Shortly after completing my December exams, I boarded a plane to Christchurch, New Zealand, where I’ll be studying second term. While school doesn’t start here until February, I thought I’d give myself a little extra time abroad to unwind and take a little time to myself. As I sit in the sun sipping a nice cold beer in the New Zealand summer, I am pretty thrilled about my choice.

I am in second year, and not many students go abroad in second year due to summer positions and the opportunities that present themselves for employment throughout the year. While this exchange will  prevent me from working at a law firm during the summer, it will allow me to branch out, gain a different perspective on the law, and will give me all of third year to seek out employment opportunities. There are definitely a few things to weigh when considering a second year exchange, but depending on your motivations, it’s definitely workable.

This is actually my second exchange in New Zealand; I spent a year studying at the University of Otago during my undergraduate degree. I have returned because of the strong ties I established to the country, and I am eager to reconnect with the many wonderful friends I met here the first time around. I could not recommend an exchange more, and know that I will find this experience to be as valuable as the experience I had in 2007.

Beautiful Golden Bay, New Zealand.