Fulbright Orientation - Wellington - Part I

Much larger, fashionable, and less provincial than Christchurch, Wellington lives up to its alternative and hip reputation. Also, upon arriving, I was immediately struck by its similarity to San Francisco: a colorful city speckled over dramatic green hills, rolling down to a scenic harbor and bay. In general, I felt closer to home in this urban environment where the lampposts were plastered with concert announcements, hipsters gather for tea and cappuccino in sidewalk cafes, and where lectures, concerts, plays, galleries, theaters, and exhibitions abound.

Our hotel was on upper Cuba Street, the St. Marks Place or South Street of Wellington, and from there we soon found the other Fulbrighters and went off to explore the city's cafes, waterfront, and footpaths leading up the residential hillsides. While these meanderings introduced me to some of the other students and the feel of the capital city, our orientation officially began at the welcome dinner at a Fulbright administrator's home in the beautiful neighborhood of Karori. Over wine and cheese, we traded stories, points of origin, and project plans with each other. Our diverse group of Fulbright Fellows and Scholars, Ian Axford Fellows, and Eisenhower Fellows consisted of animal behaviorists, marine biologists, psychologists, anthropologists, historians, geographers, sociologists, economists, and political scientists. We're just as diverse in origin as well, as we represent Colorado, Oregon, Kansas, New York, Georgia, Mississippi, California, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Amongst these accomplished, eloquent, and well-read academics with impressive resumes, I felt quite small, perhaps unqualified. Moreover, while most of my peers (especially the graduate students) are running out of stamp pages in their passports, this is one of my first forays into serious, long term travel abroad. While this feeling of inadequacy nagged me for some time, by the end of our week, I made incredible connections, developed personal relationships, and fostered lasting professional associations.

After introductions, we were taught a Maori songs that we were to sing during the welcome ceremony at the Marae (Maori community center and meeting house). At the time, we may not have appreciated the impact of and education we would receive from the Maori communities here. However, by the end of the week we would understand the immeasurable impact the Maori have made on New Zealand history and contemporary culture. While we all have very different projects occupying different fields, each one of us began to reflect on and relate these Maori lessons, histories, and heritages to our own research questions.

More later on Te Papa Museum, the Marae, Otari Preserve, and New Zealand Parliament...


Cheers,
D