Track Tan Tze Tuan
BSocSc Class of 2017
Settling in
When I first arrived in New Zealand for my exchange, I wasn’t sure what to expect other than that the weather would be colder than in Singapore. Settling in wasn’t much of a problem as Wellington is relatively small and compact, with everything being within walking distance of each other. The city itself gave me a very cosy vibe yet retained a “modern” feel fitting of the country’s capital. Getting to the main campus at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) involves walking up a small steep hill located around 15 minutes from the city centre. While challenging at first, you eventually get used to it.
Accommodation
VUW has three campuses. The main campus (Kelburn), the Law and Commerce campus (Pipitea) and the Architecture and Design campus (Te Aro). Most social science classes are held at the main campus on Kelburn. As all my modules were offered at the main campus, I decided to stay at University Hall which was closest to the main campus. There are other university hostel options as well that are closer to the other campuses though at varying price points and with different amenities available. University Hall provides you with single or shared room options. I was allocated to a single room in a suburban house with 3 other housemates. Water and electricity prices are generally fixed. Most importantly, each room gets its own heater.
Banking Issues
Unfortunately, it is not possible to open an ANZ New Zealand bank account from Singapore. As such, I had to make an appointment in at the ANZ bank in Wellington to open a Jumpstart account (for students) which provides you with a debit card. Almost everything can be bought using EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer Point-of-Sale) including shops, night market stalls and even some vendors at the farmer’s market. It would be handy to keep some cash with you in the event they don’t accept EFTPOS though.
Food
Eating out tends to be expensive (as much as or slightly more expensive than eating out in Singapore). However, unlike Singapore, there are no cheap “hawker centre” alternatives. Hence it would be much cheaper to cook at home. I was able to learn to cook new meals by learning from my roommates and sharing recipes. I also took part in potlucks with people from different countries where we would sample foods from each other’s countries. Buying fruits and vegetables tend to be cheaper if bought at the weekend farmer’s market. However, prices can fluctuate drastically depending on the season.
Weather
The weather in New Zealand is much cooler than in Singapore. This is especially so in Wellington due to strong wind speeds. Umbrellas are pretty much useless as they would break under intense gale-force winds. We were strongly advised by the school during our orientation to invest in a raincoat. Even in the summer, if it happened to be cloudy, the weather would be very cold. However, the New Zealand sun is extremely harsh (more so than Singapore), especially on cloudless days during the summer.
Academics
While I was at VUW, I had the freedom to choose courses that I wouldn’t normally take due to lack of background knowledge. As a result, I ended up taking modules on Introduction to Asian Religions, Introduction to Chinese Civilisation, Sociology of Emotions and Reproducing Gendered Bodies. These modules proved not only to be very interesting but also served to really sharpen my essay-writing skills. The course on Asian religions proved to be particularly challenging in terms of the level of insight and rigour expected of students despite only being an intro-level class. The module on ancient Chinese Civilisation also provided me with further insight into Chinese culture that manages to ironically give me a better understanding of contemporary China. Both these modules changed my perspective on the role that institutions such as “University” and “Religion” play and how these are in fact very much Western concepts that have been adopted by the rest of the world. The sociology modules also gave me a new understanding of the discipline that changed the way I thought of my own major as there was greater emphasis on micro-sociological concepts as a whole. It also introduced me to writing experiential essays where we write about our experiences in daily life and how this can be examined from a sociological lens using theories learnt in class, while also critiquing these theories when tested against our experiences.
Examinations
Most of the examinable modules in VUW had past-year papers available online for students to practice on. The documents were easily accessible for students who wanted to see what a possible exam paper would look like.
Taking Notes
While most professors do not have a preference for the medium of note-taking (i.e. handwritten vs. typing), it was interesting to see that most students actually preferred taking handwritten notes as opposed to using their laptop to take notes. This practice seems to be in stark contrast to my experience in SMU where most students prefer taking notes on their computers.
Travelling Around
One of the most memorable places I had visited while I was there was the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves. Everything about the area was an adventure; from staying in one of New Zealand’s most haunted hotels (because it was the cheapest option), to getting to the closest experience I had to spelunking in the glow worm caves. While it was definitely not the most “adventurous” activity New Zealand had to offer, it was certainly not for the faint-hearted. However, the breath-taking view in the caves was worth slogging through the cold water and climbing through the cramped cave compartments.
Final Reflections
Certainly, New Zealand was a place of many firsts for me be it horse-riding through a Lord of the Rings set to 6-hour tramps (hiking) through the countryside. I was able to open myself up to new experiences and ideas that made my exchange that much more meaningful to me. Looking back, my time in New Zealand has allowed me to take a step back to re-evaluate my goals for what I want to do and achieve for myself.
Finding the Glow Worms
Entering the caves for the first time
Walking to Makara Peak
Glenorchy Dart Stables
Huka Falls