"Hi, I am Twan, and I am 21 years old from the Netherlands. I am an exchange student from ZYUD University currently studying business for a semester at Wintec.
I arrived in New Zealand at the end of January, coming straight from the Dutch hard winter to nice summer weather. After my studies, I plan to travel around New Zealand to discover its nature, culture, and all the other things this country offers.
My first impression when I came to Wintec was that there were good facilities compared to some Dutch universities. I used to study in old buildings, and I found Wintec has quite modern facilities and new buildings. It is fascinating to see the Māori culture around the Campus and the statues in the gardens. Experiencing the pōwhiri when I arrived was very interesting; it was one of the first moments I got to experience New Zealand culture, and it was very nice to see how they welcomed people speaking in the Māori language. People drive on the left side of the road here, and it took me a bit to get used to that. I chose to come to Wintec for the exchange, as New Zealand was on my bucket list of countries to go to for many years, since I was a child. When I got the opportunity to apply and come to New Zealand I decided on Wintec because it gave me a good impression, with new modern buildings, the amount of diversity in studies, the teaching content, and the way of learning, plus I liked the look of Hamilton as it is a big city. It is very interesting to experience the city life and culture here, and being able to study while making friends. The city life in Hamilton is great. There are plenty of places, clubs, shopping centres, parks, and the City Campus is close to the beautiful Hamilton Lake. There is so much going on in the city that I never get bored. I can tick many locations off my bucket list, like Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Rotorua, Hobbiton, Auckland, mountains, and many places that I have seen in movies or pictures that you think are AI, but are real.
I have found that the support service teams are very professional. When I started the preparation for my exchange programme, the exchange administrator at Wintec was helpful and replied to all my messages, always providing me with valuable information, which has been a great support, taking away any doubts and helping me to be well informed – it is definitely something that I greatly appreciated. The support team has also been in close contact, giving me updates and checking in to see how I am going and if I need anything – the support is great and very professional.
I would recommend that people come to Wintec, as it is a vibrant campus with many activities and fun study programmes. I enjoy my studies because the learning style is different from a traditional school, with just tasks. Here, there is a variation with reports and presentations, which keeps it exciting and fun.
I enjoy the beauty of New Zealand and its landscapes, plus the many places to discover close to Hamilton. You can easily take a bus, go outside Hamilton, and enjoy the beautiful landscapes. This experience is unlimited, as you can combine studying and discovering New Zealand.
I am glad I went out of my comfort zone, challenged myself, and took this opportunity. It has allowed me to discover and learn new things. It has helped me become the person I am today, and I have zero regrets."
