endless sheep, everything looks like a greenscreen, party people Past Review
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/18/2018 to 06/21/2018 with
University of Otago, New Zealand: Study Abroad Programme
Comparing my two semesters abroad, I learned how different experiences can be. Yes, always worthwhile! There is so much to see and learn from- looking inward and outward.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
very dependent on the class and world load fluctuated. Lots of resources available |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I applied to the university directly rather than through a smaller program, but felt that administration for the international students was well done. There were lots of resources and activities. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Lived in a house with four other American Students and One Kiwi Host. The house was in a very convenient location but ended up having some structure problems. Had a single room that was very nice. |
| * Food: |
Did all of my own grocery shopping so I was able to buy and eat what I wanted. Lots of restaurants around the area. Expensive to have to cover on my own. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Lived in an area of almost all US students. Able to integrate into the culture through travel but New Zealand is not too different from the US in daily life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Didn't have any serious health issues. Covered by Wellesley Insurance but it is expensive. |
| * Safety: |
Felt very safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I did not like my housing roommates and felt that it was a very American experience. My roommates had much larger budgets and very different intentions for study abroad. I very much enjoyed the freedom to travel and would love to return to New Zealand, but if I were to do a semester all over again I might try going through a program. |
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) |
Was able to live with minimal cost by buying simple foods, but if you want to travel or go out or eat a wider variety of foods it becomes challenging. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 70 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You need less than you think. Think ahead about what you want to do so you can budget where you are spending. Consider what is most important to you to splurge on. Track your spending. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Direct Enrollment |
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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| 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? |
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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? | Housing setup and overall atmosphere/tendency to be an American party destination. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
