Important stuff for international students
Before Coming to Dunedin
1. What to bring from Sri Lanka
- Warm Clothing- weather is Dunedin is very unpredictable and it gets pretty cold in winter. It even snowed this year! So it’s good to be prepared. Almost any kind of clothing is cheaper in Lanka. For example bring Jackets, Sweatshirts, Thermals, Hats, scarfs, socks, gloves, blankets.
- Shoes- Good shoes are cheaper in Lanka (but make sure they are either new or clean, otherwise you may have to wait in customs for a long time to get them checked out).
- A nice dress/saree/suit- Not a must but it is always good to have one around
- Electronics- laptops, cameras, calculators and cell phones are cheaper in Sri Lanka!
- Medicines- it is easy to fall sick during the cold months of winter, especially if you are not used to the weather so we recommend you bring samahan, siddhalepa and any other medication you think may come in handy.
- Spices- Would be of great use if you would be cooking. There are spice shops here but they are not like the delicious, original Lankan spices.
- Stationary – You could buy all stationary from here, but if you have space it is worth bringing as stationary is cheaper is Sri Lanka.
2. Apply for a Residential College- If you are a first year student we would recommend staying at a residential college. They may be quite expensive but they have a lot of advantages. For a start, it is a lot easier to make friends at a hall as everyone else would be freshers and new to the uni life style just like you!! The staff is helpful and caring and would provide you with good academic and moral support. Meals would generally be provided with most Residential Colleges and the food is usually good. Above all the halls are nice and warm to keep you cozy during those cold winter months. Here is a link to checkout information about all the Otago university colleges at once – Otago Uni Halls of Residence
If you are a Health Science First Year student we would recommend staying at St Margaret’s College, Carrington College or Hayward College. Each of these colleges have their own pros and cons. If you want to find out more information about any of the colleges or get information from Lankan students who have stayed in these colleges, please don’t hesitate to contact us because we have first hand experience about what it is like living there. You can either leave a message on our website, facebook group or email us on ouslsa@gmail.com.
3. Download skype onto your computer- Great way to keep in touch with family and friends back home.
4. What not to bring- There is a list of things that you can not bring into the country such as fruits, plants and fish. If you bring food they need to be prepared in certain ways. Have a look at this website for more information: New Zealand customs
Once you arrive in Dunedin
1. The first thing on your mind will be getting to your Residential College or flat. Never fear there are always shuttles waiting outside the airport!! However, it is cheaper to book your shuttle prior to arrival. Here is a link to book one of the cheapest shuttle services available from the airport: Kiwi shuttles booking
2. During orientation week it is important that you go and collect an O-week pack!! This pack has necessities such as a wall planner and discount vouchers!
3. Go and visit the Clubs and Societies building. During the Orientation Week there is a clubs day held in this building and make sure you go and sign up to be a member of SLSA. For more information regarding Otago Clubs and Societies check out this link: Otago University Students Association
4. The university also has a recreation centre called Unipol. Checkout this link for info about Unipol: Unipol Recreation Centre
5. If you did not buy your text books from Sri Lanka, Volume 1 Book shop is probably the cheaper place to buy your text books! Here is a link to details about the Volume 1 bookshop: Volume 1 bookshop information
6. When you want to go shopping for groceries you will find the supermarkets; New World and Count down on Cumber land Street. You will also find Warehouse Stationary on Cumberland Street. Talk about being handy!!
7. If you are feeling sick any time during the year, the Student Health on campus is more than happy to look after you. Here is the link for you to check out Student Health: Otago uni student health
8. Finally if you feel like eating out but don’t know a good restaurant in Dunedin, check out this facebook link for some suggestions: Favourite foods in Dunedin
10. There is a bunch of friendly Lankans to help you settle into Dunedin. If you want more information contact us on this website, Facebook group, or emails us at ouslsa@gmail.com
I truly enjoy studying on this website , it holds excellent blog posts.
Thanks for another fantastic article. The place else could anyone get that type of information in such a perfect means of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m at the look for such info.
Great! Thank you! I forever wanted to view post something similar to that.