Wellington as the capital of New Zealand is surprisingly small for a city. However, this doesn’t limit the amount of creativity, culture, and art scenes in town. I immersed myself in expriencing this during Friday night. After my classes on Friday afternoon, my night came in three parts: first, I joined the Victoria Women in Tech initial general meeting “Games and BBQ Night.” Secondly,ย I went to the Friday night market, and lastly, I saw my first show at theย New Zealand Fringe Festivalย that happens from March 1-23. ย It was a night full of creativity energy. I feel inspired by the events to create my art and develop storytelling skills.
- Part I: Games and BBQ Night
For the past week I had been attending club meetings in campus to understand the club culture. As a fourth year, I often feel the students are very young in comparison to the friends I have back at Uni. The majority of time I had not spent in adjustment to culture, but rather an experience of viewing University life with fresh eyes again. VUWIT is the third initial general body meeting I went to this week. I enjoyed meeting Kiwis. The club itself is the type of club that requires active efforts on making friends and meeting people. I got a chance to make a new friend who is studying software engineering. A common characteristic I have noticed about Kiwis is that it’s very easy to talk to them, but it is harder to become close friends since most people already have established friend groups. - Part II: Wellington Night Market
I went to the night market with an old friend and the new friend I met. The night market is quite small but filled with interesting food and enjoyable music. I love the bookstore in the market. The vibe was very quaint and filled with people enjoying a stop for snack and support for the musician. I definitely think the ambiance is a clear embodiment of the Wellington culture – lay back, relax, and comforting.
- Part III: Comedy Show (NZ Fringe Festival)
Kiwi humor definitely matches well with my personality. I watched the show “Quitter,” where the comedian filled the show with story-telling, spice of life, and short musical numbers! I loved her energy and engagement with the audience. She inspired me with her story telling skills to help me improve my methods.
My Friday night in Wellington was filled with relaxed energy that made me love the city even more. I can’t wait to explore the arts and ย culture scene of the city in my days to come.
Last but not least, unfortunately on Friday a mass shooting with many casualties and deaths happened in Christchurch. Although I am in Wellington and safe, I think it is important to address the incident and engage in the conversation about safety and acceptance in New Zealand. ย I follow Wellington group on social media that expressed support for those in need. I feel mostly safe in Wellington, but my condolences to those affected by this event.