You’re Here, Now What?

Hello from Christchurch! It’s been about three weeks since I touched down in Aotearoa New Zealand, and while things have been going pretty smoothly, I thought I’d introduce you to some of my favorite spots in and around Christchurch to give you an idea of what your life would be like here! 

The easiest and cheapest way to get around Christchurch is through their metro (bus) system. It doesn’t go everywhere, but it’s been helpful navigating the city. You should get a metro card through your program, and you can use it to get to most of the places I’ll talk about in this post. 

If you’re looking for a catch-all stop on your first few days in Christchurch, then I would easily recommend the Westfield Riccarton Mall. It’s a quick bus ride from the university, and it has everything you couldn’t pack in your luggage. Pak’n’Save is a cost-efficient grocery store at the end of the mall, situated next to a cluster of cellular companies that can help you set up your New Zealand data plan. I found that going into the store was easier for figuring out my data plan because I could talk to one of the employees directly. The last big stop on your way through the shopping mall is Kmart. If you’re used to shopping at Target in the states, this is your closest alternative, as the Targets here are marketed as high-end furniture stores (weird, right?)

If you’re eager to get away from the university, I recommend spending a day at Sumner Beach, visiting the Botanical Gardens, or heading over to the Christchurch Gondola. I did the last one a few days after my program started, and instead of taking the gondola back down, me and a few others trekked down the opposite side of the hill until we reached Lyttelton. It’s a great way to soak in the view of both Lyttelton and Christchurch at the same time. All of these are free or low cost options to explore the area, and if you want to take it up a notch, there are plenty of free trails around for day hikes (or you can travel further out and do an overnight hike). 

Foodies and coffee fanatics will have no issue getting their fix in the city. My favorite cafe is called Park Ranger, where I’m currently writing this blog, but there are so many great spots to try near the university. On Saturdays, they have a farmer’s market over by the Riccarton House & Bush, and on my first weekend I got a delicious rib-eye steak sandwich at this place called “Dekkers” (highly recommend). If you’re looking for the heart of food in Christchurch, stop by Riverside Markets, a huge food court in the center of the city. They have a variety of cuisines for everyone’s appetite.

As much as I’d love to ramble on about everywhere I’ve been in the city, I don’t want to spoil all of the surprises, so I’ll just echo the same sentiment I had in my last blog post: say yes, and start exploring. You’ll get the most out of your experience if you do; for example, I tried goat stew the other day, and even though it wasn’t my favorite, I can come on here and tell you I did that. Your turn.