Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Enriching and perspective broadening Past Review

By (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/17/2016 to 06/30/2016 with

Arcadia: Wellington - Victoria University of Wellington

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Whether outwardly "good" or "bad," an experience is what you make out of it. I personally enjoyed my time abroad and have come to love the country and the friendships I have made. This experience gave me the opportunity to open up to others, take more initiative and leadership positions, and accomplish things I would have otherwise not even considered trying out. It was definitely worth it. I would do it again.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It was easy in the sense that if you do well on the 3 papers you are given, you do well in the course. Attendance is optional though beneficial. It is difficult for this very reason because, in most cases, students do not get small assignments which help stabilize grades. If you do poorly on an essay, there goes 1/3 of your final grade.

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Approx. $60 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? To future study abroad participants, I would suggest learning how to cook (even simple meals), which will help save lots of money.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • People/Locals/Close Friendships
  • Beautiful Country/Outside Activities
  • A sense of independence
* What could be improved?
  • A local - international student peer match up would have been nice to have
  • Arcadia made all students pay for the activties it had planned ahead of time. There were certain activties I could not attend because of religious reasons which meant that I had paid for something I could not do before even knowing what it was.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would tell myself not to stress certain things that I had stressed because everything will work out at the end :)

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.