My time in New Zealand is unfortunately coming to an end. I thought I’d do a quick blog before I leave Auckland, on my highlight of the semester. It’s difficult to choose just one, because my whole time here has been unbelievable, but if I had to pick one it would be doing the Abel Tasman Great Walk on the South Island.
New Zealand offers 9 Great Walks, that are multiple day hikes. You walk and camp or stay in huts, passing diverse and spectacular scenery. Abel Tasman was a four day trek on the northern tip of South Island. I thought I’d give you a bit of an insight into the hike, or at least how it went for us anyway.
Simon Hird / / Geography / / University of Auckland / / NZ
Hope you guys have all had an awesome year at Uni and are enjoying your summer holidays. I’ve just got a couple of weeks left of my year abroad at Auckland so I thought I would put together a collection of advice and some important things I think you should know about, if you are going to or are considering studying abroad in New Zealand. Some of these are specific to the University of Auckland, but I am sure there are parallels to other Universities in NZ and studying abroad in general.
Apart from getting to see the world and meeting amazing people, studying abroad throws you in at the deep end in terms of developing life skills. I thought I’d share my experience of trying to ground a good work-life balance while being in New Zealand. It definitely hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learnt a lot from my experience so far… Continue reading “Work-Life Balance Abroad”→
Simon Hird / / Geography / / University of Auckland / / NZ
I thought it would be a good idea to dedicate one blog post specifically to academics and the differences I have experienced between Auckland and Manchester. New Zealand and the UK definitely have many parallels and it didn’t take much time to adjust to a relatively similar style of life and study that they have here. But there are some distinct differences in how university works here compared to Manchester and the UK in general.
One of the most resounding differences you will experience here is the way degrees are set up. Like many universities outside of the UK (US, Canada, Australia etc.), undergraduate students enrolled on a degree program at the University of Auckland will usually not be solely enrolled into courses on their discipline, but have the flexibility to take a variety of different courses. Take a Geography degree, for example: students will be enrolled on a Bachelor of Science programme in which they may choose Geography as a major and another subject as a minor, based on the courses they wish to take and allowing them to tailor their degree to their interests. Whilst this does not directly affect us as exchange students (we are enrolled on Certificate of Proficiency for Exchange) it does change the class dynamics noticeably. Continue reading “Studying at the University of Auckland: what’s different?”→
Simon Hird / / Geography / / University of Auckland / / NZ
This summer has been pretty special.
Summit of Mt. Armstrong, Southern Alps
It’s been almost four months since the end of last semester but the time has absolutely flown by. It’s been a pretty full on summer and now that I am back in Auckland for the start of my next term, I thought it was time to write something down about it. I’ll try to keep it brief…
It’s been a bit of whirlwind since I set off for Auckland from Manchester on the 14th of Feb up until now. I can easily say that so far, it’s been an unforgettable experience. Continue reading “NZ begins…”→
By Megan Turner, Geography, University of Auckland, New Zealand
As an international student, the University of Auckland were very happy for me to take a range of courses from different subjects and faculties without any hassle. As well as geography courses, I was able to study In terms of course structure and assessment, Auckland is quite similar to Manchester, however there are some differences to look out for.
Simon Hird / / Geography / / University of Auckland / / NZ
London Heathrow
This all feels very surreal.
Over the last two years study abroad has been the goal, the next big thing, the last thing written in my diary, the thing my conversations always seem to touch upon, so much chat it almost felt mundane.
Now it’s finally here I can’t really fathom that it is real.
But this is happening… I am going to New Zealand… for an entire year.
Writing it down helps – the excitement is kicking in again.
The hardest bit up until now hasn’t been choosing where to go, or writing all those personal statements and applications, or applying for a visa, or accommodation, or choosing what to pack – it’s been saying goodbye and loosening my grip on my life in the UK.
Saying goodbye to friends and family is the worst. But that’s good. Sometimes you need something like this too realise how much it all matters. And anyway they all know that you are doing something pretty special.
My flight leaves in an hour or so (11:25 am), with a brief layover in Singapore. In total I think it is about 24 hours of flying/connection time and I am due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow at 22:20 local time (11:20 UK Time). From there I will be picked up by the uni and dropped off at Carlaw Park Student Village, the second year halls that I will be staying at for this semester at least. I will probably do a blog post on accommodation at some point, so keep an eye out for that if you are looking for some guidance.
I guess that is it for now. I will post another one up in a couple of weeks once I am somewhat settled in to life at Auckland.
By Megan Turner (The University of Auckland, New Zealand)
I have one day to go before I fly to New Zealand, a journey that will take twenty-six hours and include two planes, one layover and no comfortable sleeping positions. My suitcase is almost full, but I have only packed half of my things and it still feels like there are a million things left for me to sort out. It’s tricky to condense a year’s worth of stuff into 30kg of hold luggage, especially when I have to cover all seasons and I’m trying to think of everything that I could possibly need in a country that I have never been to before which really bombards you with shipping costs because it’s so far from everywhere else.
