Josh: Travelling the USA

One of the most appealing aspects of any exchange is being able to travel, and before coming to America this was one of my main goals. I think it’s safe to say that it has been my favourite part of my study abroad experience. The US is such a diverse country, each of the 50 states offers something completely different and they all have their own unique culture and history which is something I’ve really come to appreciate. So far, I’ve managed to visit 8 different states and I set myself a goal to visit all 50 at some point in my life.

I came to the realisation early on, that if I wanted to see everything that I planned to, I would have to go out on my own, finding travel buddies isn’t always easy and UTA doesn’t host a very large exchange student group so I decided that solo travel would be the easiest way for me to get around. Independent travelling has the benefit of being self-driven, I don’t have to find someone else who wants to do the exact same things that I want to, I can make my own schedule and go where I want to go. I also wanted to use this trip to ‘test the waters’ and give myself a taste of what solo travelling would be like in the future. To anyone considering it, I would say do it! It’s so easy to meet other likeminded people by staying in backpackers and most Americans are extremely friendly. I’ve also learned that a kiwi accent really stands out compared to the deep southern accent that many Texans are known for, so anyone you speak to will likely ask where you’re from which can be a great conversation starter.

 

Car, Plane, Bus or Train?

I’ve used 3 different methods of transport so far which include flying, renting a car, and bussing. Obviously where you are going is going to limit what methods of transport you can use. For my trip to Washington D.C I really had no choice but to fly; I didn’t have the time to drive, and wasn’t keen on a 24 hour bus ride. In my experience Southwest Airlines is by far the best airline to fly with in the US. They offer 2 free checked bags, in-flight entertainment, and free drinks, and still remain the cheapest airline to fly with. They are also unique in that they don’t assign seats; where you sit is done on a first come first served basis. Not really a big deal considering how much you’re paying!

For some trips I needed to rent a car, and at the age of 19 this was no easy task. Most rental car companies won’t even consider renting to someone under 21, and the ones that do charge a premium to offset the risk. Hertz is the only big name company that will rent to 20 year olds, except for states like New York and Michigan where there state legislatures require all companies to rent from age 18 and up.

Catching the Greyhound bus is also a really cheap way to get around. I’ve used this a couple of times and honestly, for what you pay, it’s not a bad experience. It’s a little uncomfortable, but when you’re a young poor student you don’t have a lot of choice. Finally, the US also has a train service called Amtrak. I haven’t used it personally, but from what I’ve heard it’s quite expensive and not very reliable, especially when you can just catch a flight for a similar price.

 

Los Angeles:

My first stop in the US was Los Angeles, and man, this is a city and a half, and somewhere that I really wish I had spent more time in. If you do end up going, you definitely want to plan your days and start early. Hollywood Boulevard, Venice Beach/Santa Monica and Universal Studios/Disneyland are all the main touristy places that people associate with LA, but they are all very cool places to visit. Getting around wasn’t too much of an issue, I purchased a Tap Card (AT Hop equivalent) for $7 a day, which gave me unlimited rides on the subway, which also stops at all the places I mentioned above making it really easy to get around without having to hire a car. I chose to stay close the airport just to make things easier when I had to catch an early morning flight. However, this has the downside of being well away from all the touristy locations and means you will have to spend more time on trains and busses which is a good thing to keep in mind in weighing up where you want to stay.

Nothing could compare to the magic of Universal Studios

Hollywood Boulevard is a crazy, crazy place

 

Washington D.C:

Jumping over to the East Coast, I cannot recommend Washington DC enough. Even if you aren’t big on history or politics, DC is a great city with an incredibly vibrant culture. For someone like myself who is really interested in US politics, getting to see sites that hold so much historical and global significance such as the US Capitol, The White House and the Lincoln monument was an incredible experience. The city is also home to the original Constitution and the Declaration of Independence under heavy security at the National Archives. Seeing such powerful documents in person was also a very surreal moment. I spent 2 days here and (just) managed to see everything I wanted, even if it was a bit rushed and left me with very sore legs! The city is so small that everything is within walking distance, I was even able to use a Lime Scooter to get to the airport instead of spending $15 on an Uber! Security is justifiably tight in DC, expect to have your bags X-Rayed at most museums or public places you visit.

