ROTORUA, New Zealand — Vanderbilt swimming continued its international education trip with a move to the North Island of New Zealand.
After beginning the journey in Auckland, the Commodores were able to take part in multiple classroom sessions while also participating in a dinner and ceremony at the Mitai Māori Village after arriving in Rotorua on Sunday.
Student-athletes from the program continue to document the team’s journey.
Journal entry No. 4 — May 28 — Emma Dalton (Mason, Ohio)
We started the day with a drive to Rotorua and the views were beautiful, then we were able to zip line in Rotorua for a few hours which was amazing! It was interesting to learn about invasive species and how they have impacted the bird populations in the rainforests of New Zealand. They also taught us about traps they use to combat these invasive species.
The views while zip lining were amazing from above the tree tops. We were able to walk across rocky cliffs, rope bridges, and do six zip lines. The tour guides were very educational throughout which made the experience very unique. Overall, this was an amazing day I am very thankful for and will never forget!
Journal entry No. 5 — May 29 — Meredith DiPasquale (Franklin, Tenn.)
Hello Commodore Nation and Kia Ora from New Zealand! My name is Meredith DiPasquale, and I am a rising sophomore on the Vanderbilt swim team!
Monday was a great day here. We are staying in Rotorua on the North Island for the next few days and arrived here from Auckland last night. We started off the day by driving to the Te Waihou Walkway and Blue Springs, which was located a little west of Rotorua. Here, we hiked and got to see beautiful blue springs, which were these pure, clear blue streams that featured grasses that filter the water. There were some of the biggest trees I’ve ever seen and some nearby farmlands as well, making the scenery breathtaking! We had the opportunity to view an outcrop, which is an area of exposed rock, and be able to determine where it might have come from and what it reveals about the earth’s history.
After this, we drove to a public park in Rotorua that had multiple hot springs. Here, we learned about why these features reveal volcanic activity in the area. It was really interesting to see how these hot springs were constantly blowing steam, the sulfur scent, and the waves of fog that would occur. We were taught more about the unique relationship between temperature, pressure and groundwater that results in these hot springs. At this park, we found an area to sit and discuss volcanic activity in New Zealand, the numerous features that are found in the areas we have been and will be visiting, and common questions that we have about volcanoes.
This led into a neat conversation for our team, giving us better awareness about plate tectonics and our earth’s processes. Additionally, it was really interesting to see how information from other classes ties into what we are learning here. For example, I took Introduction to Geology during my freshman year, so it was really rewarding to be able to experience these features and processes that I have learned about before, but have only experienced in videos or textbooks. Likewise, it was interesting to see how information from other teammates’ classes tied into the conversation. For example, Kailia [Utley] and Gabriela [Pierobon Mays] were able to use their chemistry knowledge to better explain the relationships between different elements within the earth. It was neat that this information was not just geology but tied into math and chemistry as well.
Along with this, it was evident how passionate and knowledgeable Professor Guil and TA Liam were about volcanology. We were able to hear about their experiences and the research endeavors that they have completed, which made the material more personal to them and richer for us. When the professor enjoys what they teach and are passionate about their material, it makes learning so much more enjoyable, informational, and inspiring.
After our discussion at the park, we returned to the hotel, and I went to a yummy local restaurant with one of my teammates, Kendall [Hall]!
Journal entry No. 6 — May 30 — Kendall Hall (Austin, Texas)
We had a very busy day today! We started early at 8 a.m. to make the 1½ hour drive to the first outcrop of the day. At our first stop we put on neon traffic vests and observed the outcrop. After an hour of observing we loaded up and headed to the second outcrop of the day. We made more observations at the second outcrop before loading up the vans again and heading to the beach.
Once we got to the beach, we ate our field lunches and enjoyed the views. We then gathered as a class and discussed all the observations we had made during the day. After a long and informative discussion, we headed to an overlook. At the overlook we could see the Bay of Plenty. It was beautiful!
After a long day of class work, we headed back to Rotorua to get ready for a cultural experience in the Mitai Māori Village. We had the honor to watch the pre-ceremony war canoe and a Māori celebration that included the Haka, and finished the night with a traditional Māori dinner known as the Hāngi. It was an incredible experience!