By Vanessa Maloney (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
I have to admit that over the summer this blog got pushed to the back of my mind, but (finally) here are my last reports on my year abroad. I am now back in good old rainy Manchester so writing this last entry is an excellent excuse to look back at some sunny pictures and imagine myself on a South Pacific beach!
First things first… before I talk about the more recent events, I just wanted to upload some of my Canoe Club pictures as promised. These are pictures from weekend trips throughout my second semester. Some of the most fun that I had in NZ.
Rafting a seven metre waterfall at KaitunaKaituna – taking the leap
The Milky Way visible from our campsite!Peaceful scenery on the MohakaThankfully we were only looking at this waterfall!
Part 1 : Leaving New Zealand
Exams finished at the end of June and I had two weeks before my flight to properly say goodbye to this country that I have come to love so much. Although the weather at this time of year is a bit dull, I set out on a little road trip to Taupo/ Turangi, on to a kayak trip organised by the Uni Canoe Club and then went on to another friend’s family bach on the Coramandel peninsula.
It was such a nice way to say goodbye and I couldn’t believe how hard it was to leave some of my friends behind. I must admit that the last few days in New Zealand were very difficult for me and there were some teary goodbyes. However, I found comfort in reminding myself that if I had never signed up for study abroad I would never even have met any of these people or had any of these experiences int the first place.
One last bach trip on the Coramandel peninsula
Part 2 : Island Paradise
Instead of going straight back home, I booked my flight to go via Rarotonga (Cook Islands) and then to LA. I was in the Cook Islands for five weeks doing a placement as a teaching assistant in a primary school. I flew an hour from the main island to a small island surrounded by a beautiful blue lagoon (population under 2000) called Aitutaki.
Aitutaki has got to have been one of the most incredible/fulfilling/surreal experiences of my life. It is impossible to explain this island to anyone who hasn’t been there. Just to try to paint a picture, here are a few bullet points…
There are roosters wandering around the airport (roosters also served as my alarm clock every day at 6.30)
Goats and pigs roam around the streets. Kids sometimes have fun by chasing a pig around the school field.
I saw whales from the golf course.
Literally everybody drives a motorbike (even 80 year old grannies!).
Everybody says hello to you in the street, and when you meet people it feels like you are old friends.
You will regularly be invited to a ‘feed’ – a massive feast where I have literally never seen so much food. I often saw people put cake and dessert on their plate first and then pile main course on top , so you literally eat through to your dessert.
I got used to drilling a hole in a drinking coconut to refresh myself on a hot day.
People gossip and news travels faster than what seems humanly possible. Talking is the main hobby in a place where there’s not a lot else by way of entertainment.
Nobody will let you walk! You cannot go for a walk without somebody insisting that they give you a lift on their bike, even if its only 50 yards.
Families are big! When getting a lift into town from my neighbour, it would be normal for him to wave to at least 5 of his cousins or nephews.
Some of the people that I met on Aitutaki are the friendliest, warmest, most open-hearted people that I have ever met, and I will never forget the kindness they showed me.
Island paradiseMe with Mama Tutai at the new schools opening – wearing the dress that was made for meMama Noa and one of her grandchildrenThe mural I helped paint in the newly built pre-schoolSchool assemblyIf you’ve ever wondered how many kids you can fit on the back of a truck…
Part 3 : Homecoming
After a stopover in LA, I finally flew into Heathrow to greet my family. I loved seeing them again and had a permanent smile on my face whilst I was catching up with family and friends. It was quite surreal seeing everybody in 3D again as I was so used to seeing them inside a computer screen!
A nice airport welcome from my sister
I must admit that it has sometimes been difficult settling back into English culture. I found it hard to get used to a less laid-back lifestyle, the lack of sun and the sheer amount of people. Going into central London was a stressful experience, especially after coming straight from Aitutaki where the population was so small.
However, I am starting to settle back in again and I’m doing my best to continue some of my hobbies (e.g. kayaking) and attitudes from NZ back here in the UK. Sometimes I think back to New Zealand and almost can’t believe how incredible it was. Sometimes it feels like a dream, until I talk to a Kiwi friend online or see an All-Blacks game on TV and remember that it was actually all real!
My year abroad was beyond all of my expectations. I expected to meet some cool people, but didn’t expect to make friends for life. I expected to travel to some beautiful places and experience a different culture, but didn’t expect this to become such a huge part of who I am. It’s so hard to reflect on my year abroad without sounding cheesy, because all of the cliches are just so true. If anybody is thinking of doing a year abroad, I just want to say that in my experience (although it was by no means always easy,) studying abroad was probably the best decision I have ever made. I cannot imagine my university experience and my life in general without having done it and am so grateful that I was given this amazing opportunity.
By Thomas Chapman (University of Auckland, New Zealand).
