A week has passed. The jetlag has been fading day by day and now I’m into the New Zealand rhythm. I live at Abbey College which is a postgraduate resident. It is very convenient not only because it is a five-minute walk to work but also due to the full service program here. Abbey has its own chef and three meals per day are provided, every day. The College does also have a small spa area with a sauna, pool and hot tub. In other words, I like it here. However, I find this arrangement surprising since I have never seen a student housing such as this one in Sweden.

Just next to Abbey the Dunedin Botanic Garden is situated which truly is a sanctuary to get away from everything else. To walk around surrounded by indigenous and exotic plants while the Bellbird provides the musical tone to set the right mood is surely relaxing. The Garden has a spectacular Rhododendron Dell which I’ve heard is one of the world’s biggest.

Nevertheless, there are of course some downsides to this part of Dunedin. The street I walk down to get to the Peace and Conflict Centre is called Castle Street and is famous for its shabbiness. This is the student street, drunken student street. Beer bottles and casual debris are spread along the gardens and driveways. They also have a tradition of burning their couches in the street. A tradition I luckily have not yet witnessed. People have told me that since the semester is soon over and the students disappear for summer break it will be calm even on Castle Street. I’m grateful.

I am going to be here at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict for two months working as a research assistant on a project regarding religious groups participating in nonviolent and violent protests. It seems very interesting and the people at the Centre are very nice and welcoming. The climate is very international with a lot of PhD candidates from all over the world.

To end my first impression summary I mention St Clair beach. I actually went there my second day in Dunedin. If you would travel straight out in the pacific from St Clair you wouldn’t hit land until Antarctica. The pictures probably speak for themselves.