gave the busy market a relaxed and carefree vibe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">When our afternoon came to an end, we were all rounded up and went food shopping for our camping trip! We picked up burrito fixings, fruit, and snacks. After that we were on the road heading to “The Barn” (</span><a href="http://www.barn.co.nz/">http://www.barn.co.nz/</a>) <span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt;">located in Marahau. The car ride was about an hour and for about half of the drive, the gang played “I Spy” and the name game, very intensely might I add. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;">When we arrived at The Barn we sat around the picnic table and played games to keep us busy. Then we planned out all of the supplies we are bringing camping tomorrow, our night was just as lowkey as our day. We went to the Fat Tui for dinner and we definitely left a little fatter! After dinner we packed our bags for camping and then just hung around as a group. We’re beginning to become a loud and crazy family, and we are excited to experience more of New Zealand. </span></div>
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Doug Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13967484466962286963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-16366584305458581012018-01-05T02:08:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:48:21.820-05:005 January 2018: Wellington to NelsonOur day began rather early today, as our daily meeting took place at 7:15am so that we could prepare for our crossing of the Strait of Cook on the Bluebridge Ferry at 8:30am. The weather forecast was a bit foreboding, with a cyclone sitting off the northwest coast of the North Island, but the crossing proved rather easy; I wouldn’t say the seas were glass-like, but they were certainly better than what I had expected given the forecast. Dr. Mike Daven and I rode on the viewing deck the entire trip to watch albatross and petrels cruise above the wind-swept waters in search of food. We watched as Wellington Harbor and the North Island faded in the distance and the Queen Charlotte Islands of Marlborough Sound and the South Island came into view. A few students joined us on the deck to watch as we entered the water way that took us to Picton, our first location on the South Island that we’d visit.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The city of Wellington being left behind by the Bluebridge ferry.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ray Shepperd (Nursing ‘21), Dr. Mike Daven (Math and IT), Ryan Feeney (Nursing ‘19), and Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20) aboard the Bluebridge Ferry to Picton.</span></div>
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Once we arrived in Picton, the group visited the Picton Bakery, in my estimates the most amazing bakery on the planet. There was a meat-pie or other delicious vittle for everyone in our group (the Ollie Bols are amazing!). <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My favorite bakery in the whole world!!</span></div>
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We spent a quick hour in Picton before we were off to Nelson to visit with Hudson Dodd at the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary (<a href="http://www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/">http://www.brooksanctuary.org.nz/</a>) to learn about the establishment of the sanctuary, the exclusion fence that was erected to keep-out mammalian and other pests, the reintroduction of native birds to the sanctuary grounds, and to hear about the recent effort to eliminate pests within the sanctuary through the use of the poison brodifacoum. Our students enjoyed the somewhat soggy hike up the Brook Stream valley and peppered Hudson with many insightful questions. The students demonstrated their absorption and comprehension of the ideas and conservation strategies discussed during our visits to the other sanctuaries on the trip; it was a real pleasure to see!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our gang at the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary in Nelson.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sam Kenney (Nursing ‘20) asks Hudson Dodd, General Manager of the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary about potential bird species to be introduced into the sanctuary.</span></div>
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<br />Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-21685047504369552182018-01-04T05:35:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:47:49.884-05:004 January 2018: Wellington’s Karori SanctuaryBy Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘19)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">Our group had an amazing day at our service learning project in Zealandia, the Karori Sanctuary in Wellington! First, we stopped in the education center on the property where we learned about how Zealandia was formed over millions of years. This occurred from the break up of Gondwanaland, the super continent of the Southern Hemisphere, and the shifting of Pacific and Australasian plates that has made New Zealand today. We watched a short film depicting how predators and people came to New Zealand and the overall effect it had on the native plants and wildlife. