Choosing the Road Less Traveled

When I first started looking into studying abroad, I knew one thing: I wanted to go somewhere completely different from home.

As a student from Texas attending school in Chicago, I was already used to moving between very different environments. But when I began looking at study abroad programs, I didn't want to choose somewhere that felt too familiar. I wanted to go somewhere that would challenge me academically, culturally, and personally.

That is how I ended up choosing New Zealand.

Of course, the scenery was a bonus. I had always wanted to see the mountains, beaches, and landscapes that I had seen in pictures. But the more I learned about New Zealand, the more I realized that Auckland offered something much more meaningful for me as a pre-medical student.

One of the biggest reasons I chose New Zealand was its healthcare system. Coming from the United States, I have grown up around a healthcare system that is very different from New Zealand's. I wanted to experience another approach to healthcare and learn how factors like accessibility, policy, and culture influence the way people receive care.

I didn't come to New Zealand expecting to decide which healthcare system was “better.” I wanted to learn. As someone who hopes to become a physician, I think it is important to understand that healthcare does not exist in a vacuum. Doctors work within larger systems, and those systems influence both patients and providers.

Another reason I was drawn to New Zealand was the opportunity to learn about Māori health and the inequalities experienced by Indigenous communities. As someone interested in medicine and public health, I wanted to understand how colonization, culture, access to healthcare, and social conditions can influence health outcomes for Indigenous populations.

This was also personally meaningful to me. As a Hispanic and first-generation college student, I have grown up understanding that people's backgrounds can influence their experiences with education, healthcare, and other institutions. I would never equate my experiences with Māori experiences, because Māori history and identity are unique. However, learning about Indigenous health in New Zealand gave me an opportunity to think more deeply about how history and systems can continue to influence health today. I wanted to study somewhere that would challenge me to think about healthcare from perspectives I had not encountered before.

I was also drawn to New Zealand because of the opportunity to learn about Māori culture itself. Before coming here, I knew very little about Māori history and traditions. Living in Aotearoa has allowed me to learn about Māori perspectives in ways that I could not have experienced from a textbook. From participating in cultural experiences to learning about the connections between people, land, and community, I have gained a much deeper appreciation for how culture can influence the way people understand health and wellbeing.

Academics were another major factor in my decision. I wanted to continue challenging myself while experiencing a different university system. The University of Auckland offered courses that fit into my degree while also giving me opportunities to explore subjects from a New Zealand perspective.

And then there was research.

As a pre-medical student, research was something I knew I wanted to continue while abroad. I was fortunate enough to become involved with the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, where I am working on research related to bacterial growth and menstrual health products. I never expected research to become one of the highlights of my study abroad experience, but it has allowed me to connect my interests in microbiology, healthcare, and women's health in a completely new environment.

Choosing New Zealand also meant choosing to be far away from home.

That was not something I took lightly. I knew that moving to the other side of the world would mean being away from my family, friends, familiar routines, and everything I had grown comfortable with. But I also knew that being uncomfortable was part of why I wanted to study abroad in the first place.

I wanted to see what I could do on my own.

Now that I am here, I have realized that choosing New Zealand was not just about choosing a country. It was about choosing an experience that would challenge me academically, personally, and culturally.

I came to Aotearoa wanting to experience somewhere completely different from home. I have gotten that and so much more. I have found research opportunities, learned about a different healthcare system, explored Māori culture and Indigenous health, met people from around the world, and learned how to be comfortable being far outside of my comfort zone.

Looking back, I don't think I could have chosen a better place.

New Zealand was never just a destination on a map. It was a choice to see the world differently, and to see myself differently along the way.