Unitec Institute of Technology

Don't assume that doing a semester abroad is going to be just a vacation. Of course, it depends on what University you're attending; in my case, I did have a lot to do. We had a bunch of assignments to hand in and projects to finish.

There definitely are less busy times where I went on weekend trips; you can also go on longer trips during the mid-semester break. I would recommend to plan some time before or after the semester to travel around a bit. Then you don't have to worry too much about it during the semester in case you have more to do than you expected.

I went to University four times a week. The days were really short since every lecture is only for 2-4 hours depending on the lecturer I had. If I had time in between classes, I usually went to the gym on campus or spend time at the library. It was a really nice and open area which had a little convenient store in it as well as cafes and restaurants to buy food and drinks. The rest of the day, I had free time and did stuff with my friends, like going to the beach, Auckland City Center, or just hanging out at home.

My biggest fear was homesickness. I lived a year in the United States before, and I missed my family and friends a lot while there. So I was a bit scared that it would be the same when I go to New Zealand to study. However, I found that for me personally, the one and only cure for homesickness is people, people, people.

During my first day here, I woke up totally jetlagged, and I started to miss home. But then one girl who lived in the same hall as me knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to join her to go to the city. I went with her, and she became one of my best friends over here.

It will first help you to distract yourself from feeling homesick, and after a while, you'll just benefit from the friendship and the fun times you have together!

I am lucky to say that I have many great and unforgettable experiences made since literally the day I arrived in New Zealand. One of my favorite moments, however, was at the orientation day for international students at Unitec University.

That day, all the new international students got to participate in a traditional Maori ceremony. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and are an important and very meaningful part of their culture. After a few Unitec students performed this really cool and powerful Maori dance at the orientation, we all got to say hello to some of our future lecturers, important staff from Unitec, and Maori people who led the ceremony. We all lined up and greeted each and every one of them with a handshake and our foreheads and noses touching.

When I got to the leader of the Maori ceremony, she explained to me that this was called “the breath of life” and goes way back to the beginning of Maori history. I don’t know what it was about this special greeting but this was the warmest and most sincere welcome that I have ever experienced.

If you're planning to go to New Zealand as a student, backpacker or even just as a tourist, I just encourage you to take time to learn even just a little bit about the Maori culture. It is full of tradition and history, and it is important to be acknowledged as part of New Zealand culture.

One of the best updates I've received from a returning student would be one in which the student told me that when he initially embarked on his journey, he had a strange feeling which he could not understand - owing to culture shock. Eventually, he was able to adapt to his surroundings and in the process, his self-learning abilities and independence grew over time along with becoming at ease with making new friends from the region. Essentially, his experience so far has aided in his personal growth and also widened his career prospects.

Of the numerous programs, Unitec has to offer, I would likely go for a Postgraduate Diploma in Computing, specializing in Cybersecurity, especially as Unitec happens to have the first Cybersecurity Research Centre in New Zealand.

My interest in this course of study stems from the need to prevent or keep safe from the various threats lurking around internet-connected systems and also help prevent cyberattacks, data breaches, identity theft while aiding risk management.

Consequently, the skills/knowledge gained from cybersecurity would inevitably put me in high demand both in the private and public sectors.

Apart from Unitec being not only the largest institute of studies in New Zealand but it is also New Zealand's leading institute in tertiary education, providing both theoretical and hands-on learning, which makes it an attractive choice for students and staff alike.

Furthermore, Unitec is a strong proponent of diversity as can be seen with the students and staff - everyone is welcome here at Unitec, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, religion - name it, all are welcome to be a part of the Unitec fanau. Suffice to say that there are numerous factors that contribute to the uniqueness of Unitec.

I'm currently proud of the fact that my current team operates as a family unit, as we are always there to support and help achieve not only team goals but individual goals as well.

I believe the success of Unitec lies in the value it places in its people - both student and staff alike, with students being at the heart of Unitec and staff (academic & non-academic) being there to help nurture the heart (students) in every way possible.

Furthermore, Unitec's commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi which is embodied in partnership document - Te Noho Kotahitanga, is another reason for its success. There are 5 principles in the partnership document;

• Rangatiratanga - Authority and Responsibility
• Wakaritenga - Legitimacy
• Kaitiakitanga - Guardianship
• Nohotahi - Co-operation
• Ngākau Māhaki – Respect

These principles are reflected in our practice in very many ways and they help guide our everyday interaction (with staff and student). As a result, we all feel a strong connection to Unitec and we operate as one big fanau to achieve our individual and collective goals.