Translation: “What is up brother, welcome, this is a cool island man”

Emersion in the isles of New Zealand has begun. I have 3 classes worth 12 credits back home that are more academically diverse and varied than I have ever been in. It was totally worth every minute and penny to come here and do this.

I am taking International Marketing, Advertising Branding and Identity.com, and a Negotiation and Persuasion class. Honestly though, they are crazy hard and I wouldn’t recommend taking 400 level courses while abroad.

I am homesick but staying busy. Leaving America really makes you appreciate it a lot more. The political issues that they have here are overwhelming compared to America. I know we fight a lot between parties and we have plenty of issues but there are a whole lot more over here.

It is a lot of fun but the food here is really different. Everyone’s favorite thing is mince pies (mince meat in a flakey crust) but they are so weird tasting to me. The weirdest thing is that they don’t know what a biscuit is! You know hot delicious biscuits that we like to eat with strawberries and cream at the dining hall or where ever, yeah they have never heard of them. They call a store bought cookie a biscuit. It is so crazy. I am going to make my Kiwi friends biscuits though, it will be a grand adventure soon to come.

One of the worst things yet though is that one of my best friends here is from Arkansas and I picked up some of her accent, now I say “Yall”. I am forever going to be made fun of back in NY. 🙂 You got to love it though, a New Yorker gone southern in so many ways.

Check out the pictures and video and do not forget to Keep it Ozzy!