University of Canterbury, New Zealand Past Review

By (Butler University) - abroad from 02/07/2017 to 06/25/2018 with

IFSA: Christchurch - University of Canterbury

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how much I love to hike, surf and be outside and how I need to make that more of a priority in my life. I also learned how to be more sociable and outgoing. Before I was quite shy and it was hard for me to warm up to people, but I got over that when I was abroad. I went to the university not knowing anyone, and I ended up becoming friends with an amazing group of people. I also learned how to be more independent, especially when it came to taking the bus on my own. If I felt like going to the beach, I just went, even if no one else could go. Overall it was an amazing experience in an unbelievably beautiful country.

Review Photos

IFSA-Butler: Christchurch - University of Canterbury Photo IFSA-Butler: Christchurch - University of Canterbury Photo IFSA-Butler: Christchurch - University of Canterbury Photo IFSA-Butler: Christchurch - University of Canterbury Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

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

I got to know some really cool, like-minded people in my program who I grew close with throughout the semester. The location was great for traveling and it was nice that a majority of the locations were in driveable distance. I also liked how the beach was accessible, even though it was a bit of a bus ride. It was a bit hard to immerse myself into the culture though because the apartments we lived in were mostly Americans and internationals.

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? about 100 for food and then the costs for traveling varied on the weekends.

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?
  • The people I met
  • The proximity of the beach
  • the places that were visited
* What could be improved?
  • Integrating the students more into the culture in some way
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew my correct hiking boot size so that I could prevent myself from getting terrible blisters. I also wish I was a bit more prepared with camping gear, at least in terms of a warm sleeping bag. I also wish i knew that I had to try a bit harder and participate more in the clubs at the university if i wanted to meet more locals.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.