My First Week (and a Half) in New Zealand: Part 2

Welcome to the second installment of my reflections on my first week and a half in Aotearoa! As I mentioned in my last blog, I will now try my best to give some practical tips and information about daily life in Christchurch. 

Buying What You Need. At the Ilam Apartments, there seem to be two main grocery stores within walking distance: New World and Woolworths. The general consensus, however, is that the most economical option is the Pak’nSave, which is about a 10-minute bus ride away or a 30-minute walk. Pak’nSave sort of reminds me of Costco, aesthetically, but it is smaller and sells almost exclusively groceries. The selection is pretty good, though I have struggled to find some admittedly niche items that I like to buy in the U.S. (dairy-free ice cream and chocolate chips, as well as sun-dried tomatoes and gnocchi). The Pak’nSave is in the Riccarton Mall, where you’ll find other useful stores, such as Kmart, JB Hi-Fi (which is helpful for technological needs, and where I bought a portable charger marked way down), and various outdoor stores. I have also heard reports that there is a good thrift store in the Riccarton area, but so far I haven’t been. 

I was struggling to find some specific beauty products I like to use in the U.S. until I found a place, also accessible by bus, called the Chemist Warehouse. They had a wide selection of nothing but beauty products (haircare, skincare, etc.) and claimed to sell their items cheaply. Plastered everywhere is the tagline, “Stop Paying Too Much!”. I do think the products were a little cheaper there than they might be elsewhere, but I’m not sure it was by as wide a margin as the store advertises. So maybe take the phrase, “Stop Paying Too Much!” as general words of wisdom and not as an obligation to Chemist Warehouse. 

About a 10-minute walk from the Ilam Apartments is a homeware store called Briscoes, where I bought a plate and bowl and where one of my friends bought a hamper. The store can be kind of pricy, but so far there usually seems to be a good selection of things on clearance. My bowl and plate were both on clearance and cost $3 and $4 NZD, respectively. 

The University of Canterbury (UC). Things are only beginning to unfold in this arena, but so far UC has seemed very welcoming to international students. The class registration process can be kind of confusing, especially since it is so different from the American system, but there is plenty of support in place to help you there. A few days ago I attended UC’s international orientation, and the entire auditorium was packed with other students from overseas. In my classes, I have also noticed that there are always several international students, especially Americans. It seems they just can’t be escaped.

A couple days after orientation, the University of Canterbury held an international welcome night, where they gave out vouchers for food trucks and prizes for correctly answering trivia questions. I was gunning for the ticket to the International Antarctic Center but ended up winning a charger.  The next UC event I attended was the club fair, which they hold on two different days in case you can’t make one. I was surprised to find out that some of the clubs that take you out, such as the Tramping Club, require you to pay membership fees in order to join. I went a little wild at the fair and ended up signing up for the Tramping Club, the Canoe Club, the Girls Go Outdoors Club, and the Op Shop (the Kiwi way of saying thrift store) club, all of which had membership fees. (I also signed up for the Ultimate Frisbee, dance, and fine arts clubs, which were free).

I have decided to add a little note about the Ilam Apartments. The two largest cohorts of people here, it seems, are first-years and international students. Personally, I live with two graduate students—one an international student from Thailand—and three Americans who are also doing an undergraduate, one-semester study abroad. The apartments aren’t far at all from campus; I’ve been setting out for my classes about 20 minutes before they start. With that time, I’ve been able to get a little lost once or twice and still make it to class on time. 

Everyone gets their own room, but you will have to share a bathroom, the kitchen, and a living room space. Something I didn’t realize prior to coming is that the kitchens don’t come equipped with an oven or a dishwasher, so you’ll need to wash your dishes by hand and learn to cook solely on the stove. (Or in an air fryer, if you’re lucky enough to have roommates who own one and are willing to share). The rooms themselves have a good amount of space, with large cork boards on the walls and plenty of cubbies to put your things in. You will need to buy your own hangers for the closet, but you’ll be provided towels and a bed set. 

You’re supposed to have ‘cookery’ (i.e., pots and pans) there to use, but depending on how much your roommates have and how much they’re willing to share, you may have to buy your own utensils and dishes. I bought myself a plate, a bowl, a few forks and spoons, and have been reusing glass jars to drink out of. 

Hopefully this is helpful for anyone considering studying abroad in Ōtautahi Christchurch! As classes get into full swing, I hope to be able to befriend more New Zealanders, start putting my club memberships to good use, and keep exploring. Many updates to come.