New Zealand is just amazing! Anyone with the opportunity to go to New Zealand should definitely do it.
At first, it may seem like a deterrent for many to go so far from home. After all, NZ is really on the other side of the world. To be more precise, we Europeans cannot actually travel further than NZ. And then for at least one semester! I can only tell you – do it and don’t be afraid. In the beginning it will certainly be a little difficult to leave all loved ones in your home country. However, after this time you will certainly have many life experiences and new friends all over the world.
University
The application process was straightforward and well supported by MicroEDU. A DAAD test is enough for the AUT, which is really great! Within a few weeks I had the confirmation and after paying the fee I was already sure of the place.
Standing for Auckland University of Technology by abbreviationfinder, AUT is a very modern university. Currently also a little bit of renovation and growth. The support given to foreign students is simply outstanding. There is a super nice coordinator and contact person who is always happy to help. You are not left alone. You can tell that it is important to the university that you get through the semester relatively well. In the first few weeks you will be invited to a welcome weekend. It is called Noho Marae and serves to get to know the culture of the indigenous “Maoris” better. Also a great opportunity to get to know other exchange students. You sing, dance and eat together. Everyone was very warm and friendly. Definitely not to be missed. And it seems to be the only event of its kind at a university in NZ! Lectures were very interesting. We were only 6 students in one class and about 12 students in the other. In the master’s degree you meet a lot of older students who already have several years of professional experience. Unfortunately, I personally wasn’t lucky enough to have native speaker lecturers. This is basically not that tragic, but a lecturer was not really proficient in English pronunciation, which sometimes made the whole thing very difficult. I found it a little annoying because I had paid a lot of money for it. The grades consist of many partial performances. So I had to give a lot of presentations and do research assignments. German students have an astonishingly good reputation and sometimes I had the impression that we were a lot superior to the NZ students in terms of our subject. In the end I went out with A + and A (e-commerce and ICT in a changing world), which is sometimes more difficult in Germany. With a lot of effort and diligence, it is very realistic and one is not afraid to award these grades!
Flat
Finding a good apartment or room was not easy. However, I was lucky and was able to move into a dormitory near the university after about a week, even though I arrived relatively late. I can only advise against going to the AUT dormitory as it is far more expensive than other options. If you have made a little progress in your studies and are a little older, then you may not feel so comfortable in the dormitory. Mostly younger age groups can be found here, which is associated with partying and drinking. It can then of course be louder and more restless. His everybody. I have in the Empire, where there are also some private apartments. So don’t be put off when you read on the website that you have to be there for at least 6 months. A week without internet cost me 180 NZD. The internet was really, really expensive here. 1 GB, valid for one week only, cost 10 NZD. Internet is a very annoying subject in NZ anyway. There is no flat rate here and internet is always limited in volume and very expensive. Basically one reads that NZ prices are comparable to the German ones. Personally, I found it more expensive, especially the food prices. But maybe it was due to the exchange rate.
Party
Party in Auckland is rather modest. The city is huge and there are many bars scattered around the city. Dance clubs as we know them are rare and unusual. Without a car, the good bars in Ponsonby are unfortunately difficult to reach and the public transport system is unfortunately not that good. The best parties were then the private ones. . .
Travel
There is not only North and South Island to discover, the surroundings are also really worthwhile. Australia is not far away, as are all the South Sea islands such as Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Cooks Islands etc. Cheap flights are available from air new zealand and virgin australia.
Mobility
A car makes life a lot easier if you like to go out. . . If you are only traveling in the CBD, two legs and the bus are enough.
Internationality
Auckland is very international. If you are looking for contact with Kiwis, you would be better off in any other city in NZ, but not in Auckland.
Country and people
New Zealanders are just great. Everyone is super nice and open-minded. Sometimes you are invited home after a very short time. You should definitely plan time for traveling. There is so much to see and in some cases really cheap to develop. Various bus passes bring mobility between the individual national attractions. But cars and vans can also be rented very easily and cheaply. Bus passes are available cheaply at nakedbus, intercity, magic bus, for example. . .