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">We then moved into the sanctuary, which happens to be the world's first urban sanctuary set in the middle of New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. New Zealand has many off shore islands that are sanctuaries that preserve the original bird, insect, and reptile species. The island sanctuaries inspired local people to create something of the same stature, just a lot closer to the people of New Zealand so that there was better access to it. The fence for the sanctuary took 3 years to develop, which included a few key elements that help keep predators out. These included a height of 1.8 meters tall or higher to keep cats out, a tight-knit metal wiring that the rodents could not fit through, along with having a cover on the top to keep possum, cats, and rats from climbing over. The fence also had a mesh wiring that goes under the ground 3 inches and out from the fence to keep animals that dig out. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Anne Jackson, Karori Education Ranger, explains the use of traps (bottom left in picture) to remove mammalian predators from the sanctuary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">As we made our way through the double gate system into the sanctuary, we started our 45min hike to where we would be clearing brush. Clearing the thorny blackberry bushes was a bunch of fun, even though it hurt every once in awhile. We were clearing the bushes to help clear more grazing area for the Takahe, a bird species who grazes on the low grass. The bushes over grow so quickly that it reduces the amount of area the Takahe has to roam, and to eat, and they could get stuck. We worked really hard to clear the bushes and had a great time doing it. We used clippers, shovels and reinforced gloves that were provided to us. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Our group working on removing blackberry plants, including both the above-ground and below-ground biomass!</span></span> </div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">We took a lunch break and enjoyed the shade. As we finished up lunch, Titu, one of the four Takahe's in the sanctuary came into the clearing, walked around and ate some food. The beautiful colors on his feathers were amazing, and it was cool to see how he walked and moved around. We finished taking pictures and moved on to walk to our next locations around the sanctuary. </span></div>
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Our group after finishing our removal of the blackberry bushes. Behind Dr. Mike Daven (Math & IT; furthest person to right), is Titu, the 20+ year old Takahe to inspect his newly remodeled habitat.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">While walking around we got to see other species of birds such as New Zealand’s forest parrot, the Kaka, Saddlebacks, and Pied Shag, along with other bird species and Tuatara, the lone members of the Family Sphenodontidae, in their burrows. Overall, we had a wonderful day helping the sanctuary and learning more about the wildlife that is original to New Zealand along with the preservation efforts going on, helping it to continue to flourish.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kaka, the New Zealand forest parrot, perched among the bird feeders. Each parrot takes a turn visiting the feeder to obtain a peanut.</span></span></div>
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Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-26249873208398038402018-01-03T01:36:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:44:09.749-05:003 January 2018: Mt Doom and Wellington<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "helveticaneue"; font-size: 16px;">By Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘21)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "helveticaneue"; font-size: 16px;">Our day began with leaving the YHA hostel as we headed to Lake taopoe, the biggest lake in New Zealand. Once we got there, we all got out of the van and some of us put our feet in the water and found some pumice stone; there was such a peacefulness to the lake and we would have loved to have stayed a bit longer but we had to go on to our next stop- Mt Ruapehu (perhaps better known as Mt Doom.)</span><br />
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Our group at Lake Taupo.</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "helveticaneue"; font-size: 16px;">Driving up to it, all you could see were a mixture of clouds and fog and it was sweet as to be where some scenes in the Lord of the Rings were actually filmed. We got there just in time; we went up a set of ski lifts and were 5000 feet up when it started raining so we took our pictures, saw some beautiful waterfalls and headed back down and got back on the road. The only mishap was Ray losing $160 on the ski lift on the way up, but thankfully on the way down he saw it so he and Sam (better known as the “whimsical woodsman”) trekked up a bit of the mountain to get it, and we were off again... onward to Wellington- New Zealand’s capital.</span><br />
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Looking down Mt Ruapehu while riding the ski lift.</div>
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Our group at the highest point the ski lifts would take us up Mt. Ruapehu.</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "helveticaneue"; font-size: 16px;">Arriving in Wellington, exhausted from the day’s festivities, we hung out in the hostel for a bit and then went out as a group. The days are going by so fast and I can’t believe we’re already headed to the South Island soon! We’ve had so many once in a lifetime experiences already, but there are still so many memories to be made.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "helveticaneue"; font-size: 16px;">-Sara Wernick</span></div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-59250814972637553292018-01-02T13:42:00.000-05:002018-01-11T06:02:46.693-05:002 January 2018: Hobbiton and Rotorua<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 10pt;">It’s our 6th day in New Zealand! Everyone is having a blast and our group is turning into a family. We had a very eventful day today. First, we drove to Matamata to visit the famous movie set, Hobbiton. Second, we drove to Rotorua to experience the Maori culture in an authentic way. Thirdly, we got to see some of New Zealand’s most famous geological features; geysers and mud pools. