What did GlobaLinks do for you and what did you need to do on your own?
Carli: GlobaLinks made the application process so simple and straightforward and their staff was always available when I had questions about anything from the drinking water to the classes I would be taking. The bridging cultures program allowed me to make friends with people I would be spending the semester with while we played around major tourist attractions in scenic Rotorua. We went whitewater raftering down the largest commercial waterfall in the world, enjoyed a traditional Maori Hangi feast, and even got to spend a day with elementary school kids playing rugby and planting trees.
The only times I felt that I had to do a lot on my own was gathering everything necessary to apply for the program back at home because I did not know anyone who had been through the process before that could help; and also when AustraLearn dropped us off at our home in Parnell where we had to get settled and get ready for school.
What is one piece of advice you'd give future Auckland students?
Carli: The most useful piece of advice I could give potential study abroad students would be to start the application process early. I submitted almost everything for the process at the last possible minute which caused me loads of unnecessary stress. So, start early and ask for help right away if you need it! For Auckland students, my advice would be to find a balance with your financial situation. You have to take advantage of travel opportunities and a fun night out in the city every now and then but you cannot spend all of your money in the first couple months. Budget and be smart about what you splurge on but do not feel like you are holding back too much because who knows when you will be in New Zealand again!
I spent a lot of money abroad but I do not regret any penny spent because I feel like I made the most of my time (and money) while I was abroad. [Among many other things I couldn’t possibly fit in this article some of my favorite memories included skydiving from 12,000 feet over the beautiful, turquoise Lake Taupo, enjoying a wonderful 3-course dinner at the top of the Sky tower in downtown Auckland, spending a weekend sightseeing in Sydney, Australia, taking a 7-hour hike on the Tongariro Crossing which featured many sights Lord of the Rings fans might recognize, and taking a 10- day, cross country, roadtrip over spring break around the South Island where I bungee jumped off of the world’s first bungee jump, ate a Fergburger larger than my entire head, and hiked the magnificent Fox Glacier with several of the incredible new friends I met in Auckland. So I suggest, be thrifty but decide the things you really want to put your money towards and do them! Also, keep an eye out for Group-Ons!]
Describe your favorite must-have food that you tried abroad.
Carli: Auckland was truly a melting pot of different cultures I had never really been exposed, being from Pennsylvania. In addition to the great population of Maori and Samoan people, I also noticed a great Asian influence in the city. Among the fascinating foods of all these different people, and my being a HUGE foodie, I will stick with one of my favorite New- Zealand inspired eateries. I had never tried a sweet potato until I went to New Zealand where I absolutely fell in love with the Maori version of it called the kumara.
I recommend everyone goes to the gourmet burger chain in New Zealand, Burger Fuel where you can enjoy kumara fries alongside a massive, satisfying unique burger of your choice. It is affordable, vegetarian- friendly and has an extensive menu featuring classic bacon cheeseburgers, or if you’re feeling adventurous, burgers covered in peanut sauce of avocado. After you enjoy a nice burger fuel meal with sweet potato fries dipped in your choice of tomato sauce or aioli, make sure you save room for my favorite ice-cream place downtown called Giapo Gelato. If my memory serves me, it is located right next to a Burger Fuel in downtown Auckland on Queen Street and the owner was a student of AUT where he studied food science. He uses this knowledge and creativity to make the best organic and most unique gelato I’ve ever tasted with flavors like blueberry white chocolate, creme brulee, tiramisu, or kiwi pavlova.
Did you forget to pack something important? Were you missing something?
Carli: As I think back, I can’t remember anything too significant that I forgot to bring abroad. I feel like I brought an appropriate variety of clothes that would last me from the end of New Zealand’s summer into the beginning of its winter. I also remembered to bring pictures and other such items that would remind me of home. The university provided us with bedding and kitchen utensils so it was really convenient to not have to buy any of those things. I learned to be resourceful living abroad in that rather than buying a bulky laundry basket that I would have to throw away when I left, I transformed my suitcase into a hamper and used it to transport my laundry to the washers and dryers. If I needed something I could just go buy it at the local Warehouse, which I would compare to an American Target. Also, in Parnell Student Village, we were a very close community and I if I needed something like a hair straightener, I could usually borrow it from my neighbors or flat mates.
Do you feel you got a chance to see the city from a local's perspective?
Carli: One of my favorite things to do in my free time in Auckland was explore the many different areas of the city. I felt very fortunate to live in Parnell because not only was it a beautiful, more low-key part of the city, I felt as though a lot of international students downtown did not even know about the area which had so much to offer from the Auckland War Museum to the dozens of boutique shops and unique cafes and restaurants that made up the main street. If I went the other way down the street I would find myself in Newmarket, which was a lot busier than quaint Parnell with more shops and a mall and reminded me of a much smaller New York City.
When I was between classes on campus I used to love doing homework in Albert Park on Auckland’s campus or take a stroll downtown to shop or grab some food. On days where I would have three hours between classes I used to walk all the way down to the harbor and sit by the water and do some homework or take a nap. On the weekends my friends and I used to like checking out the op-shops of K-road, yet another diverse dimension of the city. My love of wandering and obsession with doing and seeing everything I possibly can in a certain area made me feel like I belonged there, like a local. I tried to see all of the main sights, wander down all of the well-known and not- so well known streets, and try all the unique foods that Auckland had to offer.