Introduction 

Hi, I’m Calley Hoffman, a graduate from Indiana University with a Tourism Management degree.  Although I have finished classes at university, I am in New Zealand to finish the last of my degree requirements with an internship at Tourism Bay of Plenty until September. 

I first arrived in Auckland where I spent a few days becoming acquainted with the area, and travelled to Rangitoto and Waiheke Islands.  Before arriving in Tauranga, I stopped with a friend in Whitianga for the night.  We were unable to experience the popular hot water beach because of high tide, which was a disappointment, but we ended up kayaking in Mercury Bay, right across from the backpackers we were staying. 

I know a few people who have visited New Zealand in the past, and of all the great things I have heard about the country, the most repeated compliment was how beautiful it is.  I know I haven’t seen more than a small area of the country, but I am already in love with the scenery and the vibrant colours of everything here. 

I’ve found one of New Zealand’s biggest assets to be the friendly locals.  While cycling through Waiheke Island with a couple of new friends, a woman driving by could tell we looked very lost, stopped in the middle of the road and asked if we needed directions or any help.  On another occasion, when I first arrived in Tauranga, I accidently left my backpack on the 5:00 p.m. bus, which I didn’t realize until it was already gone.  I was staying at Harbourside City Backpackers that night and shared my loss with Jim at the front desk.  He voluntarily picked up the phone and was doing everything he could to call someone who could help me or take down my information in case it turned up.  Thankfully, we got a hold of someone, and I received my backpack two days later.  Lucky for me, I’ve yet to meet an unfriendly Kiwi. 

One unusual thing is I can’t seem to find a regular cup of coffee. To me, this means dripped, or brewed coffee.  In the past three weeks, I have visited many coffee shops, and the response to a cup of coffee is either a very confused look or someone who just hands me a latte without question.  Back home, you can find a cup of coffee in anywhere from a dairy to an upscale restaurant.  I decided to experiment with a few different drinks and found that a long black will have to suffice during the next few months. 

So far in my time here I’ve had some great experiences in the Bay of Plenty. Up to this point, the city bus has been on time, café service has been decent, the locals have been friendly and the wine has been delicious. Good or bad, I look forward to everything that will come my way while I’m in New Zealand.

Calley's blogs will be published in the Bay of Plenty Times every Thursday.  Want to have your say?  Email your comments to info@bayofplentynz.com and they'll be posted below.