New Zealand
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Reflecting on Semester 2 adventures…
The University of Otago – Kara Dillon As my second semester is coming to an end, I find myself reflecting on my time here in New Zealand. There are too many unforgettable moments that I would love to share with you, however a particular favourite from this semester, was during the mid semester break. I was lucky enough to be joined by my sister for a trip of a lifetime round the South Island. We started off by driving to Te Anau – a small town on the way to Milford Sound. The following day we made our way to Milford Sound for a cruise which I have been desperate…
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My experience of learning Māori performance – your sign to try new things!
Kara Dillon, the University of Otago After reflecting on all the classes I have taken here at The University of Otago, one has really stood out to me. This was MAOR108. MAOR108 is a Māori performing arts class where you get to learn several ‘Waiata’ and ‘Haka’ alongside learning about Māori culture and values. Over the course of the semester, you learn 5 items which get assessed throughout, and the semester ends with a final performance of all these items. This sounds super scary, but trust me, once you attend the first class – you will never want to leave! Being a Geography student, I was apprehensive at first to…
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What to pack when moving to New Zealand
Kara Dillon – The University of Otago, New Zealand With a reputation of being an over-packer, facing the challenge of packing my cases ready to embark on my journey to New Zealand, was not the easiest. However, now having lived here for a year, I have come to realise what was necessary to bring here… and what was not. Firstly, with New Zealand being a country with endless opportunities to travel, hike and camp, I thought it was necessary to bring my 75 Litre rucksack, my sleeping bag and my sleeping mat. Despite having used these, they took up a lot of space and weight in my suitcases. Little did…
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Settling in at The University of Otago – the magic of UniFlats
Kara Dillon – The University of Otago, New Zealand Moving so far away from home can be daunting in itself, but having to navigate a completely a new life and make new friends in an unfamiliar place can seem an even bigger and scarier challenge. However, my experience of moving to Dunedin and settling in at The University of Otago couldn’t have been any easier due to the help of UniFlats! UniFlats is the accommodation provider which most international students will use when coming to study abroad here at Otago. Not only do they provide fully furnished accommodation which includes kitchenware and bedding, but they also organise events throughout the…
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Travelling Alone for the First Time
Kara Dillon – University of Otago Whether you are a frequent traveller or never travelled before, flying or travelling alone can be a daunting experience. Before making my way across the world to begin my adventure here in Dunedin, New Zealand, I had never flown anywhere by myself. So, the initial thought of spending almost 40 hours travelling and navigating my way through three international airports, seemed almost impossible to me – especially as someone who usually relies on their family to lead the way on every holiday! Despite my fears and apprehensions, I did in fact make it all the way to New Zealand. Reflecting on my journey, it…
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A summer spent in New Zealand pt.2
By Maja Peach, University of Auckland, New Zealand Hello! I have decided to centre this blog around the rest of my summer experiences during my Nov-March break in New Zealand. In my last blog I wrote about my first workaway and roadtrip around the South Island. This blog will pick up from Christmas Eve where I started my solo adventures and began another workaway on my own.
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Summer road tripping through New Zealand: your sign to stay abroad for Christmas
By Maja Peach, University of Auckland, New Zealand Hello! It has been a while since my last blog, and I thought I would pick back up with reminiscing on my incredible summer in New Zealand. This blog is going to dive into the very start of my summer where I experienced my first workaway and a fabulous road trip through the South Island…
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Life is sweet as: my first semester at Auckland Uni
By Maja Peach, University of Auckland, New Zealand As I enjoy the remainder of the long summer between semesters, I have been reminiscing on my time during the first semester in Auckland. I thought I would write a bit about some of my most memorable moments and a little rundown of the incredible 5 months.
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A spring break full of South Island
By Maja Peach, University of Auckland, New Zealand Away to the South Island we go! As we are reaching the end of first semester, I thought I would reflect back on our spring break road trip back in August. A group of 10 of my friends decided to hire a van and embark on an adventure around the South Island.
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Campervanning New Zealand
By Nicole Dann, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia If there’s one thing to put on your bucket list while on your year abroad in Australia, it is to campervan around New Zealand, specifically South Island. If you’ve seen Lord of the Rings, you’ll know that this tiny island is home to the most breath-taking and beautiful landscapes. My expectations were high yet, I was still in absolute awe. I thought I’d missed my chance to go before my time was up down under, however I was given a last-minute opportunity to fill in a spot with some course mates from Manchester and it turned out to be one of the…
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First week living in New Zealand: pre-departure tips and first impressions
By Maja Peach, University of Auckland, New Zealand One week into living in Auckland and it has been even better than I had expected, with so many opportunities to meet people from all over the world and start experiencing life in New Zealand together. The first week has been filled with making friends, discovering the city, orientation activities, and even a boat trip to a nearby seaside village. I thought I’d start by writing about my tips for what to prepare before leaving and detail some of the highlights of the first week!
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Dealing with the temporary nature of studying abroad
By Emma Colson, University of Auckland, New Zealand Studying abroad is so exciting for so many different reasons, but one anxiety I could not get rid of until I got here was the worry I wouldn’t make any friends. It seems ridiculous now, but it was a real thought in the back of my head – what if I’m on the other side of the world and I don’t really click with anyone? Fast forward 4 months and now my worry is that I’m not going to see those friends for an indefinite period of time after spending day-in-day-out with them for months. That is the temporary nature of…