I’m here! The world. Oceania. New Zealand. Auckland.
So far my reception of New Zealand has been great. The campus is right in the city centre and everything is right on hand. Things like setting-up mobiles and banking could not be more straight-forward, which is great when coming to the other side of the world (literally). I suppose it’s just the amount of smaller tasks and their time-consuming nature that is a little ‘boring’, but once you’ve done them then you’re free to begin a 6-month adventure and to study.
The hardest task of all by far though, has got to be finding accommodation. Although it’s exciting to wake up most days in my hostel with optimism in my heart and a full suitcase under my bunk bed, it is not a straight-forward process to find the right place. I have got to say though, the help has been great from the Uni; advice on prices, where to look and the whole process out here, has been thorough and entertaining. The speed-flatting (like dating) made me realise that I’m not the only one still without a house. It got me in touch with some really cool people who also have come looking for a base of operations in a foreign country.
Hopefully, the housing should sort itself out in the next few days, just as term starts; which is the main reason I’m in New Zealand I suppose. The courses I chose all sound interesting and I’m looking forward to starting them and getting a bit of structure to my time here.
Auckland itself is a beautiful city (and surprisingly hilly). It is New Zealand’s largest city and, although it’s no Manchester, it has all the features of a multicultural CBD. A large asian and polynesian influence can be seen around the city, which has left me keen to meet some more Kiwis between all the other international students I have become friends with, but there is plenty of time for that once the semester starts.
The hills, as mentioned earlier, provide great backdrops of the city from a suburban surrounding, giving clear views of the iconic Sky Tower from almost all the surrounding regions. I’m keen to get out more, away from Auckland, and to see what New Zealand really has to offer outside of it’s largest city, but that will have to wait until the weekends and to when I have a house.
A quick note to anyone who might be interested in New Zealand’s military history – the War Museum is worth a visit. It has a full-sized spitfire – awesome, I know! It’s also a rather dramatic-looking building and worth a wonder up to.
To anyone back home reading: Hi! I hope it’s all going okay. Also, congratulations to my sister, Hayley, who gets married next weekend. I hope it’s a magical day – you deserve one!
Anyway, that’s it for now. I’ll keep you updated on everything as it happens so…. yeah…. watch this space!
By Vanessa Maloney (University of Auckland, New Zealand).
I’ve just had my last exam and realised I should probably upload a blog about all the fun I’ve been having this semester.
This semester has been incredible. I feel like my first semester was good because everything was so novel and such an adventure as I was getting to know the country and meeting new people. However, this semester has been a whole different experience as I feel like I have been living more like a local and less like an exchange student – especially as I have a job and am no longer living in halls. I feel so settled in that I could definitely imagine coming back to live here for a while after my degree.
Joining AUCC (the University canoe club) has really defined this semester for me. I was going away on kayaking trips almost every weekend for the first half of this semester. In fact, it has taken up so much of my time that I am going to dedicate a whole post to it rather than trying to squeeze it into this one.
So first of all, here are a couple of my favorite non-kayaking adventures…
Bungee !
At the museum where I work, we sell tickets for Auckland Bridge Climb and Bungee, so my boss managed to get some of us a free bungee as a familiarization experience.
I’m so glad I did it through work, because I’m not sure I would have had the guts to sign up myself without any prompts!
I was the first to jump out of our group and I’m not going to lie… my heart was literally in my stomach. But, after the initial scariness of jumping, it was just surreal – I just remember kind of zoning out and watching the water moving in and out. After that it was just a huge adrenaline rush which left me on a constant high for the next week or so. On the whole I’m so proud of myself and so glad my boss signed me up!
Sailing to Waiheke
Another great experience that I got through work was a surprise staff day out organised by my boss. We sailed one of the Museum’s heritage vessels to Waiheke Island. It was pretty hands on as I had the opportunity to hoist the sails and climb the rigging. The sea was very choppy at some points, to the point where half of the passengers were sea sick, but luckily I don’t get sea sick and actually thought the choppy bit was the most fun. When we got to Waiheke we visited a vineyard where we had an amazing lunch, a wine tasting session and enjoyed the view.
Bach weekend
Another awesome weekend I had was one spent at my friend’s bach 3 hours north of Auckland. A ‘bach’ is basically a Kiwi holiday home by the seaside. A surprisingly high proportion of New Zealanders own family baches – they are usually a pretty basic house on a beach somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
I love the fact that in New Zealand (partly because the weather and landscape is so incredible) you don’t really need to plan anything extravagant to have a really memorable time. All you need is a car, some meat for the BBQ, a few beers and some good mates (and maybe a Ukulele if you’re pushing it…).
My friend’s bach was in such a remote, untouched place that we had to arrive during low tide so that we could drive along the beach to get to it! The first evening dolphins came so far in that we could watch them from the deck of the house. The weekend basically consisted of eating, swimming, walking on the beach and campfire in the evening. Perfect.
