Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A life-chaning experience in a beautiful, naturally diverse country November 03, 2023

By (Computer Science, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/09/2023 to 06/22/2023 with

Arcadia: Dunedin - University of Otago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned more about being outdoors, traveling, and how to navigate other countries.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling with other likeminded students
* What could be improved?
  • For Arcadia specially, I think orientation could be done in more interesting parts of the country—being able to split the groups depending on interests.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be more prepared for the type of country that you're going to—in terms of understanding the culture or being prepared for its natural environment.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Maori Society
Course Department: Maori Studies
Instructor: Leighton Williams
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A good overview of Maori society in a New Zealand context, both past history and current struggles. A few essays throughout the semester and 2 lectures every week. The course was engaging and not too difficult, but the size of the class made it hard to contribute.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Music Production 1
Course Department: Music
Instructor: Hugh Harlow
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A great class for introducing the technology behind music production. It was not too difficult, but allowed you to put a lot of time into it. A lot of open-ended creative projects and was a great way to learn new technologies.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Computer Vision and Graphics
Course Department: Computer Science
Instructor: Dr Stefanie Zollmann
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A good introduction to computer vision with OpenCV and 3D graphics through OpenGL —shaders, rendering etc. A challenging class, but the homework assignments were not too hard to understand.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Religion, Conflict and Conspiracy Theory
Course Department: Religious Studies
Instructor: Dr Deane Galbraith
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A very thorough exploration of the history and psychology behind conspiracy theories. A few lectures each week and a couple of papers throughout the term. Not too much work, but I do wish we had more control over what we got to write about.
Credit Transfer Issues: