Getting to know Dunedin, NZ

New Zealanders love their coffee including Starbucks 

Life in Dunedin feels a little like living in a terrarium.  Huge deciduous, evergreen and palm trees, mix with rhododendron hells, flax and ferns.  Giant redwoods grow just a few kilometers from the centre of town in Ross Creek. The downtown area of Dunedin lies at the end of a Otago haba  (a.k.a. harbour) and is relatively flat before rising rapidly to more than 2,300 ft.  I've read that the city lies at the centre of an ancient volcano crater, which explains the circle of hills and peninsula.  The weather varies greatly, with cool cloudy days mixed with sunny summer days with temperatures in the 20s c./70s f.  Dunedin is not nearly as cold or as close to Antarctica as you might think and we get almost no snow
in the winter: just a dusting.  It's pleasant to leave the windows open
on most summer evenings because there are no mosquitos.

Dunedin maintains a vibrant downtown by limiting retail development
in the local neighborhoods, but a variety of small shops, restaurants, bakeries and coffee houses exist close-by, no matter the neighborhood in which you choose to call home.  Some of the shops look like something straight out of the 1950s and the city maintains a small-town feel, even though it is the major metropolis in the Otago-Southland region and draws tourists from around the world.  A Scottish influence prevails and the sounds of bagpipes drift across the eclectic crowds in the Octagon on most weekends. 

Kiwis can come across as unfriendly when you pass them on the streets: many not returning a greeting.  On the other hand, those you meet and with whom you share interests (at the university) can become wonderful friends.  Your ear needs to tune to the speech patterns of the Kiwis, Scots and Brits, so you may only catch about three-quarters of conversations.  I'll leave it to you to learn the meaning of terms such as joiner, sparky, gib stopper, serviette and nibbles.  You will also need to watch out for crazy Kiwi drivers who have the right of way over pedestrians.  Cultural differences exist and you will face real challenges understanding cultural sensitivities, but that's what an international experience is all about.  All in all, life ain't bad living in Dunedin, especially if you're looking for adventure.

Street Cafe on the Octagon, Dunedin, NZ

If you're thinking about pursing an MBA, while gaining an international experience in an (almost) English-speaking country, register your interest now!