The Built Environment:
Auckland, New Zealand definitely had a different feel to it than the cities we traveled to in Australia. First, the architecture wasn’t as new and modern as a lot in the other cities in Australia. That’s not to say it was particularly old, either. Most of the city looked as though it was built from 1960 to 1990 and we didn’t see many new construction projects anywhere. The city also felt much more spread out and residential. We were able to visit a number of college campuses in Auckland, all of which were not particularly impressive. Interestingly enough, I still loved Auckland. I think the city was very easy to navigate and there were parts of it that were quite beautiful like the Viaducts down by the harbor where there was an exceeding amount of great restaurants and cafes.
The Natural Environment:
New Zealand is known for its plant and animal life, particularly its birds. Over 70% of New Zealand’s birds are found only in New Zealand and its plant life is also very unique. That being said, Auckland made sure to have a number of small parks and a botanical garden that was situation in the city. However, I didn’t feel that the natural environment and the built environment were as united as I did in places like Brisbane. There wasn’t as much fluidity. It felt very much like an urban environment with a distinction between the natural areas and the built areas. The great thing about Auckland though is that with a short 4 minute bus ride out of the middle of the city, you will find wonderful residential areas and smaller downtown districts. Here, the natural environment was very present and quite beautiful. We headed out to One Tree Hill, a short 10 minute bus ride out of the middle of the city and there were beautiful rolling hills with sheep and gorgeous trees and plants. Auckland was interesting in this way. The city felt very urban with no particular emphasis on the natural environment but then immediately outside of the city the beauty of New Zealand was displayed everywhere.
Minority and Local Culture:
New Zealand, unlike any other country I have ever visited, embrace their local and indigenous culture fully. It is incredible how present the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, are in Auckland throughout the country. It doesn’t feel like a tourist get-up either, like it does in Australia with the Aboriginal ancestry on display for pictures and a quick buck. In Auckland, Maori history is well preserved and the language and traditions are incorporated in everything from education (there are even classes on Maori traditional building techniques in the college of Architecture) to artwork throughout the city. The locals, even ones not from Maori decent, all are fully informed of there ancestors and love that it is a part of New Zealand’s story. It is refreshing and rare to see the incorporation of the traditions of the Maori into the modern world.
Conversation with a Local:
In New Zealand we met a number of interesting people. In Queesntown especially, we met people from all over the world. One guy I had a conversation with was named Alex. He was from California and had lived in Queenstown for over a year, qualifying him as a local. Prior to moving to New Zealand, he had held “a boring office job” after college for a few years then on a whim decided to move to Australia, where he traveled the country working odd jobs and surfing. He was quite the Californian, very into surfing and snow boarding with long blonde hair and commentary like “sweeeet, dude”. He was very nice and asked us a number of questions about life in the states these days, the cost of a case of beer, political inquiries, and a number of other stuff. He seemed very disconnected from his old life in the US and happily so. He said his favorite place in the world was Queenstown, and I can easily see why.
