Jesse Copeland

I’ve been living in Auckland now for a month and a half, and am beginning to see my old comforts and habits rear their heads all over again. The novelty of a new place has been able to distract me for some time but now that school is becoming more intense and my life is no longer just an extended vacation of indulgence and new friends I’ve started to see the city in a different way. Experiencing new surroundings with a bunch of fun loving people from all over the world allowed me to look at

Auckland as if the city itself was a new friend. Learning its quirks and oddities just as I am with the new people in my life. But I’ve been noticing that Aukland has began to take on some of the personality traits of my new friends. It seems to enjoy the same kind of nightlife and listen to the same music as the majority of my new pals. And that began to concern me.

Auckland isn’t a member of my new group of friends, it’s a culturally rich and diverse city. Yes, it’s a fun and active town, but there’s much more to explore and that’s the beauty of me still having the rest of my semester here, I can go below Aukland’s surface and find what else it has to offer. I had to consciously make the decision to begin to see the city from a new perspective. I became closer to classmates with similar artistic interests and aspirations as myself. Began to push myself into situations that would fulfil my curiosity, like taking on work that would challenge and scare me. Seeing punk rock shows and meeting filmmakers, going to art galleries and watching performances. My view of the city started to grow, I could now start to see the different aspects that create this place. A place that I’ve grown to love.

My lack of home sickness is kind of surprising, I thought at some point I would start to find it hard to be here for so long. But that point hasn’t come yet and I have a feeling it won’t come at all. I think instead when I’ll go home I’ll miss these memories, the new friends, adventures and explorations. The excitement of being challenged in my studies, the afternoons at the beach and the February sun.

I think this time in Auckland will be a gem that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, reminding me when I need it that theres a sacred place far away where I have adventure awaiting my return.

Jesse is a second year Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts studying abroad at Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.