I absolutely loved this trip and would do it again in a heartbeat! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/30/2011 to 11/29/2011 with

Pacific Discovery: New Zealand and Australia Semester Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be a smart traveler, how to really push myself, how to keep a super open mind, and also that I probably want to live in NZ and Australia again at some point! It was definitely worthwhile, and every aspect of the trip was awesome.

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.

I learned A LOT from this trip. We visited so many culturally significant places, met so many intelligent and interesting people, and just overall became really immersed in the places we were visiting.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Holly was the best leader, and everything was so organized! We always had a plan, and on days when we were free to go off on our own we always had suggestions of places to visit and things to see. Rachel and Scott are also awesome, and overall Pacific Discovery did an incredible job of planning such a great trip!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

When we were in the cities, we stayed in hostels which was a relatively new experience for me. However, we were always right in the midst of everything which was perfect. Each place we stayed it was easy to walk everywhere, and staying in rooms with different members of the group each night was a perfect way to bond with everyone! When we were camping it was a little less comfortable, but still just as fun! We were always prepared and always had everything we needed, and it was always a blast no matter what the temperature or weather was like!

* Food:

Holly was an unbelievable cook. Being home now, I miss a lot of her cooking. Each night a different group would participate in the cooking which was always really fun because we'd listen to music and talk and bond. The food was delicious and healthy and there was tons of variety.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt like we were very integrated! The only thing that really made us stand out were our lack of Kiwi or Aussie accents! The people in New Zealand and Australia were always super friendly, and there was a lot of opportunity to go out and experience the culture when we were staying in the cities, and we also learned a lot about aboriginal and maori culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Before we left Auckland, Holly sat down each one of us individually and we talked about any concerns, health issues, etc. Thankfully, no one on our trip had any huge issues that needed emergency treatment, but occasionally one of us would get hurt or sick and Holly always knew what to do and how to take care of us.

* Safety:

Each city we visited was very safe, and overall you just need to be a smart traveler! New Zealand and Australia are very modernized so its not difficult to get around and thankfully there's no language barrier. I felt very safe on our trip.

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)

It all depended on the week. Most of the meals were provided for us, but sometimes when we were in the cities I spent a lot, while when we were camping or doing service projects I didn't spend anything. However, there were always options to make your own lunch rather than buy it, and there were always ways to find cheap options. If you didn't want to spend much, you really didn't have to.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50 (that's averaging weeks that I spent a lot and weeks that I spent nothing, although I probably could have spent less)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make lunch rather than buying it when we travel or were in cities (the cafes in NZ and Australia are pretty expensive!), wait to do laundry until you have a full load, and just don't buy things you don't need if you're trying to save!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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 all over each of the countries and really getting an in depth view of what they're like
  • The service trips aspect of it, and doing things that normal tourists wouldn't do
  • I don't think there was a single thing about this trip I didn't like!
* What could be improved?
  • I only wish it was longer because I never wanted to leave!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To keep an open mind and that although some of the parts of the trip might be tough (like the hiking and trekking), it's all 100% worth it. Also to always try new things, and just really do everything because you don't want to miss out on any of it!