MacKenzie Marino is a student at Westminster College. She is an ISA Featured Blogger and is studying abroad with ISA in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
One of the best ways to meet the locals of Palmerston North is to simply go exploring! A great place to go is The Plaza, an indoor shopping mall that has many of the most popular stores in the country such as Farmer’s and Countdown, but also has some local coffee shops and cafes that have both delicious food and plenty of friendly people to talk to.
Going to places like the Rugby Museum in Palmerston North, while helping you meet tourists, will also help you meet locals. On my ISA Excursion to the Rugby Museum, the tour guide there was very friendly and had been living in New Zealand for over 50 years. Just starting conversations with people that you see is an excellent way to meet locals who can help you navigate the city a lot better!
Another way I’ve been able to meet locals is joining clubs on my campus, such as the Forest and Bird club and the Gaming club! Through these groups I’ve met a lot of lovely people, and gotten plenty of advice on the best places to go visit – such as Mount Bruce, where you can see lots of cool bird species, including kiwis!
Truly, meeting locals in New Zealand is not difficult. Go exploring, join clubs or other social groups, visit museums, or do anything else that you’re interested in – you’re bound to run into a friendly Kiwi who is happy to get to know you!
Your Discovery. Our People… The World Awaits.
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