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 10pt;">Hobbiton was a magical place. I’ve never seen anything like it! The Hobbiton movie set was made on the Alexander family farm and is approximately 1250 acres. There are 26 different species of animals living on the farm, including the 13,000 sheep they have. The person who created the movie was Peter Jackson and he was extremely attentive to detail. The 44 hobbit holes on the farm are all unique and heavily detailed. 300 million dollars went into making this movie. Our class walked through the mysterious gardens of Hobbiton for a bit and then we wandered to the Green Dragon for some brews as a family. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 10pt;">Next, we drove to Rotorua to experience the Maori culture and learn more about them. The Maori people are extremely talented and interesting. We first learned how they used the resources around them for shelter, clothing, weapons, etc. For example, the Maori strip fiber from the NZ Flax plant and make rope from it. The Maori love to carve wood and weave. The Maori carve things like whale bones and jade to make jewelry, weapons, or utensils. The Maori also enjoy tattooing. It is not unusual for a person of Maori heritage to have a specific patterned tattoo that traces back to their ancestors. We also watched the Maori perform song and dance for us. The Maori used dance as a way of intimidating their enemies in war and preparing their bodies for fighting. They taught us their traditional dances, the Haka (the men do this) and the Poi (the women do this). We also got to see a Kiwi while we were here. No, I am not talking about the fruit. The Kiwi is New Zealand’s National bird and it is endangered. There are only 58,000 Kiwi left and this number is steadily declining. Next, we had a Maori dinner. It was amazing sitting at a table with all of our classmates eating authentic Maori foods. The Maori cook their food underground over hot coals and then retrieve it hours later. The food was so delicious, we overstuffed ourselves. I’m pretty sure half the class had to unbutton their pants after the meal. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 10pt;">The last thing we did for the day was my favorite! We checked out New Zealand’s hot springs, geysers, and mud pools. The country has amazing and unique geological features. The geothermal areas are only 15 kilometers above magma! The water is around 90-95 degrees Celsius. Geysers are only found in a few places in the world. The geyser we saw today is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. The water is also full of over 25 rich mineral deposits that are great for the skin! The Maori used the mud from the hot mud pools to treat arthritis and related diseases because the mud has heat for up to 90 minutes. The Maori believe that everything has a life force and this is why water shoots from a hole in the earth’s crust to form a geyser that is alive. Our class walked through the steamy paths of NZ to arrive at this incredible geyser. We watched it shoot water into the air. We also saw the bubbling mud pools spurting out clay. </span></div>
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Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-71880281879691277602018-01-01T13:41:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:39:15.162-05:001 January 2018: Hot Water BeachBy Ryan Feeney (Nursing ‘19)<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">It’s New Year’s day and we are leaving Auckland and headed to the Hot Springs Beach on the Coramandel Peninsula. We all packed our things into the van and rode for about an hour until we stopped in Thames at a grocery store called "Pak’n Save" to pick up some supplies for the next 2 days. The grocery store was similar in style to a Sam’s Club or BJ's, so we did well on prices. State Highway 25A is beautiful, winding and twisting through a mountain with cow and sheep farms on either side is too scenic for a camera to capture. Rating: </span><span style="color: #0072c6; font-size: 16pt; text-decoration: underline;">10/10</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">; would highly recommend. We arrived at the beach in the early afternoon and set up a spot to barbeque. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">Once settled we made our way to the hot springs and soon found out that they are indeed very hot. The hot springs were pretty decent sized (could fit 6 or 7 people at a time), located right along the water’s edge. The scenery was unreal: a sandy beach with lava-like rocks protruding from the sand, and dense native bush above the tide-line. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 16pt;">After a few hours of lounging in the springs and eating some NZ hotdogs and hamburgers that were McGyvered by Dr. Robinson, we were back in the van and headed to our next hostel. After 45 minutes, we were in our newer, much smaller hostel. I will say I was happy when i saw that it was quiet and small... I needed to give my wallet a break and catch up on some sleep. We cooked a nice dinner of pasta and veggies, relaxed for a little while and went to bed.</span></div>