Washington monument on the national mall in DC

One of the legends of American History

 

Austin:

The capital city of Texas – Austin, is also a place I would highly recommend if you’re in the south. A quirky town with a bustling live music scene, great BBQ and food trucks galore. Austin is also home to the world’s largest bat colony, 1.5 million bats all living under one bridge, and at sunset they all leave at once to go off and hunt for food. Sounds creepy, but it was a very cool experience and something that you have to see in person to appreciate!

Street art is a big thing in Austin

The State Capitol, taller than the capitol in DC because everything is bigger in Texas

 

West Texas/Roswell:

If you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten track, West Texas is home to some great national parks. Big Bend National Park sits right on the Mexican Border and is definitely worth a visit. The South Rim trail gives you stunning views over the Rio Grande and into Mexico, as long as you don’t mind a 6 hour uphill round trip. I would definitely advise you to bring at least a gallon of water (3L) and start early to beat the heat. Guadalupe Mountains, home to the highest point in Texas, and Carlsbad Caverns are also nearby in Southern New Mexico. While I was out in this area a couple of months back I also decided to take the short drive into Roswell, New Mexico, site of the 1947 Roswell Incident where a UFO supposedly crash landed. The museum here gives a really interesting look into the event with articles and eye witness accounts. I’ll admit, this definitely isn’t for everyone, but it’s something that I found really interesting and makes for a cool story to tell people when I get home. Note: when travelling anywhere around the southern border, it is a good idea to carry your passport. Border Patrol agents have set up random checkpoints within 100 miles of the Mexican border and will stop and ask you questions to confirm your legal status in the United States. As a student, this means they will want to see your F-1 Visa.

UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico (A serious hidden gem)

Peak of the south rim trail @ Big Bend National Park, photos can’t do it justice

 

Alaska:

I took a 5 day trip to Alaska at the end of October which was such a cool experience. Being the most sparsely populated state in the Union, most of it remains untouched with over half the population living in Anchorage alone, so much so that the entire western half of Alaska is completely inaccessible by roads due to the fact that the population is so small. Most tourism in the state occurs over the summer months from May to September, making a trip during late fall/winter a bit trickier to plan. Once snow starts to fall, driving becomes quite dangerous and temperatures fall pretty sharply. If you visit during this time, make sure you come prepared with plenty of warm clothes and if possible, rent from a company that provides vehicles with winter tires. On the plus side, it is definitely the most beautiful time of the year to visit and you’ll likely be one of the very few tourists in the state, making everything a lot cheaper! 5 days is nowhere near enough time to see everything the state has to offer so I had to be selective on where I visited. Denali National Park, Chugach State Park and Seward are just a few of the places I would recommend you visit, but the state has so much to offer that it really depends on what you want to see. This is definitely a state that I want to return to at some point in the future.

Representing UOA on the Seward Highway in Alaska

Summit of Flattop Mountain in Anchorage

 

Grand Canyon:

The most famous national park in the US, and by far the busiest. I took a trip here over Thanksgiving weekend and I’m glad I did. There really is something for everyone here, whether you just take a walk along the south rim and enjoy the stunning views, or head on a day trek down into the canyon. I chose the latter and it definitely pushed my fitness to its limits. Being about a week out from winter, large patches of the trail were extremely icy and trying to walk across them without slipping down into the canyon was almost like an extreme sport, but I guess this beats going in the middle of summer when temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees. I also found that I was the only person in the park wearing shorts and a t-shirt during 5 degree weather, something only a kiwi would do!

