Hey there fellow travelers! Today I am writing this post to let you know that I am once again undertaking an exciting journey to a new destination! In early February 2015 I will be heading out to spend 8 weeks in Hamilton, New Zealand! Why, you might ask? Well, this next semester is my final semester at Utah State University which will consist of my student teaching. I have chosen to spend my second block of student teaching in New Zealand instead of in Utah.
Many of you are
probably wondering why I've decided to make this trip. I have many goals in life, but one of the most important to me is my goal to become an international
teacher. I believe very strongly that
every country and every culture has a plethora of wonderful things to offer and
great insights in the field of education. I want to
spend time teaching in foreign countries and familiarizing myself with the
great variety of teaching methods, strategies, and theories that different
countries use. Later on, I hope to compile the best of what I've learned
into new strategies that can be used to strengthen the education of students in
an increasingly globalized world.
Through
studying abroad, I hope to gain a greater insight into a different type of
school system and into a different type of culture. I also hope to learn
more about how students from different backgrounds learn. This would be
the first in hopefully many experiences I will get to have learning from
different people.
When it came time to chose what country to go to for student teaching, I had the choice of either Norway or New Zealand. Norway was the cheaper option and so a lot of students chose to apply for that program. However, despite the difficulty it might present, I still chose to apply for New Zealand.
You
might ask why I chose to go there when I knew it was likely no one I knew would
go and when it would be so much more expensive. The choice was simple for me; I
have long been fond of their beauty and culture. From the opportunities I've had to learn about the
Maori culture that is at the roots of New Zealand’s past, to the beautiful
vistas that have long been sought after destinations for some of Hollywood’s
greatest film, I believed that New Zealand
would offer me an exciting and wonderful opportunity to explore a culture that
is a mix of old and new, of tradition and innovation.
While
in New Zealand I hope to meet as many new people as I can. I hope to learn about its culture, government,
school systems and more. The world is
full of bright and vibrant people with ideas that no one has ever heard of and
I hope to see what it is New Zealand is doing that the rest of the world needs
to know about.