New Zealand: Sweet As Bro! Past Review
By Alison M (Media Arts and Sciences, Wellesley College) for
IFSA: Dunedin - University of Otago
It was absolutely amazing! I would go back in a heartbeat. It was a thrilling experience to live on the other side of the worl in a beautiful country with so much to offer.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration made themselves very available to students and organized a great trip for all the international students at the beginning of the semester. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a kiwi host and two other international students, who happened to be Americans. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All Blacks Ruby Game, Wild Foods Festival, O-Week, any big night in town! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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? | About $60-80/wk on food, depending if I got some more expensive items that week (like toiletries and specialty foods). I found sticking with budget brands, buying produce that will last for a week, and planning ahead of time kept the expense to a minimum. Also, cooking as a flat can be easier on the wallet, if planned correctly. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you budget for travel. It can be expensive to rent cars and buy plane tickets. Alcohol is also expensive so if you plan to buy your own, make sure to budget for that as well. |
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?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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