Halfway through the semester! It's week 9, and we are finishing up our midterms and research papers. The semester system is long and different compared to our 10 week, fast-paced quarter system, so I've had to adjust quite a bit. I've had longer study sessions and lots of time at the libraries, and I have yet to mention that each paper has at least a two-and-a-half hour exam for finals, so I'm a bit stressed. Nothing like some study breaks and fun activities to do with my friends around Dunedin to get some serotonin. I've experienced the Dunedin, many great restaurants with some yummy kiwi food, kapa haka performances, polyfestival, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori language week), and my favorite has been attending our friend Naomi's Otago Spirit rugby games. The Te Rōpū Māori (Otago University Māori Students' Association) has been like NASU (the Native American Student Union at the UO) for me, a place to study and engage with Māori and Indigenous students on campus. Taking these breaks to engage with the Māori culture has been uplifting, as I'm away missing a lot of cultural and traditional events back home. Surrounded by culture and a new welcoming family her in Dunedin has been very crucial to helping me cope with being home sick.
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For my mid-semester break I visited Queenstown! I went with some friends and visited for a couple of days; it was very worth it. I got to ride go-karts down the side of a mountain called the luge. Then, we spent some time walking around doing many tourist activities. It was a great break before my research essays were due, and it was great to spend time with my friends off campus.
I can't wait to visit Auckland soon and continue my studies for the rest of the semester. I hope with these new relations here in New Zealand that future Native American and Indigenous Studies students and NASU students have a place to call home away from home and that future Māori students at UO have a welcoming space as well.
Keke Singer, Diverse Ducks Ambassador