Kiwi Revalations Past Review
By Kelley_2970 () for
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Wellington - Victoria University of Wellington
This was the best decision I ever had and followed through with in my life!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The work load was very small compared to PSU. I was only taking 3 courses (rather than the usual 5) but the courses in New Zealand laid heavily on the final exam. In one class my final was 75% of your grade and the other 25% was one paper and participation. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was a relatively small abroad group with about 25 of us including the faculty leaders. We had multiple which ended up working out great. They were all knowledgeable in different areas, from different places and ready to show off their beautiful country. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a very central area with a great view. I was put into a house with other international students and was able to get over the culture shock by bouncing off of other who were having a completely different experience with the culture shock than I was. It was interesting and very educational outside of the academic environment. though, the corner of where I was located was where a lot of the Americans lived. It was great to be able to escape and pretend to be back in America (culturally) once in a while, but it restricted from meeting more locals. |
| * Food: |
Kebabs are very popular and delicious in New Zealand and everybody eats meat! Different google what good places to eat are in your area though because some you find are to die for. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Hiking up to the summit and over looking the crater lake on Mt. Ruapehu in Ohakune, New Zealand. I went with one American and then 4 New Zealand boys. With snowboards strapped to our backs, water bottles in hand and sunscreen smeared on every inch of skin showing we made the climb up to the summit that is a bonding experience of it's own. afterwards we all dropped in at the same time to enjoy the long, smooth, adrenaline pumping ride down. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Never had any issues. Health services right on campus, free health care while there. |
| 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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Someone who is very adventurous and really to get out there in New Zealand. One who wants to white water raft and bungee jump. this program pushes you out of your comfort zone to get you to experience as much as you can while you are in the host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Maori Society & Culture |
| Course Department: | MAOR123 |
| Instructor: | Marie Cocker |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The workload was reasonable and never over-whelming, the instructor was always so energetic and passionate about her topics, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I also would have liked more work throughout the course since there was centuries of information on the final exam since it was the indigenous people of New Zealand's history. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. But always make sure you get your transcript if needed before you leave the host university. Makes the transition simpler. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
New Zealand Literature |
| Course Department: | ENGL234 |
| Instructor: | Mark Williams |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Well laid out course, great reading material, too many instructors and lecturers that made listening to lectures and slides confusing and not enjoyable. I felt dislocated when talking about the different authors since I was one of few international students in the class and out of the loop. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
