There are some things that truly cannot be taught in any classroom, some things that cannot be experienced in any way except firsthand. There are some things that can’t be understood unless you’re there, drinking in the air, listening to the quietness that descends with nightfall, feeling the wind bite and envelope you.
It’s hard to explain, the feeling that comes over you when all you can hear is the wind rushing between the trees in the mountains that surround you. I don’t want to call it silence, because it’s not. Out in the New Zealand wilderness, I’ve heard the rivers flowing, the snow crunching and the trees popping in breeze. I’ve heard glaciers creak and break, birds calling to each other, their singing piercing through the leaves and the tussocks.
When you’re away from the sirens and the sounds of civilization, when you’ve taken a step out of the normal routine and a step into the world that you are surrounded by, sounds you never knew existed reveal themselves. All you have to do to hear them is to take a deep breath and listen.
I’m writing this column on the last day of my classes abroad. As my time here comes to an end, I’m taking the time to reflect on the months that I’ve had the privilege of spending in this incredible country. Being in New Zealand has taught me the importance of appreciating the natural world around you. Our world is an amazing place, filled with things and places that we’ll never truly be able to fully understand. We are privileged to be able to explore the natural beauty that has been set out for us. I think it’s easy to lose sight of that privilege, easy to get caught up in life and to forget what’s out there.
I urge you to take a break from your regular weekends, to upset the rhythm of studying and socializing. It can be hard. I know I definitely found it so. Go camping for a weekend, take a hike, just go outside and take a deep breath. We as humans were built to be outside, built to use our senses to experience the nature that surrounds us.
Here in New Zealand, I’ve been lucky enough to be reminded what it feels like to use my senses again and have been also reminded of the importance of engaging with the world around me. I’ll certainly be sad to leave, but I am happy that I’ve had the chance to get back in touch with what’s important to me. I’ve learned so much and am so thankful for the time that I’ve had here.
So, ka pai Aotearoa — until next time. Hopefully it won’t be too long until I’m back.
Henry Warder is a Pratt junior studying aboard in New Zealand.
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