Arcadia's program at Auckland University was the most fun I ever had and I wouldn't change it! Past Review
By Ashley C (Environmental Science, Roger Williams University) for
Arcadia: Auckland - University of Auckland
I met amazing people while I was there and saw places and animals that I would never be able to see otherwise. I joined the SCUBA club and those were some of my favorite trips. It got me interested in diving again and re-evaluate my interest in land and ocean conservation.
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. |
The workload was similar to my home university but the teaching methods were very different because of the large class size. This took some getting used to since my home university has very small classes and therefore I get to know my teachers much better. The teachers at Auckland were very willing to help me out especially in my Restoration Ecology class where I had difficulty learning native plant species. Overall, the large class size was intimidating, but the teachers ensured that I was not left behind. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Kate was amazing and I believe she was the best part of using the Arcadia program. She was very supportive, always available, had great group trips, and she gave great advice when asked. She gave us very helpful and insightful information about the government, city, and life as a New Zealand native. My expectations were lower before I got to Auckland and after meeting Kate she exceeded my expectations tremendously. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorm I was in was terrible. It was dirty when I got there, my flatmates were dirty and never helped clean, and the heads of the dorm were not very pleasant. I would not recommend this dorm to anyone. |
| * Food: |
I didn't have a meal plan so I had to go buy my own groceries but my dorm didn't provide an oven, just a microwave oven. That was unpleasant factor. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I went to every event and had a fantastic time at each of them. Kate did a great job of getting us all together and everyone in my program was friendly with each other and that helped making these experiences fun as well. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I wouldn't try to walk around the city alone at night but I can't say that the city is particularly dangerous in any way. I never had any run-ins or problems with safety or health while I was 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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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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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? | Go out and enjoy the city as best you can. This program is for social people and people who enjoy the outdoors but can definitely have a great time with city life. |
