7,000 miles from Bend: Finding a career path in New Zealand

1. What are you studying at OSU-Cascades, and what brought you to New Zealand?

I’m studying Outdoor Products at OSU-Cascades, and I spent my summer interning with Got To Get Out in New Zealand. The organization started in outdoor recreation and tourism and has expanded into bike upcycling through Got To Get A Bike.

Bikes are an outdoor product, so the internship was a great fit for my degree. I spent most of my time working as a bike mechanic, learning how to repair bikes and understanding what happens at the end of a product’s life and how we can extend it.

New Zealand had also always been on my radar. My parents visited in 1996 and loved it so much they almost moved here, so when I saw it among my internship options, it stood out.

The experience came together through OSU-Cascades. Cynthia Engel in the Career Design Center connected me with OSU’s education abroad team, which eventually connected me with New Zealand Internships and Got To Get Out.

2. What were some of the most memorable experiences from your internship?

One of the most meaningful was an event called Ride It, Keep It. We provided bikes to people who needed them, including immigrants working toward their education and building their lives in New Zealand.

Seeing how much receiving a bike meant to someone was really eye-opening. There was so much immediate excitement around something that I might otherwise take for granted.

I also got to experience the recreation side of Got To Get Out. One of my favorite days was a group hike to the Pinnacles on the Coromandel Peninsula. It was basically a full-day adventure and gave me a chance to experience another side of the organization.

3. How did the internship shape what you want from your future career?

Honestly, one of the most valuable things I learned was what I don't want to do.

Working as a bike mechanic can be very individual, and I realized how important communication, collaboration and working with people are to me. That became really obvious whenever customers came into the workshop. I loved stepping away from the bike I was working on, hearing what problem someone was trying to solve and helping them find the right option.

I was already interested in sales and brand representation within the outdoor industry, but this experience made that interest much stronger. I can see myself working with outdoor products, using the gear, talking with customers and retailers, gathering feedback and communicating that back to a brand.

You’re always trying to figure out what you like, but sometimes it’s just as important to figure out what you don’t like. It all works in a positive way.

4. What has life outside your internship looked like?

I’m a really social and active person, so one of my priorities was finding ways to meet people and continue doing the things I enjoy at home.

I would work out, run, rock climb a couple of nights a week and even found line dancing on Wednesdays. One of my best friends in Bend is someone I met at a climbing gym, and I ended up meeting people in New Zealand the same way.

That was a good realization for me. Just because you're somewhere completely new doesn't mean you have to change everything about yourself. The habits and interests that make you feel like yourself can help you build a community anywhere.

5. What surprised you most about living in another country?

Being an American in another country made me much more aware of what it feels like to be the person with the accent. I had never been so conscious of my own accent before. It made me think about what people coming to the United States experience and gave me more empathy for how difficult it can be to adjust to a new place and culture.

On a less serious note, New Zealanders eat a lot of meat pies. I was not expecting that.

6. How did your experience at OSU-Cascades prepare you to spend a summer abroad?

When I first moved to Bend and started at OSU-Cascades, I didn't know anybody. Coming to New Zealand felt similar because I was starting over again.

My experience in Bend helped me understand what makes me successful in a new place and how I meet people. It gave me confidence that I could come here, maintain the habits that are important to me and create a community again.

Cynthia Engel at the Career Design Center was also a huge part of making this happen. I have a great relationship with her, and I give her a lot of credit for helping me navigate the process and connect with the right people.

7. What would you tell another OSU-Cascades student considering an internship or study abroad experience?

Don't compare your experience to anyone else's. You hear people come back from studying abroad saying it was the greatest, most life-changing experience ever, and it's easy to expect yours to look the same. I learned to go into it with neutral expectations and treat everything as a bonus.

Your experience is unique to you, and you're the person who has to make it what you want it to be. Put yourself out there. Meet people. Keep doing the things you love. And learn to have fun on your own, too.

8. What are you doing now that your internship is over?

I'm still in New Zealand! I've been traveling around the country in a van and am currently at Mount Ruapehu, where I joined the Pinnacle Ski Club and have been staying in a ski hut on the mountain.

I grew up skiing on the East Coast, lived in Colorado and now love skiing at Mt. Bachelor, so this has easily been one of my favorite parts of the entire experience.

Being here has also reinforced how important access to the mountains and outdoors is to me. That's something I'll take with me as I think about where I want to live, work and build my career.

The internship may be over, but the adventure definitely isn't.