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Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-35309342481279113172017-12-31T03:31:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:38:58.295-05:0031 December 2017: Goat Island Marine Reserve and more!<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Another beautiful day in Auckland began with a drive out to Leigh, about an hour north of the city. There, we our first stop was at the Goat Island Dive and Snorkel Shop where we picked up our gear to snorkel around the Goat Island Marine Reserve that afternoon. We popped in to see Tina and the crew to get outfitted with gear and then we were off to the Goat Island Discovery Centre to hear about the origins of the Centre and the current research taking place in the marine reserve just off shore of the Centre (how sweet is that, ecology folks?!).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">We checked-in at the Discovery Centre and were met by two knowledgable and friendly folks: Angela, a former marine sciences technician and now assistant to the Centre’s director, and Ashley, an Auckland University PhD student in marine science. We learned about the strong-tie between the local community and the marine reserve, and the benefits the reserve has to the fishery outside of the reserve. We saw interesting video footage that appeared to demonstrate a rise in species richness and abundance as a result of the establishment of the Goat Island Marine Reserve, as well as other marine reserves within the Hauraki Gulf. With the increase in species diversity, the intricate food web off the coast was maintained. The students commented on how ‘cool’ it was that local community members thought the preservation of species in the marine environment was important and questioned why more people in the US don’t get involved to preserve the country’s natural world. Good question!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Ashley then treated us to an introduction to some of the common invertebrates found in the marine reserve using the animals in the Centre’s ‘touch tank’. The students had the opportunity to handle several species of sea stars, observe what happens when a predatory sea star attacks a scallop, and be personally ‘attacked’ by a sea anemone. Very cool stuff, indeed.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sam Keeney (Nursing ‘20) holding a sea star from the touch tank. We learned this particular species of sea star is not a predator of scallops.</span></span></div>
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Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘20) holding a brittle sea star at the Goat Island Marine Discovery Centre touch tank.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: x-small;">Amanda Krom (Nursing ‘20) holding a third species of sea star in the touch tank.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Following lunch, we suited up for a swim in the Goat Island Marine Reserve and were fortunate to see an octopus (great find, Jenna Albanese (Nursing, ‘19)!), squid, pipers, snappers, and many as-of-yet unidentified fish species. The water was a bit chilly but we managed a good 1.5hr swim thanks to the recommendation from Tina at the dive shop to wear the long wetsuits rather than the shorties! Swimming worked-off our lunches, so we fueled up for our visit to Muriwai Beach later in the afternoon with an ice cream stop in Matakana. A good start to the afternoon!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Across the North Island from Leigh and Auckland, lays the west coast, an area dominated by black, volcanic-origin, sands. The sand was extremely fine, much finer than what is typically found on Jones Beach (Long Island, NY)! A few students took a dip in the Tasman Sea, while several others lounged on the enormous beach. Instead of lounging around, I walked with Sara Wernick (Sociology, ‘20) and Emily Stanek (Nursing, ‘19) to visit the nearly Australasian Gannet colony high on the bluffs above the beach. What an amazing opportunity to see seabirds up-close and personal! About 2000 birds, half of which were nestlings, could be seen sleeping, preening, greeting newly-arrived mates, or fighting with interlopers on the colony. A huge range of young birds could be seen on the colony: some only 1 week old; others probably at least 6 weeks old. And, some parents were still sitting on eggs; probably not good news considering that it’s the middle of summer already!</span></div>
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Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘19) and Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘20) watching the Australasian Gannet colony at Muriwai Beach.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">The year 2017 finished out with all of us going out for meals and watching the fireworks get launched off the Sky Tower in Auckland’s City Central. With the closing of the year, it’s safe to say that we all feel very fortunate to have our health, families that love and miss us, and the wonderful opportunity to visit New Zealand. Here’s to good health and success to all in the new year!</span></div>
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Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-40359993055920201062017-12-30T01:42:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:38:31.348-05:0030 December 2017: Tiritiri Matangi, the Open Sanctuary<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">By Harley Illingworth (Nursing ‘20)</span><br />
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Today, the group had plans to go to Tiritiri Matangi Island to learn about the islands conservation efforts to restore it back to its original state. Tiritiri is a pest free island which means that there are no animals such as mice weasels and snakes on the island. This is to insure the safety of the other animals and plants that inhabit the island. To keep the island pest free visitors must clear the bottoms of their shoes of dirt and make sure that no pests are currently residing in the bags that they are carrying onto the island. We also were given the rule that whatever you bring onto the island must leave the island with you for the safety and sanitation of the island.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nick Terzulli (Nursing ‘19), Ryan Feeney (Nursing ‘19), Sara Wernick (Sociology ‘20), and Amanda Krom (Nursing ‘20) riding the ferry from Auckland to Tiritiri Matangi.</span></div>
