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Mount Cook | New Zealand’s tallest peak
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One
weekend, some friends and I decided to take a few days and go to Mount Cook
National Park where New Zealand’s tallest peak lies. We laced up our boots, packed up our bags, and
got ready for a steep hike up a mountain that was close to Mt. Cook – Mount
Ollivier.
At this point in time, this
was one of the most difficult hikes I had ever done, and I simply wasn’t in
shape. Needless to say, it was a
struggle getting to the top. Every step
seemed to be more difficult than the previous one, and I couldn’t help but
wonder what I had just gotten myself into.
After a
bit of a treacherous climb, we reached the top, and as I looked around, I
noticed that I was surrounded by glaciers. We watched avalanches till the sun went down,
and we could hear them in the distance throughout the night. I couldn’t help but get lost in it all. The world was moving, and all I had to do was
watch and listen. It reminded me of how
small my worries really were; it reminded me that there are far more beautiful
places than office cubicles or classrooms; and it reminded me that in the
process of reaching a goal, you will probably have struggles.
But the reality is that those goals are
always worth the effort. At times, you
may look around and wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into. You may question some of your decisions, but
when you achieve that which is beautiful, it will captivate you, and you’ll
know then and there that your effort was worth it.
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Find out more about Mark's ISA Dunedin program at
http://studiesabroad.com/programs/country/new_zealand/city/dunedin
http://studiesabroad.com/programs/country/new_zealand/city/dunedin
Search for study abroad opportunities like these in over 50 other countries: http://studyabroad.uark.edu/search
