This journey actually began in 1994, when Tammy was offered a job at the University of Otago. For many reasons, we eventually chose another position at Bucknell University, but New Zealand has remained in our minds ever since!

With details of meeting the Prime Minister, Helen Clark!

A world upside down, where Easter is celebrated in autumn, southerly winds are crackling cold, and people drive on the left - welcome to New Zealand!

In January, 2003, our family moved from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, which is a small rural town in the middle of the state, to Dunedin, on the southeast coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Ostensibly, the reason for the trip was the sabbatical for my wife Tammy, who recently gained tenure at Bucknell University. Through the kindness of friends at the University of Otago here in Dunedin, she was able to arrange a semester of teaching, collaborating, and researching with colleagues at this largest university on the South Island.

But our entire family looked forward to the trip for many reasons - the opportunity to explore another culture, the chance to see and do things that would never be possible in Pennsylvania, the possibility of meeting new friends and gaining a better understanding of how the world works beyond the borders of the United States.

Without a doubt, we've done all of this, and more . . . New Zealand is a spectacular country filled with relaxed people, high energy sports, unbelievable variety of scenery, and an outlook born of a history unlike any other. These pages are my attempt to document parts of our trip, share our experiences with our friends and family, and practice using some of the software required for my job at Bucknell University. I welcome any comments that you might have.

Bud Hiller
Bucknell University