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In order to get to the island we had to take the ferry from Auckland’s shore line to the island of Tiritiri which took us about an hour or so. Once we got there we were introduced to our tour guide Malcom who was a walking encyclopedia. Malcom explained to us that after the Persians killed off most of the bush with fire it left the island with only 6% of its natural state which still existence today. It took about ten years to finally turn that 6% into 60%. He also informed us that are a various amount of birds that habitat the island. This birds range from penguins to the very rare Kiwi. We were even lucky enough to see Tui, Saddleback, parakeet, Weka, and more. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Malcolm describing the nesting behavior of Grey-faced Petrels to Nick Terzulli (Nursing ‘20) and Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘20).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Malcolm explaining the restoration of native bush on Tiritiri Matangi.</span></div>
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One of the crazier things that we saw was a Tui laying on the ground with his wings spread out. Originally we thought that the bird was hurt but later learned that the Tui was sunbathing. We also hiked to the top of the island where the oldest lighthouse in the country is. Not only did we get to see some breathtaking views but we also got to see rare species of birds and we got to learn a lot more about the very unique island of Tiritiri Matangi.</div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-39489953291814078272017-12-29T02:07:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:38:04.972-05:0029 December 2017: Auckland<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">We’re here! Thirteen hours later, we’ve made the jump across the Pacific Ocean and have landed in sunny, warm Auckland! As we waited for the arrival of our last member (arriving from Sydney, Australia), we took in some sites in Auckland and soaked up some of the austral summer’s toasty sun.</span></div>
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The group in the Auckland airport with a traditional Maori carving behind us.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">To start the New Zealand trip, we begin with a group meal that the students pick out and prepare. We had a terrific stir fry with chicken and seafood and got to share what events students are most looking forward to...I’m hoping we get to fulfill all hopes on this trip and, just maybe, exceed expectations!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Our final stop on our first travel day was Auckland’s famous ‘Sky Tower’. This 220m structure reigns as the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere (although our very own Empire State Building is nearly double the height!). The 360 degree view at the top gives a great perspective on Auckland and the geologic history of a country that is still very much in tectonic motion.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> Our group in front of Auckland’s Sky Tower.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://212c62cc-40b6-473b-96e9-02ce3b1a88df/imagepng" />Amanda Krom (Nursing ‘19) with the ‘Marvin’ the mascot from Mrs. Shuta and Mrs. Cifuni’s 2nd grade class from Balmville School (Newburgh Enlarged City School District).</span></div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-69998146886174822682017-12-27T02:02:00.000-05:002018-01-11T05:37:38.693-05:0027 December 2017: And... we're off!<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Our departure for New Zealand has finally arrived and there is subtle buzz to the students. Everyone’s tired from the early flight to San Francisco, but the excitement is there! Nearly all of the students on the trip have travelled internationally but all are raring to go on this huge adventure!</span></div>
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Part of our group on our flight from Newark to San Francisco (front, left to right: Nick Terzulli (Nursing ‘20), Harley Illingworth (Nursing ‘21), Sam Kenney (Nursing ‘21); back, left to right: Jenna Albanese (Nursing ‘20), Ryan Feeney (Nursing ‘19), Amanda Krom (Nursing ‘20), and Emily Stanek (Nursing ‘19).<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Our first stop in adventure was San Francisco, where we took time during our 7 hour layover to visit an In-and-Out Burger (look out Five Guys, you’ve got some west coast competition!) for lunch, then we went on to visit the Golden Gate Bridge. Tremendous! We had an awesome start to the trip, never mind some hiccups (forgotten passport, rental van timing issue)! </span></div>
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Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-22469384811329228462016-01-20T14:31:00.001-05:002016-01-20T14:31:19.802-05:0021 January 2016: the final dayAfter an amazing trip that lasted 24 days, nearly countless miles in the van, extraordinary smells from said van, interesting and varied conditions within hostels, we are now poised to return home. Our final days in New Zealand were spent in Christchurch, a city that was ravished by powerful earthquakes in 2010/2011. It's a city of rebirth and growing architectural beauty. We visited withe Antarctic Centre to learn about Little Blue Penguins and Antarctica, and, to send us off in a true summer manner, we spent our final full day in New Zealand soaking up the sun at Taylor's Mistake Bay beach. While we would all say we'd love to just stay in New Zealand, we're all missing you at home, whether its parents, friends, or the family cat. We have stories to tell and we hope you'll do us the favor and allow us to revel in the extraordinary time we've had on the trip. Know that the smiles and enthusiasm are deeply-rooted; with the exception of the odd belly ache, we've had an incredible journey! See you all soon.<br />
