Helpful Links & Tips
You’re pretty sure about what you want to study, now what about the environment you’ll be living in? We’ve sourced some links, tips and musings on what you need to know.
Getting Around
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, and it spreads across a large geographic area. As such, many Aucklanders are rather fond of travelling in their cars! However, the city’s public transport infrastructure is increasingly becoming more expansive, in particular making good use of the extensive water ways (for ferry travel). The one stop shop for public transport information is http://www.maxx.co.nz Here .all the information on trains, ferries and buses is available for students as well as routes, fares and timetables.
Culture
With over 180 ethnic cultures, international students in Auckland will find that it is a truly multicultural city. Over the past 15 years a rapid increase in the rate of immigration has transformed the city in a rich melting pot of cultures, with people from all over the world calling themselves ‘Kiwis’. The following sites are good starting points for news, events and happenings for some of Aucklands many ethinic groups.
http://www.indiannewslink.co.nz
http://www.theglobalindian.co.nz/home.html
http://www.goethe.de/ins/nz/wel/enindex.htm
Climate
Auckland has a great climate! Although some days it can be sunny one minute and raining the next, generally it enjoys prolonged bouts of warm sunny weather in the summer and very bearable temperatures in winter. The average temperature in the city is 23.7 degrees celcius in summer and 14.5 degrees celcius in winter. It rarely reaches single figures, and the only recorded snowfall in Auckland was back in 1939. A great site that gives you up-to-the minute info on all things weather is: http://www.metservice.com
Accommodation
Hostels
Visitors fresh off the plane will need a safe place to stay until they can find longer-term accommodation. Most make a beeline for the city backpackers, but there are also some options a little further out in the suburbs, which may be a little quieter. These are extremely well set up, with large, communal, well-equipped kitchens and television lounges.
Most offer single rooms for those that prefer a little more privacy, or a cheaper dorm option. Valuables can be locked away. Backpackers hostels can be a great way to meet people in similar circumstances. We recommend the following short-long term stay hostels.
Unilodge - http://www.unilodge.com.au/Auckland/
YMCA - http://www.nzymca.com/accommodation/index.php
Flatting
The New Zealand student flat is quite unique in its social structure. Unlike equivalents around the world where the people sharing accommodation have their own labeled food in the fridge and cupboards, Kiwis prefer to throw it all into the pot and live communally.
This means shopping together, cooking for your flatmates, and basically sharing everything. There are few televisions in bedrooms, rather students tend to gather each evening, sit down to a meal and socialise in the kitchen or lounge.
There are several ways of finding student flats in Auckland, such as websites nzflatmates.co.nz, http://www.studenthub.co.nz and www.student-accommodation.co.nz Local newspapers will carry details of flats/apartments to rent and student radio station 95bfm (http://www.95bfm.com) also advertises vacancies.
Visitors to New Zealand are often shocked that only a very small proportion of flats and apartments are furnished. Often the only thing you will have in your accommodation is an oven, which is mandatory for landlords.
Fortunately second-hand furniture is cheap, and http://www.trademe.co.nz is by far your best option with everything you can think of on sale. Some of the larger retailers such as The Warehouse will also come in handy to furnish your flat cheaply.
