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Laura Ingalls
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject: Auckland vs Wellington |
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| If you had a choice between Auckland and Wellington, where would you live? Which city has better weather (or consistent weather, at least), public transportation and availability of rental housing? |
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keitepai
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Istanbul
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| Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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Hello,
This will be an interesting one!!
My pick is Wellington. It has a good mix of cultures, buses and trains are good and you can easily get to the South Island on the ferry or to the central North island by train or bus. City transport is ok too. Traffic can be bad.
I like the howling southerly wind that you have to lean into, the hills, Lambton Quay, Rugby Sevens and the arts vibe there. People are friendly in general.
Auckland to is warmer but check out the rainfall & sunshine figures! I was suprised. More humid, bigger city, suburbs for miles. Rent is statistically higher in Auckland but with both cities it depends on the area as to how much you pay. Traffic is really bad. People have a reputation for being arrogant  only hearsay of course!
Annual Figures for 2007 from NIWA
Rainfall: Wellington - 1070 mm
Auckland - 1096 mm
Sunshine: Wellington - 2231 hours
Auckland - 2080 hours |
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Laura Ingalls
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for the replies, including the one via PM.
I should have been more specific. I'm asking on behalf of one of my students who's thinking of going to university there next year. He's a very bright 18-year-old boy from Malaysia and interested in reading law. I don't think he'd have any problems getting into either the University of Auckland or the Victoria University of Wellington law school. Personally, I'd choose Wellington over Auckland but I'm in my fifties and would prefer the kind of lifestyle that Wellington offers. Also, I've heard that the Auckland law school is the more prestigious and I don't want him to shortchange himself in that regard. He's a little shy but with excellent English skills. Any thoughts? |
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keitepai
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Istanbul
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| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:04 am Post subject: |
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I know several good lawyers that went to Victoria but I am sure Auckland uni is just as good.
The only thing I think he will prefer is the warmer overall temperature of Auckland. Malaysia is humid so it will be not a problem to him I guess.
There is a good student scene in both cities, Auckland is easier and cheaper to fly out of to visit Malaysia in the holidays.
I hope NZ'ers tolerance has improved towards Aisian culture, when I left in 2005 it was appalling.  |
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Cubic09
Joined: 23 Aug 2009
Posts: 66
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
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| Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:09 am Post subject: |
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| Laura Ingalls wrote: |
| Also, I've heard that the Auckland law school is the more prestigious and I don't want him to shortchange himself in that regard. |
Bollocks!! Both law schools are excellent. I'm a current student at Victoria's law school. One thing to note, however, is that they employ very different teaching methods. - Victoria would be a lot harder for your student, I think. There are few Asian students here at Victoria, for the following reasons.
Many of the classes at Victoria use the 'socratic' method of teaching, where students are frequently required to engage with their lecturers and the class, providing insights into the material studied and answering legal problems. If your student is somewhat shy, this aspect of law school could present a challenge. At Auckland, for the most part you are left to your own devices.
At Auckland, there is a lot more attention given to research skills. As I recall, there are around 3 courses that undergraduates are required to take, teaching research skills. Victoria only has one, and I think this will change in the future. Auckland also does a lot of mooting (practical legal argumentation) though it has to be said that Victoria has the better reputation in this regard.
If your student is looking for a safe choice, then I would opt for Auckland. New Zealanders are in general a friendly bunch, though are not automatically welcoming of Asians - the cultural divide is very large indeed.
Auckland would present much less of a challenge to Malaysian sensibilities - there's lots of Asian students in Auckland, the weather is somewhat similar, and the big-city lifestyle is probably what your student is most used to. That said though, there seem to be a lot of Malaysian restaurants in Wellington, so presumably there is quite a significant community here.
Wellington would definitely provide a more authentic New Zealand experience. Your student would be forced to engage with Kiwis - Wellington is a much easier city to travel around, and is full of exciting things to see and do. It is not for the faint-hearted though, and again I think it would present a challenge for your student.
I hope all this helps!  |
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Laura Ingalls
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:19 am Post subject: |
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| Cubic09, I've forwarded your post to my student. Thanks for that. I've also sent you a PM. |
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