Breaking away from the crowds to take in the view

 

Las Vegas:

When I first arrived in the US, I didn’t plan to visit Las Vegas. Mainly because everything I associated with Las Vegas included gambling and drinking, something that I couldn’t do as I’m not 21. However, I decided to take a day trip here when I was in the area and I’m really glad that I did as it was probably my favourite location I visited while in the US. There really is so much more to Vegas than what everyone associates with it. Las Vegas Boulevard (commonly referred to as ‘the strip’) has so much to see and do and I vastly underestimated how overwhelming it would be. It’s hard to summarise how cool it is in a few sentences and I think it’s something that everyone needs to see at least once in their life!

Still repping the University of Auckland in Sin City

Bright lights of Las Vegas Boulevard

 

As I’m writing this I only have about 3 weeks left of my exchange before I head back to New Zealand. I’ve convinced my parents to give me a bit of extra money so I’m taking a 6 day trip to San Francisco and Chicago after exams and then spending my final 5 days in New York City which I’m absolutely buzzing for. Plus my flight home has a 24 hour stopover in Hawaii so I can’t really complain!

If you’re planning on coming to the US for an exchange, then I hope this blog has inspired you to travel or at least given you some insight into what it’s like.

Josh: Accommodation at UTA

As I sit writing this post, I am reminded about how quickly time is passing. I’m now over halfway through my exchange which is insane to think about. People often say that time flies when you’re having fun, and as clichéd as it is, it’s so true. It feels like last week that I was nervously hopping on a plane to the other side of the world, but I have to constantly remind myself that it was over two months ago. For this post, I wanted to write about one of the most important parts of any exchange – Housing.

As with most Universities, you have a choice between on and off campus accommodation. There are pros and cons to each, and depending on your individual circumstances, things may differ for you, but I’ll try and explain how I reached my decision and the process surrounding applications.

Living off campus is a bit hit and miss in Arlington, not only because of the fact that most leases require a minimum one year contract, but also because (as I mentioned previously) Arlington does not have any public transport meaning you need to live within walking distance of campus. With these factors, it just wasn’t worth this hassle for me to try and live off campus, especially when I’m only going to be here for four months. But hey, if you can make it work or want to challenge yourself then more power to you!

This brings me to on-campus housing, something I was already familiar with having lived in University Accomodation at UOA for the past year and a half. UTA offers the standard halls or “dorms” and also on-campus apartments, that provide a more independent lifestyle (which includes being able to cook for yourself). Having lived in both types of accommodation before, I definitely had a preference towards a more independent flatting environment, and wasn’t too keen to go back into a hall situation. But like with off-campus housing, all UTA apartments have a minimum one-year lease and unless you can find someone to take over your lease at the end of the semester, all the termination fees fall squarely on you (not something I was keen to be sorting out during exam time). Therefore, I made the decision to live in one of the halls on campus.

West Hall Exterior

Floor 3 Common Area

UTA offers 7 different Halls of Residence. I opted to live in West Campus Hall, the newest hall on campus only opening in August and home to about 500 students. Fortunately, one of the worst parts of living in a first year hall in Auckland, the shared bathrooms, were not a problem as each room comes with an ensuite! If you live in a hall at UTA, you are required to purchase a meal plan (optional for people living in an apartment). A meal plan essentially gives you a set number of “meal swipes” per semester that you can use at one of two dining locations on campus. The two locations provide a decent range of food and it’s all you can eat! There are different tiers of plans you can purchase but it would take me an entire post to explain the differences so I’ll just leave it at that, but it is definitely something you want to research thoroughly before you make a decision, because like housing, meal plans are expensive! The benefits to living in a hall are as you would come to expect; a sense of community, ease of friendships, and academic and social support just to name a few. These did play a role in helping me decide where I wanted to live, so it’s important that you give some consideration as to what you want your housing experience to be while on exchange.

Layout of a standard room at West Hall. You’re not a true Texan until you have a duvet with the Texas State flag on it!

