Abroad in Nelson

I was planning on going to Australia for a least a year, until last minute I ended up wanting to go to Nelson. Once I saw the town on Google Maps I fell in love. I fell in love with the nature, the sea and mountains..and the amount of cafes right amongst it all. I cried once arriving because I couldn't believe it was real. Once I arrived at NMIT I got taken care of very well by the caring staff. I also enjoyed taking 4 classes from four different courses. I would not recommend getting electives finished here like I did. I recommend taking classes all from one course. When you stay in one course you have every class with all of the same people, which is so convenient! It was so difficult switching material and not having many people to contact about what was happening, which I'm so used to at my home university. However, you get to go outdoors during classes often times and each class is very interactive! It is such a hands on politic, which I LOVED.

Being apart of this program refined independence for me. I was an independent person, however I had to learn how to be okay, not being with friends for all of my day. However, I was amazed always at the beauty right outside the window of each classroom. I have never lived near the mountains, but I didn't go a day in NZ without hiking or walking alongside the mountains. Each day I got to choose a new cafe or favorite cafe during breaks from class. Nelson is notorious for cafes, and shops, which was a dream for me!

So in Nelson you can hike everyday, see the sea (paddle board, walk on the beach - even in winter), try cafes, all in walking distance of the NMIT campus.
At NMIT keep in touch with the nice staff and get to know your professors. Your classmates are most likely going to be more passionate about the subject material than undergrad university programs in America. Your classes will be 4-5 hours long once a week, with a break in between.

Life after Nelson. I can sit through a 50 min american lecture easily. I understand how much world is beyond America, how much the events in other countries affect me. I love my family and friends more and I balance my time differently. I learned so much while living abroad. I would never take this experience back and I would not have chosen a different place to study.