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Deciding to pack my
bags and head to the other side of the world for a whole
year wasn’t an easy decision. However, after three
years at Auburn, I was ready for a new adventure. When
I found out about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
through a scholarship presentation on-campus, I never
dreamed that I would spend a year in New Zealand, some
8000 miles from Auburn and my home in southeastern
Louisiana. Not only famous for the recent “Lord of the
Rings” movies, New Zealand is truly a spectacular
place. Imagine the entire continent of North America
with its dramatic costal areas, stunning mountains and
vast plains, all compacted into two islands. Then add
some 40 million sheep and a mere 4 million people.
Before applying for
the scholarship, I didn’t know much about Rotary or what
the scholarship might entail. I quickly found out that
the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship is the largest
privately funded scholarship in the world and since 1947
has sent over 37,000 students to over 100 countries
worldwide. The scholarship gives students not only the
opportunity to study abroad, but also to build goodwill
and develop friendships in other countries. The
application process was straightforward and included
both a written and interview component. On the
application, I chose five universities (from almost any
university in the world) that I wanted to study at for
an academic year.
 Top on my list was New Zealand, specifically
the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, on the
South Island. Luckily, I was matched with my first
choice and was placed in Christchurch where I studied
from February to November 2006. The scholarship is
designed to cover tuition, room and board, travel
expenses and contingency funds for one academic year and
was generous enough to cover all of my expenses
throughout my year in New Zealand.
Before leaving the
United States, I had the opportunity to speak to my
sponsor club in Louisiana, gather souvenirs from New
Orleans and Auburn, and make contact with my host club
in New Zealand. As I left for New Zealand I was a bit
anxious but was completely relieved when I arrived in
Christchurch and met with my host counselor. Knowing
that I already had a support network there was a huge
relief and also great asset throughout the year. The
members of the Rotary club were always eager help me out
and share their country and local knowledge with me. As
a result, I had several invitations for dinner, weekend
getaways, and other events that I wouldn’t have
experienced otherwise. I had the opportunity to
volunteer at the hospital, organize a youth triathlon
and sell tickets to the rugby games (in exchange for
free admission!) all through contacts in Rotary.
During my year abroad,
I had the opportunity to travel throughout both the
South and North Islands of New Zealand, as well as
Australia and part of Southeast Asia. Skiing in June
and July, chasing lambs around a paddock, hiking on a
glacier, exploring Sydney and Melbourne, and scuba
diving in Malaysia were some of the highlights of a very
memorable year. Overall, I can’t thank Rotary
International, my sponsor club in Louisiana and my host
club in New Zealand enough for providing me with the
opportunity for an incredible study abroad experience.
I can, without a doubt, recommend the Rotary scholarship
program to anyone wanting to study abroad and truly
experience another culture firsthand. |
