Past Review
By Katharine P (Geosciences, Wellesley College) for
IFSA: Dunedin - University of Otago
I loved my time in New Zealand and am so happy that I decided to go there. I experienced a different approach to education and gained a better understanding of geology, different cultures, and life skills. It enforced my love of traveling.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Otago |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was not as constant as I am used to. There were weeks when I spent every moment studying in the library and other weeks when I barely had to spend any time on academics. Grading was much harsher. In order to achieve an "A," I was often expected to demonstrate knowledge above and beyond what was taught in the class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IFSA-Butler coordinator at the University of Otago is very friendly and approachable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the Lofts, which are flats on Great King Street. I lived with 5 other flatmates: 2 Kiwis, 1 Canadian, 1 French, and 1 other American. We were in a three-story apartment with a kitchen, dining area, living space, 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a wash room. <br /><br /> I was in a neighborhood that was dominated by students. I felt safe. I was a ten minute walk from campus, five minutes from the grocery store, and twenty minutes from the city centre which was the centre of nightlife. I needed to buy bedding when I moved in but the kitchen was fully stocked. |
| * Food: |
I cooked for myself. I limited eating out because it is much more expensive. However, a religious group served a very filling and nutritious lunch on campus for three dollars that I ate at regularly. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
IFSA-Butler took us out to dinner several times, took us to see a local movie, took us on a river trip, and took us on an overnight cruise in Fiordland. These were really enjoyable, although we were doing these activities solely with other Americans except for our program leader. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Dunedin and in New Zealand in general. I did not have any experience with healthcare while I was in New Zealand. There are not any prevalent health issues in New Zealand, and I did not need any vaccines specifically for this program. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | approximately $70 NZ I cooked for myself. It probably would have saved me some money to have cooked with others. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | In order to really experience the country, certain expenses are unavoidable. This includes money for transportation as well as costs for special activities such as skiing, walking on a glacier, etc. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is great for geology students. It is also ideal for students who really enjoy the outdoors. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Field Studies and New Zealand Geology |
| Course Department: | Geology 252 |
| Instructor: | Ewan Fordyce and Dushan Jugum |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was focused around two week-long field camps that took advantage of the diversity of rocks and geological features on the South Island of New Zealand. The field camps and the assignments associated with them were very challenging. However the weekly labs and assignments associated with them were much less challenging. The professors and teaching assistants were very knowledgeable and prepared but were not as available for answering questions as Wellesley professors (this was mostly due to the class size being about ten times larger). I had a harder time participating in this class than classes at Wellesley because there were so many more students. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | not sure yet |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Maori Society |
| Course Department: | Maori Studies 102 |
| Instructor: | Suzanne Boyes |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course greatly increased my knowledge about the native culture of New Zealand. It was minimally challenging, but that was to be expected from a 100-level course. The main lecturer was very knowledgeable and well-prepared. We had a number of guest lecturers with varying specialties. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | not sure yet |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Rivers and Runoff |
| Course Department: | Geography 288 |
| Instructor: | John Orwin |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was very challenging. Expectations for lab reports were very different than I was used to. The course made use of the local stream for laboratories. The professor and demonstrators were knowledgeable and well-prepared. I participated in class and laboratories about the same as I do in Wellesley classes. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | not sure yet |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Environmental History of New Zealand |
| Course Department: | ENVI 211 |
| Instructor: | Tom Brooking |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was New Zealand specific, so it helped in my understanding of the country. It was minimally challenging. There were many guest lecturers, so we nearly always had a lecturer who was very knowledgeable about the lecture topic. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | not sure yet |
