Krisha Writes ...

My first time travelling to the United Kingdom will forever hold a very special place in my heart. 

The overseas trip was long anticipated due to COVID travel restrictions, however after one year of waiting and forty hours of travelling from New Zealand I finally made it to Heathrow Airport. The three days spent in London were surreal as I was able to experience the sights and settings I had grown up seeing on the television. These included Paddington Station, the Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, 10 Downing Street and the red double decker buses. While in London, I was also given a tour of Parliament, met with the former high commissioner to New Zealand (Geordie Fergusson), listened to the bells of St Paul’s Cathedral and caught the tube.

From London, I then flew to Aberdeen, Scotland where I was greeted by the Head Girl of Robert Gordon’s College and her family who was hosting me for the week. Staying with the Shipp whānau was incredibly special and they made me feel right at home. I spent a few days at Robert Gordon’s College being introduced to different staff and pupils and giving assemblies, but a highlight was definitely listening to everyones accent. During one of my days in Aberdeen, I travelled North to Lossiemouth where I visited the RAF base. This was an incredible experience as I was lucky enough to be given a tour of the base including a typhoon fighter jet. While in Aberdeen, I also visited many castles, met with past Ōtaki Scholars and even tried haggis which was definitely an interesting experience. 

From Aberdeen, I made my way down to Edinburgh stopping in Cowie on the way for the Everiss Memorial service. Edinburgh was my favourite city and reminded me a lot of Dunedin which is where I spent most of 2022 studying. While in Edinburgh I explored the beautiful streets, had a tour of the Edinburgh castle and visited the Scottish Parliament where I observed the first minister's questions. I also visited Holyrood Palace where I had an audience with Princess Anne. Meeting Princess Anne still feels absolutely unreal. I can’t believe I was just sitting with her on the couch chatting for about half an hour.

From Edinburgh, I embarked on a tour to the Isle of Skye which explores the West Coast of Scotland. This tour was filled with truly jaw-dropping sights that resembled aspects of the South Island of New Zealand. After three days on the tour of the Isle of Skye, I made my way back to Aberdeen where the next day I said bye to my amazing host family and began the long journey home. 

Travelling to the United Kingdom was a life-changing experience. It was an opportunity that allowed me to see another side of the world and form connections with incredible people I would have otherwise never met. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has made this experience possible for myself, for past scholars and for future scholars. It is amazing that students are able to embark on such special journeys at such a young age. 

Krisha Modi, Medical Student, Otago University