Erasmo Macaya is one of many thousands of international students who have come to Wellington in the last year to further their education.

Originally from Chile, Erasmo is living here while completing his PhD at Victoria Univiersity, where he is studying the genetic connectivity of Macrocystis, commonly known as giant kelp. The alga can reach up to 60M in length and can float after detachment, which means they have potential to travel offshore and connect populations – not only for the alga itself, but also for the variety of organisms living on the alga. Specifically he is looking at how the different populations around the world are connected using a variety of molecular markers. 

His research has taken him around the world. He has been along the whole Chilean coast, the New Zealand coast from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island, South Australia and Tasmania. Next year he will be traveling to Portugal. 

Erasmo ended up in Wellington thanks to a scholarship programme from the Chilean government and Victoria University of Wellington. The quality of the programme Victoria Univerisity was a big draw card .“I also had the opportunity to study in Germany but I was looking for something else”, says Erasmo.

Trying to put his finger on what makes Wellington so appealing is not easily definable. 

“It is a good place to live – safe and secure, clean, with a lot of different things to do and very cosmopolitan – without the crowds of somewhere like Santiago”. 

The central location of Wellington is also very appealing.

“You can easily go to forests, parks and beaches - all in the same city. It is really easy to get around. And of course it has great dive spots.”

So there must be some things he misses about Chile?
“The people and the food. In Wellington you have a lot of different places to eat with different choices, but Chilean food is unique”

Would he recommend Wellington to others?
“Absolutely, Wellington is a great place!”