Limitless Possibilities in Oceania Past Review
By Matthew O (Finance and Financial Management Services., Trinity University) for
Arcadia: Auckland - University of Auckland
I learned a lot about how the rest of the world see the U.S. (not necessarily a bad thing). I plan to travel a lot more now. Southeast Asia is next on my list. I learned that beautiful places are not unattainable; you just actually have to go to them.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
As mentioned above, there is much less student/professor interaction, which requires some getting used to. The grading system is weighed mostly by grades on the final. Students care more about simply passing classes rather than what their GPA is. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program is extremely well-organized, taking an enormous amount of stress that "could be" off of the students. The program size was small so that everyone could get to know each other and have a network of people right from the get-go that they could rely on. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location was great, as it was close to the university and made for easy access to great nightlife. Sheets and cooking ware are provided, but students are expected to buy all else they may need (mainly towels and laundry detergent). |
| * Food: |
Buying your own food is the best way to maintain a healthy budget. There is not much to choose from on-campus, and prices are relatively high. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of the first things you do with the program is go zorbing, which is a great way to grow close to others in the program. Surfing in Raglan is another memorable experience. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
I never personally used the healthcare system, but those I know who did had no problems. |
| 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) |
|
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Food and personal expenses each week were probably $180. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep a budget. Write down how much you spend on food and going out each time. Plan trips way ahead of time. Flights to surrounding countries are relatively cheap if you buy early on. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Someone who loves the outdoors would love New Zealand. It has every type of landscape you can imagine. |
