Auckland is built on 53 volcanoes and therefore is very hilly; everywhere you go you have to walk at least once uphill and downhill. I didn’t feel like cycling uphill all the time and therefore, I searched for a room close to the university so I could walk to it. I found a room in a student house just outside the city center, where I live together with twenty other international (PhD-)students and young professionals, which is really nice!

During the week, I work from 9 am till 5 pm at uni, where I am doing research about the swelling and curling behavior or articular cartilage. I spend a lot of time in the lab, and when I’m not in the lab you will find me analyzing microscopy images and writing my report. Everyone at uni (and also in the rest of New Zealand) is very relaxed and easy going which makes it very nice to work here! The University of Auckland has an international student association that organizes a lot of day trips, weekend trips, and drinks, which is perfect to meet other international students!

In weekends, I plan to go on trips to explore NZ as much as possible. The country is really beautiful and I have already done a few hikes, went to a couple of cute villages and cities, and saw a lot of water falls and (typical) places of interest. In addition, I think it is very interesting to learn more about the culture of the original inhabitants of NZ. These inhabitants, called Māori, still live as they used to do which makes a visit to those villages very impressive.

It seems scary to be on your own at the other side of the world, however, I have experienced that you learn a lot about yourself and it is really easy to meet other people. I think it is a great experience to work and live abroad and I would definitely recommend it to everyone!