A New Journey Awaits

Like every young kid, I’ve dreamed of traveling the world. Coming from a farm in rural Iowa, it was hard to leave the state, much less the country. Going to Iowa State as a Civil Engineering and leadership studies student has given me opportunities I could never imagine.

My first experience abroad was this past summer where I got to explore Stockholm, Sweden with the leadership studies program. I guess you could say I caught the travel but after that. I traveled to Oslo, Norway; Berlin, Germany; and Krakow, Poland. It was a great first experience abroad, especially since it was with a group. I was never alone. If we were confused or lost, we were confused and lost together.

One of the elaborate cobble-stone streets that make up Old Town in Sweden.

New Zealand, on the other hand, is a completely different story. On February 4th, I leave from Omaha, Nebraska and make my way to Christchurch, New Zealand. I’m not looking forward to the 26-hour journey (even though it’s on the shorter side for a trip that far away). What I’m most looking forward to is my end destination at the University of Canterbury where I’ll be studying until the end of June.

How did I choose New Zealand, you ask?

The simple answer is that I didn’t, not really. The trip more or less chose me. My first semester at Iowa State, I went to the study abroad fair. One of my mentors had gone to New Zealand the previous semester, so I instantly gravitated towards her. She showed me pictures and started talking about everything she did there, and I was instantly hooked. There was no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it.

No other place drew me in like New Zealand. Right then and there I decided that’s where I was going to go.

A year later, here I am, finalizing the details and counting down the days until my New Zealand adventure begins.

Hello

Goodbye

Good Morning

Until we meet again,

Kayla Ragaller