Most homes in the US have a thermostat that lets you adjust the temperature of your room. Kinda wish they would adopt the metric system though!

The application process for living on campus, or at least living in a hall is extremely straightforward. You are able to apply as soon as you receive your acceptance letter (around mid-April for those studying in the Fall semester). It’s a good idea to start thinking about housing early though, so you know where you want to live once applications open. If you apply early, you’ll likely receive an offer within two days and unlike UOA, accommodation works on a first come first served basis, they even let you select your room!!

Roommates are also a big part of the college experience in the US. Coming from NZ, where this practice is so uncommon, it stressed me out a lot, considering I have never had to share a room before, let alone with a complete stranger. Fortunately, UTA does its best to match you to someone that you will get along well with by making you answer questions on your sleep schedule, study habits and general level of cleanliness to name a few. The whole experience can be a little daunting at first, but trust me, after a week or so, you barely notice it. My roommate and I don’t see a lot of each other, he has a pretty full schedule during the day, and I’m away most weekends, so we really only interact for a couple of hours a day, if that. The RA’s know that sharing a room can take a bit of getting used to, so they have tried to help with the transition by providing “Roommate Contracts” where both parties agree on boundaries for things like cleaning, having people over, and sleeping.

Finally, I just want to leave you with a few tips:

• Make sure you apply early. I know, I know, the host university has already told you this a thousand times, but seriously, housing fills up fast and you don’t want to be left scrambling to find a room a week before classes start.
• Don’t be put off by the idea of having a roommate, it serves as a great way to meet people right from the start, and who knows, they may even become a lifelong friend.
• Take your time in considering what will work for you. Where you live during your exchange plays a large part in your experience overall, and also requires a significant financial investment. So make sure you take the time to assess all the options before you go ahead and apply.

That’s all for this post, I’m currently preparing for my 5 day trip to Alaska which I’m super pumped for. I’m planning to dedicate my next post to travel so stay tuned to hear whether I survive the arctic temperatures! As always feel free to contact me at jwin740@aucklanduni.ac.nz if you have any questions or follow my Instagram @josh.winnie

Cheers for reading,

Josh: First Impressions of Texas

After over 6 months of preparation, 15 hours of flying, and a few thousand dollars, I’ve made it to Arlington Texas – my home for the next 4 months. So I thought I’d share some of my experiences from these first few weeks in the USA!

Preparation:
It goes without saying, but there is a lot of work that has to be done prior to hopping on the plane, and a lot more once you’ve arrived. Of everything, the Visa and Course Approvals were the biggest headache for me, as each one takes time and requires filling out plenty of paperwork. All students coming into the US require an F-1 Visa, which can sometimes take months to process. I had to wait almost 3 months between filling out my online application, and having my interview at the US consulate, so it is crucial that you apply for the Visa as soon as you receive your acceptance letter. And for anyone stressing about the interview, it was super easy, as long as you remember to bring all the correct paperwork such as your passport and I-20 (provided by your host university). I actually spent more time queuing up than I did in the actual interview!

Flights:

I chose to fly with Air New Zealand from Auckland to Los Angeles with a 2 day layover and then with American Airlines from LA to Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas. I purchased my flights back in May so I could get a cheap fare, this goes against the advice of the US consulate who tell you not to book flights before receiving your visa. So while it makes sense to book early, only do so if you are certain that your visa will arrive in time otherwise you’re looking at a pretty hefty fee to change your flight.

First Impressions of Texas:

Texans are extremely patriotic and are very proud of their state and its history. As it was once its own independent nation, it has a culture unlike any other state in America. The people I’ve met have been incredibly warm and welcoming and are always happy to help a lost and confused exchange student. The place where I’m staying, Arlington, is also the largest city in the US that has no public transport whatsoever! A testament to the fact that Americans drive EVERYWHERE, hence their public transport systems aren’t as well developed as cities like Auckland. This often means you need to be creative with how you get around, whether you rely on Uber, make friends with someone who owns a car, or walk, which I wouldn’t recommend since the temperature reaches well over 30 degrees most days.

