Here in New Zealand, it is perfectly normal to stroll the street with bare feet. I'm not sure if it is to enhance the idea of clean, green, 100% pure New Zealand or to reinforce the laid-back, relaxed kiwi lifestyle where hippy meets beach bum. Either way it is a societal norm, even during the dead winter in the largest city in the country.

But there comes a time when a kiwi may not feel so liberated and needs slightly more reinforcement, this is when we meet "The Jandal."

Some say jandals gained popularity in NZ in the 1950s from Japanese influence. The word itself supposedly originated from the term "Japanese sandal." But no matter where it came from and what it means (flip-flop, thong, sandal, etc.), it is a staple of the NZ wardrobe in all climates

Jandals can also refer to any type of breezy footwear. Whether it be the durable Rainbow, the rubber Havianna, the rugged Chaco, the more modest, but still breezy with heaps of conveniently placed holes: the Croc, or the Birkenstock (Disclaimer: even while worn with tube socks by the most fashion savvy tourists, it is still considered a jandal).

So if I have not made it clear already, kiwis love their jandals and they even celebrate National Jandal Day on December 4th to support surf lifeguards throughout both islands.

If you take away anything from this post, please remember that you should never enter New Zealand without packing your jandals. Also, do not be be alarmed if you hear AUT International students implementing the word incorrectly. For example: "That's so jandalous!" or "Mmmm... Jandalicious!"

"Tuia I runga

Tuia I raro

Tuia te here tangata

tena koutou katoa"

The Maori people are the original settlers of New Zealand. Although the traditional Maori culture is mainly endorsed today to attract tourism, it is still a largely respected aspect of Aotearoa (NZ). The country even recognizes the Maori language along with English as the two official languages of the country.

This past weekend I attended the Noho Marae hosted by the uni's International Student Support Services. About 130 international students from the school met on Friday to begin celebrating the weekend. On campus, we have a Marae which is a complex of buildings and open space to fully accommodate a community and its Manuhiri (visitors). On Friday evening, we took off our shoes (a traditional Maori custom) and piled into the Wharenhui (meeting house), the focal point of the Marae. There, we were formerly greeted by the Maori who taught us a few basic things about the culture and encouraged us to meet one another. After brief introductions in small groups, we headed to the Wharekai (dining hall) for dinner. Each student brought a traditional dish from their culture, so the whole place was filled with an abundance of great food. I basically tried one of everything. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to make anything to bring because I was with a travel agent all afternoon (I'll explain this later). After eating way too much food, we all met at Vesbar, the on-campus bar, for a few drinks and live music. Kenneth Holt, the international student advisor, play bass in a band that performed for us. They play a mix of classic rock and more modern songs and we all danced and sung along. I love how we come from all over the world and speak different languages, but we can still sing along to the same music.

Enjoying the food at dinner