Hi everyone,

My name is Kymbat, and I currently study at Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus (OPAIC). The program I took is Graduate Diploma in Sales and Marketing.

My story starts at the beginning of 2017 when I started to plan my New Zealand trip. The only provider of correct and reliable information on studying and travelling to New Zealand is Kiwi Education! If you want your New Zealand experience to be smooth, with minimum risk and mistakes, I recommend contacting Kiwi Education consultants.

There is no doubt they are the best in the industry, and the reviews of their students you must have read before, the stories of success and clear website and active social network profiles of the company just
prove my point. What I like the most about Kiwi Education is their responsible attitude, prompt replies, and individual approach. Hope you do not hesitate now which agency to choose!

September 9th, 2017. Auckland International Airport. My first day in Auckland, New Zealand. Rainy morning. The welcoming shuttle got me to a friendly Kiwi family who has become my New Zealand homestay, who I call family from now on. I chose homestay because I counted on their help to adjust to the new environment. That is the reason I arrived before my classes started.

There is not a second I regret about living with a homestay, it’s been a pleasure to be a part of a family. Even though my classes started in October, I do not regret coming earlier. I took this time to explore Auckland, to recover from jet lag, and to socialise with the new culture. That’s what I recommend, is to arrive at least a week earlier to leave yourself some time to adjust to the new time zone.

October 24th, 2017. OPAIC. First classes officially started. First Block. What I love the most is that one block is no longer than two months. Lectures are twice a week, which is great as well. Attendance is compulsory. Assignments are both individual and in groups. My group is around 20-25 students obviously international (India 70%, China 20%, 10% – Russia, Nepal, Germany, New Zealand). – Statistics are just for fun; you can opt-out, I counted in one of the classes. There is nothing special about my college classes, I used to study in a pretty modern university back in Kazakhstan, so the lectures and way of teaching are quite similar to home. Most importantly you probably want to hear about my job search. It’s epic.

Starting from my first day I started to look for a part-time job. It was not such an easy task for me. I always admire Kiwi Education clients’ stories when they find their job in the first week, second week, or third day. This is not my story. Mine is long and with lots of effort, and dozens of interviews. My search range was from barista to a marketing assistant. Jobs like barista, retail salesperson, cashier, and so on are not so easy to get, because there is strong competition. Most of the locals apply for them too. My recommendation to you is to be persistent, optimistic, and don’t forget to encourage yourself for small progress.

November 12th, 2017. My first shift at work. Extremely happy me. The job is not easy, very demanding, long hours on your feet, but it’s totally worth it after my two months’ search. New Zealand is a great country with spectacular nature, friendly international culture.

What I like the most is a good and supportive sports environment. Here I started going to yoga classes, here I steadily go to the gym, here I started my swimming classes and making a progress. Most of my friends dream to travel to New Zealand, and the idea that you live in your friends’ dream place makes the journey more exciting. So when you come to New Zealand, be kind – and share some photos on social networks.

I think that is it in a nutshell. I love where I am now, and I am excited about every single day of mine in New Zealand.

Got a question? Contact Kiwi Education