Over the summer, I spent seven weeks doing an internship, paired with an online writing course, in New Zealand with a group of other University of California undergraduates. My major is environmental science and management, following the soils and biogeochemistry tract, and I hoped to gain experience incorporating soil science and sustainable management. As a student journalist at UC Davis Magazine, I wanted to share my experience spending a summer interning abroad.

Getting There

I touched down in Auckland at 8 a.m., and our first morning in the city had a southern hemisphere winter chill, reminiscent of my home climate in San Francisco. Straight out of the airport, we hopped onto a chartered bus to start orientation and a brief cultural immersion. We learned the haka, a ceremonial dance of the native Maori people, ate meat pie in the Auckland Museum, and were frequently reminded to walk on the left side of the road. After about a week of traveling around Auckland, it was time to begin my six-week internship at the Auckland University of Technology. 

Fieldwork

The first day I came into the office, we immediately started by filling out the health and safety forms for fieldwork. I was going to be working in AUT’s Living Labs project, an experiment aimed at studying the growth of trees native to Aotearoa, or New Zealand, with two other UC Davis undergraduates. Native trees in New Zealand, a delicate island ecosystem, are always vulnerable to invasive species and human impact, inspiring efforts like Living Labs, which works toward understanding and optimizing conservation and restoration throughout the country. 

Read the full article on the UC Davis Magazine website

About the Global Learning Hub at UC Davis

As a part of Global Affairs, the Global Learning Hub aims to inspire and advance global curiosity, understanding, and engagement.

Through the Global Learning Hub, every UC Davis student can find global learning opportunities available on campus, in the region, virtually, and internationally. The Hub offers global learning programs, workshops, and resources that enhance all UC Davis students’ academic and career pursuits through four broad areas of opportunities: Community Engagement; Global Skills and Leadership; Internships and Research; and Study Abroad. UC Davis is committed to preparing the next generation of global problem solvers and change makers. As such, we aim to prepare our undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to solve global challenges collaboratively, equitably, and sustainably.