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The gang in our trusty steed of a van!</div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-77649985287103928042016-01-13T14:01:00.000-05:002016-01-13T14:01:01.434-05:0012 January 2016: Punakaiki & Conservation Volunteers New ZealandWe moved on 12 January to the south to Punakaiki, the home of 'pancake rocks', a geologic attraction along the Tasman Sea, to continue our volunteer efforts with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand. This morning, we helped Michael Kingsbury plant about 50 native plant species (Totara (<i>Podocarpus</i> <i>totara</i>) and Kahikitea (New Zealand White Pine; <i>Dacrycarpus dacrydioides</i>). Once again, the students jumped in and planted the trees with speed and enthusiasm! Michael and I were both really impressed with the gardening skills of the class.<br />
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Following our visit with Michael, our caravan moved further south to visit Franz Josef, one of the few towns to dot the mid-westcoast in 'Glacier Country'. Only about two roads large, Franz Josef sits on the edge of the Waiho River, the river derived from the Franz Josef glacier 5km away from town. The students settled into the bustling hostel filled with travelers from Asia, Germany, the US, and Scandanavian partiots. We were fortunate to have the weather hold-out for our evening, such that Anne, Jay, and I could enjoy a brief reprieve from cooking dinner to enjoy a night 'out'. The students were, instead, enthusiastically tackling a meal of pasta and pesto in the hostel. I've never heard someone (much less a whole group) get so excited about pasta!<br />
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Tomorrow: Fox Glacier!<br />
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Our merry band of volunteers following the completion of our planting work in Punakaiki.</div>
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Nichole Lopez and Christina Antico plant a Totara tree in Punakaiki.</div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-23896222053591443732016-01-11T13:31:00.000-05:002016-01-11T13:31:21.249-05:0011 January 2016: A long-awaited post!To all who have been faithfully checking our trip blog hoping to read the exciting news about our travels: Sorry! Our trip has been so action-packed and our days so long that my blogging has fallen by the wayside. I'm happy to report that all is going well, and, despite the busy-ness of the trip, everyone is having a great time and in good spirits.<br />
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At this point in the trip, we're in Westport (South Island) for a few service projects and to visit the site of 'pancake rocks' in Punakaiki. Yesterday, 11 Januanary, we worked with Michael Kingsbury (Volunteers New Zealand) to plant ~200 New Zealand flax (<i>Phorium tenax</i>) at the Kawati Beach Reserve. The group (17 students and 3 faculty) jumped right in an planted with a vengeance: we finished our service in <1 hr! Michael was pretty impressed with our efforts. <br />
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From Westport today, we travel to Punakaiki to see the famous 'pancake rocks' then travel further south to Franz Josef, where we'll visit Fox Glacier tomorrow. After a brief stay in Franz Josef, our group, which consists of students and faculty from Ohio Northern University (ONU), splits: the ONU group heads to Milford Sound in the Fjordlands National Park, and the MSMC group heads to 'adventure capital of the world': Queenstown.<br />
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Our group listens to Michael Kingsbury as he describes the project at Kawatiri Beach Reserve in Westport.</div>
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The MSMC students working hard to plant flax in the dune vegetation at the Kawatiri Beach Reserve.</div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2959595994912922656.post-39988361736543502302014-01-19T15:59:00.000-05:002014-01-19T15:59:02.569-05:0018 January 2014: and...we're home!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our long trip home, beginning at 4pm New Zealand time in Christchurch and ending at JFK at 12:15am, lasted 26 hours, but our spirits have not dampened. Although everyone was tired, the energy of the trip still seemed to bubbling from all. The last hurrah for our group included a few photos, lots of hugs, and a final huddle and cheer. We had an amazing time in New Zealand and, with some patience from you, we'd love the opportunity to share that experience with you through pictures and stories. Enjoy those re-tellings, as they are an intricate part of your trip participant. Listen and ask about the details; they've learned a LOT over the last three weeks! Dr. Moran and I have learned much about our students and we feel very fortunate to have been able to do so through the flights, the activities, the housing nuances, and supermarkets we've experienced together. Once again, thank you for sharing your student(s) with us!</div>
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Our final photo after returning to JFK at 12:15am today.</div>
Dr. Douglas Robinson, Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15161780273025172050noreply@blogger.com5