Juliette Des Rosiers ’26 and Frances Walton ’26
Editors-In-Chief
This semester was the perfect storm for The Scripps Voice: our Editors-in-Chief were leaving campus in the Spring semester. In our efforts to keep in touch and archive our adventures, we thought to share letters from our respective study abroad experiences, with Juliette Des Rosiers ’26 in New Zealand and Frances Walton ’26 in Madrid.
Dear Frances,
Kia ora from New Zealand! I greet you from the future! (New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of Washington D.C. and 12 hours ahead of Spain). At the time of writing this, I have only been here for six days, but I am already enamored with the beauty of Aotearoa.
We started our program with a two day orientation outside Auckland where the kayaking, touch rugby games, and archery competitions satisfied my nostalgia for summer camp. I also got to know about 40-odd other study abroad students so well that our departure to the respective school across the country was bittersweet. We received great guidance from our IFSA counselors on how to be respectful visitors in New Zealand, learning about Kiwi and Māori customs. Additionally, we discussed our perceptions of ourselves in new environments and I was impressed by the vulnerability of my friends when sharing how they view their home culture and identity.
Since arriving at Christchurch, I have grown even more appreciative of the friendly and welcoming Kiwi culture. On a walking tour of the city, we learned the impressive way Christchurch rebuilt after a series of destructive earthquakes in 2011. Christchurch urban planners were very intentional in their restructuring of the city center to include more green space, pedestrian walkways, and input from residents.
This inclusivity continued onto the University of Canterbury campus, where buildings are named after Māori stories and incorporate Māori symbolism for progress and education. For example, the engineering building is named after the Maori warrior Rata, who’s story speaks to respect for details and processes in craftsmanship – a message aligned with the meticulous work of engineers. Furthermore, the building is constructed to mirror the design of Rata’s great canoe he built to help his people migrate.
The University of Canterbury is the only university in New Zealand to have a formal relationship with the local Māori iwi (tribe), and we were in awe of how respectfully this relationship is exercised. Still, our guide from Te Whare Ākonga o Te Akatoki (the center for Māori students) reminded us that there are politicians and members of the public working to reverse these equitable relations, and urged us to listen to indigenous knowledge while here and carry this empowerment back home.
As I start classes this week, I am so excited for my life here. The laidback energy in New Zealand is a refreshing change of pace and it has been so surprisingly wonderful to push myself out of my comfort zone to meet new people. We are already planning a hike for next weekend, a dinner and live music karaoke night on Thursday, and a joint birthday bender for my and another student’s February birthdays. I cannot wait to share more with you, both the good and the bad, and hear about your adventures!
With love from across the world,
Juliette
Dear Juliette,
Since arriving a month ago, I have fallen in love with Madrid. With its friendly atmosphere, large city vibes, and delicious food, Madrid is precisely what I wanted while planning to study abroad.
My program, through Syracuse University, has introduced me to the culture of the city through many of my classes (three out of four are in Spanish, too).
The metro is a highlight of Madrid. Every day, I compare it to Los Angeles’ public transport and remind myself to appreciate every moment I get with a clean, easy-to-use, and safe metro system.
The food here is also fantastic. I need to try more Spanish food, but Madrid has so many international restaurants that I have never been challenged to find affordable, delicious food. A favorite is Tres Cerditos, a dumpling place right next to my dorm. In fact, I’m going there again tonight.
I’ve taken three trips over the weekends. The first was to Toledo, a historic city where I learned about “convivencia,” or the somewhat peaceful/equal co-living of Abrahamic religions in the city. With my program, we visited a mosque, cathedral, and synagogue.
I also visited Segovia, which was an eight-euro train ride (crazy cheap price!!) away from Madrid with a friend. We visited a cathedral and castle there and ate churros con chocolate, a specialty in Spain.
The last trip was to see a Scripps friend studying abroad in Paris, which was so enjoyable, especially with the culture shock I’ve experienced with Syracuse students (Greek life is a very, very big thing here). We people-watched at a café, saw the Eiffel Tower, and went out with a Pitzer friend one night!
I miss you guys so much, and I’m excited to keep on sharing about studying abroad in Madrid.
Sending love,
Frances
