Life in Dunedin

I have been enjoying every minute of my time in Dunedin. The weather can be a bit unpredictable, but when the sun is out, everyone heads outside to explore the surrounding beaches, gardens, and trails.

Just a block from my flat is the Dunedin Botanic Gardens. Most days I will either go on a run through the labyrinth of trials or do my reading in the gardens during my lunch break.

When the weather is nice, most afternoons I have gone to the beach or gone on a short hike. St. Kilda/St. Clair beach is one of the more popular beaches for people to surf and hangout. The beaches are extremely clean and simple. The sand is extremely soft and the dramatic rock coastlines remind me a little bit of Kauai. There isn’t any development directly on any of the beaches, so it feels really nice to go to the beach and feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.

At Sandfly Bay, I saw my first penguin and also encountered some seals! Sandfly Bay was an amazing beach, and there were also sand dunes that extended for about a quarter mile from the coast.  We had tons of fun running down the sand dunes and taking pictures of the wildlife.

My favorite beach so far is definitely tunnel beach. The rock formations here are like nothing I have ever seen. The rounded sandstone point and the tunnels are so much fun to explore, and the water is so blue it's unreal. To get down to the beach, there is a man-made tunnel that is cut through the rock that opens up right onto the boulder filled beach. When the tide is low, you can traverse over to a small cave and look out at the ocean.

Along with all the fun day hikes and beach adventures around Dunedin, there is also a great nightlife and college town feel. We all went to our first rugby game at the stadium in Dunedin built for the Rugby World Cup last year. The fans were like nothing I had seen at any American sporting events. The student section was absolutely insane, and the Otago Highlanders won over Canterbury Crusaders, which made for a fun night in town afterwards!

Dunedin is also home to the steepest street in the World: Baldwin Street. One day our Kiwi host walked us up to the top of the street and also took us to Signal Hill to see a view of the city.

I have loved my day-to-day life going to school at the University of Otago. I live about a 2-minute walk from campus and my class schedule is perfect for a semester filled with activities. Having the car has opened so many doors to where we can go. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester brings my way!