Living in New Zealand?

[Tigerlilyx]

I have serious thoughts of joining a Work Exchange Programme for undergraduates who are graduating soon. Never been to NZ before so I have no clue of what to expect or prepare myself for Are living costs affordable? How are the communities like? I have a lot of worries just thinking about being far away from home and leaving everything i'm familiar with behind.

I only wish to stay there temporarily (maybe 6 months to a year?) just to gain industry experience.

The NZ govt website has a lot of information about it with plenty of enticing ads, but coming from a Marketing/PR background I know most ads aren't erm.. 100% truthful about things  . Especially with NZ's recent immigration call for new citizens from my country specifically; I wish to be extra careful with everything I read on the net. I rather hear it from those living there themselves! 

Does anyone have any tips or advice? I'll be ever so grateful <3

[kaoskat]

Not a clue but it sure sounds exciting!

[pony_magick]

It all depends on which part of the country you're going to live in, North or South Island, and then town/city. North and South Island are really different but I can only tell you about the South.

[Tigerlilyx]

It all depends on which part of the country you're going to live in, North or South Island, and then town/city. North and South Island are really different but I can only tell you about the South.

Hmm.. the company i'm hoping to work for is based in Auckland, but that depends if it works out with them. How's the South like? 

[Tiggums6]

you need to talk to Loa

[melodys_angel]

I was going to say, Loa should beable to help you out

[flyawayraven]

What is the best way to summon the penguin goddess?

[Kiwi]

You must make a sacrificial offering to the penguin goddess.

[Loa]

Greetings!
It is I! Loa!

Anyway, if your English is good, you'll be welcomed with open arms. That's not to be racist, but as the largest Polynesian City in the world, we have a lot of English that borrows from Maori/Samoan/Tongan etc. It's kinda hard to get your head around if you're learning English too.
Example: Tiggums, you Palangi, lets go feed our pukus with Kai, like Kumara. Sweet!

We love Singaporean's here, and there are a lot of Singaporean's here too! You're welcome to PM me about visa's/flights etc.

[Tigerlilyx]

Greetings!
It is I! Loa!

Anyway, if your English is good, you'll be welcomed with open arms. That's not to be racist, but as the largest Polynesian City in the world, we have a lot of English that borrows from Maori/Samoan/Tongan etc. It's kinda hard to get your head around if you're learning English too.
Example: Tiggums, you Palangi, lets go feed our pukus with Kai, like Kumara. Sweet!

We love Singaporean's here, and there are a lot of Singaporean's here too! You're welcome to PM me about visa's/flights etc.

Thanks for the heads up Loa 

That's good news! Besides English the only other languages i'm fluent in are Malay and Arabic so I would adapt better in a working English-oriented environment. I'll definitely PM you after I sort things out with the prospective company xo

[Tiggums6]

Palangi. crikey.

[Loa]

Palangi. crikey.

You ARE like, pale.

[Marlin]

Auckland is hugely multicultural, a giant melting pot, really. Particularly in the city and you'll find (probably as with other areas) some ethnicities tend to gravitate towards particular suburbs. I think however that tendency is more applicable to families who come and settle though and who are looking for some familiarity in a new place.

The city is lively and you'll find all you need - night life, the cafe/food scene, and if you are into markets eclectic ones are everywhere, from the rustic to the ones that sell stuff that fell off the back of a truck. There are even night markets which are proving popular, which are largely food driven and cater to all tastes and cultures, which is a great part of the appeal. Aucklanders love food.  Suburbs can easily live within suburbs though, as most areas tend to have their own mall/shopping centers, a lot of which will cater for everything from food, medical, clothing, entertainment and even industrial needs. I am not a city goer myself and hardly ever go into the city unless I have to, so there's an example of not relying on it.

Auckland is large though - a very spread out city, so transport (and traffic is a huge bane throughout Auckland) to your potential work could be a great motivation in where you choose to live, and on that subject, Auckland is not cheap, so be prepared for that. Closer to the city = rentals being way more expensive, and living costs (comparative to other parts of the country) are dearer too, overall. On the flipside, you might find the average salary better though, particularly in the corporate world.

Some areas are definitely swisher/more hip than others, and some areas you wouldn't want to leave your car unlocked. But that goes for any city. Common sense prevails in all places/situations.

The only other thing I can think of off the top of my head of potential interest is that Auckland is also a very scenic place (in places!). You need not travel far to reach beaches or recreational reserves/parks, and like most cities I guess, we have all the usual tourist/historic attractions - museums, a fantastic zoo, art gallerys, and many a great view from the numerous volcanic (almost all dormant!) tops.

Good luck, and enjoy.

[Sea_Breeze]

Compared to Singapore Auckland has absolutely nothing on transport. I lived in Singapore for 2 months near Ten Mile. Transport over there is amazinglying efficient. Be prepared to pay a price to save you travel time in Auckland.

If it helps at all I had some of the most incredible times of my life out of my comfort zone