Dallas, just a stone’s throw away from Arlington!

A cool lil’ mural I found while exploring Arlington

UT Arlington:

UTA is actually of a similar size to UoA (about 40,000 students) however, since there is only one campus, everything is extremely spread out and since all the buildings look relatively similar, it can be tricky to find your way around for the first couple of weeks. However, one thing I love about the campus is that everything is flat, unlike Auckland. I definitely don’t miss walking up the hill from Carlaw Park to the OGGB every day! (Although the temperature difference here definitely makes up for the lack of hills.) UTA is also situated right in the middle of a residential area and unlike NZ, dairies or “convenience stores” are pretty scarce. Fortunately the campus hosts a decent range of food options, a bookstore, and even a free gym complete with a swimming pool!

Maverick Stampede (O-Week):

UTA’s version of O-Week is a 3 week “stampede” of 42 different events for students to take part in. It all kicked off the MavsMeet Convocation the day before classes. The school spirit in Texas is huge and the Convocation was insane! Motivational speakers, cheerleaders, fight songs, a full school band and confetti truly made it an experience I will never forget. This was followed by an after party with free food, snow cones, live music, and foosball! Other events over these 3 weeks included a foam party, movie nights, super service Saturday, and the activities fair, which is essentially a clubs expo.

The finale of the Convocation, a full school band!

Classes:

I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the teaching style here in Texas. While in Auckland, most courses have 2-3 lectures per week of a few hundred students, all of my classes at UTA are small teaching sessions of no more than 50 people. This puts a greater emphasis on class participation, and makes it easier for professors to get to know you individually. Also, lectures are not recorded in most US Colleges, again putting a greater emphasis on actually showing up to class and paying attention. The courses here also put less weighting on the final exams (sometimes only about 30%) and opt to spread the workload out over the semester with assignments, tests, labs and quizzes. It’s also not unusual to have 2 finals on the same day as each other as the exam period only runs over about 6 days, rather than 3 weeks like back home.

I probably look like such a tourist taking a photo of a squirrel

Fraternities:

Greek Life, better known as Fraternities and Sororities, plays a huge role in American College Culture and UTA is no different. I was lucky enough to be invited to my first Frat Party during the first week of classes and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Even if you don’t intend to join a Frat, the parties they host are a great way to meet people, and they are always pretty open during the rushing period. The party I went to had at least 100 people and the fact that you’re from New Zealand is a great conversation starter. And yeah, the movies don’t exaggerate the fact that Americans love their red solo cups!

Probably the best quality photo I have from the party

Culture Shock:

I feel compelled to talk about this as most people tend to overlook it when coming to the US as the culture shift is not as big as it would be while living in Europe or Asia. For the most part, this is true, however I found that it’s the really subtle differences that add up over time. Things like the climate, time zone shifts, the way Americans speak and interact with you and the way the university operates are all slightly different from back home and can take a bit of getting used to which can leave you feeling pretty drained at times. I’m about a month into my exchange now and I think I’m almost there in terms of adjusting to American culture. Just be aware that culture shock does happen and it’s 100% normal. It always pays to talk to your host university’s international office if it doesn’t feel like it’s getting any better as they have seen it all before and will be able to offer support.

It always helps to have things that remind you of home when you’re 12,000km away

Travel:

I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’ve caught the travel bug since being on exchange. I’ve already been to LA, Austin, and Salt Lake City. I’ve currently got trips planned to Washington DC, Alaska, New York, and the Grand Canyon, and I’m hoping to get down to New Orleans, Houston, and Nashville before I leave so stay tuned to hear how they go!

Questions:

I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have about applying/preparing for an exchange, or about the US in general. You can flick me an email me at jwin740@aucklanduni.ac.nz or if you want to follow my adventures then chuck me a follow on Instagram @josh.winnie.

Until next time,