I‘m Annika Büser and I‘m from Germany. My sister and I travelled through New Zealand for 3 months, where we spent three weeks volunteering with Whitebait Connection. Growing up, the protection of the environment has always been an important part of my life. When I decided to go abroad, WBC offered me an internship for three weeks. Kim, Nic, Tracey and Patricia gave me the opportunity to assist in their programme delivery. They offered me a wide range of experiences during my stay in Northland.
By meeting different people of all ages and getting to know their country through working with them, I gained new experiences regarding interdependence, sustainability and biodiversity. I assisted with class sessions, I helped with weed release around last year's riparian planting and I assisted with kayak surveys. I had the opportunity to join the crew on an overnight trip to a marae. I always felt very welcome there and everybody was really passionate in sharing their knowledge and experiences. We also went on several field trips with different schools and children of all ages.
The passion of the crew from Whitebait Connection inspired me and it was great to see how they showed students to be responsible for their actions. Together with the students and teachers I experienced that even small efforts can make a difference. Furthermore, I learned to take on responsibility not only for myself and my actions but for other people as well.
The experiences of practical environmental education as well as the insights into scientific research were an amazing opportunity for me to gain a new perspective on work abroad. It will help me with my decision on what to do in the future. Thank you so much for your efforts! I loved working with you all."
Annika Büser, Germany (Volunteered with the WBC Northland team)
Thank you so much for sharing your story Annika. If her story is inspiring you to get involved in our mahi, check out the link below.
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