Written by: Alex LaMotte
Published: April 7th, 2025
Photo Credit
Picture of Joey Fordham, Colorado. (Photo Courtesy of Joey Fordham)
If one were to dig down far enough through the Earth, they may find themselves with Joey Fordham in her remote part of the world. 19 hours ahead of Colorado, it wasn’t even 7a.m. there, yet on my screen was a cheery smile and great enthusiasm ready to chat about her big move across the Pacific. Better yet, we discussed the biggest change of her life, and how she couldn’t be more thrilled.
“It’s absolutely beautiful here,” Fordham said. “There’s greenery everywhere, the work-life balance is so nice, and it’s peaceful.”
Fordham’s family moved from Colorado to New Zealand because of her parents finding jobs there. Thus, she took a risk and joined them by pursuing a degree at the nearby University of Auckland, a larger university among the islands, to study violin performance.
“It’s all English speaking in their universities,” Megan Henning said, a CU Boulder study abroad advisor specializing in students travelling to New Zealand. “It’s pretty easy to find classes that are going to work for them because they have these big universities that they can enroll in.”
And while New Zealand remains quite far from the United States, Fordham said that the island nation is very welcoming to an immigrant such as herself.
Nonetheless, Fordham has felt some instances of culture shock from her typical American lifestyle. A notable difference being her feeling of safety there, even in areas that are considered to be ‘less safe.’ She recalled a time she was out late with friends on the way to Pizza Hut. The weather was nice even at 9p.m., and the streets were quiet. But, to a New Zealander, they may find themselves keeping their guard up in such an environment.
“I went out with a bunch of friends, and they thought the street we were on was super sketchy,” Fordham said, looking back on her recent encounter. “I felt very comfortable though. I am the type of person to have my guard up constantly when out late, even when I don’t need to. But I remember walking about and consciously thinking about how my guard was down and it was a weird feeling.”
A challenge Fordham has faced, however, is maintaining her long-distance relationships with friends and her partner, Benji. Nonetheless, even with the extreme time and proximity differences, she has still found ways to keep up with her loved ones.
“I’ve been able to FaceTime people and stay in touch with family,” said Fordham.
Photo Credit
Photo of Joey Fordham and Sophie Pollard (Photo Courtesy of Sophie Pollard)
Sophie Pollard, a friend of Fordham’s from orchestra class, knew about her big move when they first became friends. While she was sad to watch her friend leave, she was able to find acceptance in it rather quickly.
“We made a friend group and that’s how we formed our string quartet and the four of us got super close,” Pollard said. “I’ve maintained my friendship by texting her basically every single day, and I just text random things because sometimes it’s hard for us to find a time to call.”
Fordham’s found a home away from home in New Zealand, however, and has since cultivated a comfortable life for herself out there. She’s not only been able to enjoy the scenic beauty of the islands, including promenading through the tall redwoods of Rotorua, but she’s also noticed a shift in her musical perspective, which she has since incorporated into her violin performance studies.
“It surprises me how much nature can inspire musicality,” said Fordham. “Just walking around campus and the city, you see trees and birds everywhere. When I listen to music now, I can relate the music to something as pretty as the nature outside. Especially with more peaceful pieces, I can bring the emotion out more in my playing. It has kind of just flipped my perspective in that regard.”
Photo Credit
Photo of Joey Fordham at Great Barrier Island, New Zealand. (Photo Courtesy of Joey Fordham)
Alex LaMotte 