Essay Masterclass / References
Whanau. This Maori word, meaning 'family', encapsulates two things that are essential to who I am: my New
Zealand identity and my family.
To me, the basis of the New Zealand identity is to be a pioneer. Pakeha and Maori share in this experience, traveling across oceans to forge a new and improved life for themselves and their families in New Zealand. The pioneering spirit is in our blood. Great New Zealanders such as Te Rangi Hiroa and Sir Edmund Hillary excellently displayed this Kiwi attitude, pushing the boundaries of humanity's physical and intellectual limits. I too feel a need to pioneer, to obtain whatever is at the limit of my grasp in the pursuit of improvement. Seeking to study at USC, traveling far from the safety of home, is a pioneering leap of faith in my journey to success.
Family is vital to my character. Spending time each summer with visiting American cousins and rural New Zealand cousins has helped me understand different perspectives and appreciate the importance of maintaining family connections. My New Zealand family has kept me in touch with the rural origins of my parents and my American family has helped inspire me to study overseas. Although I have been raised in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, I feel that my time spent fishing, farming, and tramping with my country cousins has gifted me a broadened outlook on life. I am incredibly thankful for the international and rural experiences my Whanau have given to me.