EDtours FAQ - Living in New Zealand

New Zealand being in the southern hemisphere has the inverse seasons to Europe and North America. Christchurch/Canterbury have warm-to-hot summers with maximum temperatures 27 to 33 degrees, while winters range from 2 to 12 degrees.

Summer - December to February
Autumn - March to May
Winter - June to August
Spring - September to November

New Zealand Standard Time is currently defined in the Time Act 1974 as a meaning the 12 hours in advance of Co-ordinated Universal Time. New Zealand also has daylight saving which commences on the last Sunday in September, when 2.00am becomes 3.00am, and ends on the first Sunday in April the following year, when 3.00am becomes 2.00am.

No. Christchurch has a very good public system, with plenty of buses and taxis.

When you drive in New Zealand you must have a valid international drivers licence. Always carry your licence with you when you drive as if you were stopped by Police you could be fined.

New Zealand tap water is safe to drink.

Yes. NZ has access to wireless local area networks (LAN) and hard-wired cabling. NZ voltage is 240 volts.

New Zealand has strict laws to protect its agricultural industries from imported pests and diseases. Items such as food, plants and animal materials must be declared.

Bring your credit card, travellers' cheques and some New Zealand dollars in mixed denominations, for example $5, $10 and $20.
Cash over NZ$10,000 must be declared when you enter New Zealand. http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/nzbanks/ Many New Zealand banks allow you to open an account prior to leaving your home country, for travellers staying for longer periods.

You must carry a valid passport and have obtained the appropriate visas when travelling to New Zealand. Please ensure your passport is valid 6 months beyond the duration of the trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas for your travel. CORE Education cannot accept responsibility if you are refused entry into New Zealand because you lack the correct visa documentation.Read more (NZ immigration).