Otago Study Abroad Diary: First Week Orientation & Exciting Experiences 📅

Today, I attended the Orientation and checked in. The diverse age range of students was quite fascinating. There’s even a stern-looking uncle, and I’m not entirely sure if he’s a student 😂. Currently, there are seven Chinese students, including me, in the Otago Early Childhood Education program. It’s also a delight to finally meet online friends in person 😂.

Despite my new identity as a student, it’s still challenging to fully embrace the student mindset without a fixed place to live. After being away from campus for so long, it feels a bit surreal to be a student again.

After the Orientation, I explored the city center and scouted for parking spaces. I’ve given up on the idea of driving to school; it would be too much of a hassle. My top priority right now is finding a house close to the school, with commuting convenience being the main factor, followed by compatible roommates, and then other considerations 😅.

I reached out to another place, and if all goes well, I’ll move in next week. In the meantime, I’ll be staying at a hostel for a few days. Having lived in hostels for half a year, a few more days won’t make much difference.

On the way back to the camp, I decided to drive to Lanarch Castle. The road was quite nerve-wracking, but thankfully, there were no other cars. Unfortunately, it was already closed by the time I arrived, so I’ll plan a specific visit another time, especially considering the steep ticket price. Later, I drove to the very end of the Peninsula and discovered there are still many places to explore.

It turns out that this area is home to royal albatrosses, little blue penguins 🐧, and yellow-eyed penguins. Dunedin is brimming with interesting spots, but once you live somewhere, you tend to lose interest. Wanaka, however, is an exception 😂.

This is the last weekend before the start of the semester, and I’m planning to leave Dunedin. I initially thought about returning to Wanaka, but decided against it since I’m too familiar with it. I need to discover new places. Also, I’ve started missing the mountains, so I want to spend a couple of days in a mountainous area before coming back 😅. I should take full advantage of the summer and get out and explore ✌.