The perfect balance of the bustling city and calming nature

Auckland is a wonderful place, and as one of the most populous cities in NZ you would think that it would be super bustling -- but in reality nature is always just a park away, and they are absolutely breathtaking. The amenities they offer are amazing. Hiwa Recreation Centre is one of the biggest and most advanced gyms in the Southern Hemisphere, and if you live in certain student accommodation you get access for free. The campus is only about a 15-minute walk away from CBD, which makes meeting people for a cup of coffee super easy. The campus facilities are beautiful and modern, with places like the Clock Tower also having that historic, Gothic architecture feel. Learning about Māori culture and the preservation of these histories all throughout the campus and city was also very fun -- they offer multiple courses that allow you to experience it firsthand, such as Māori and Pacific Studies! I ended up taking PACIFIC100 and it was amazing to learn about different facets of Pacific culture, which I never got the chance to in Hong Kong.

UOA was the perfect place to meet people, and with the amount of societies and clubs they offer you could never ever miss anything fun going on! That and the kindness of people always made every space feel like home. Despite being a city, it felt more slow-paced than your usual city -- and as someone from Hong Kong, I forgot how refreshing it was to take in the sights, observe nature and to relish in my relationships with people.