Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The BU Auckland Internship Progam was a wonderful experiene Past Review

By (Computer Science, Brandeis University) - abroad from 07/13/2013 to 11/13/2013 with

Boston University: Auckland - Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
How to cook on my own, work on my own, plan a trip on my own, it was definitely worthwhile

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.

The two courses direct at the university that I took were pretty bad. The teachers were hard to understand and pretty much just read off of powerpoints. They had limited office hours and I could never go to the ones they had scheduled because of my internship. The class through BU that we took was great, the professors were really informative, and it was definitely a good course to took while abroad.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The on-site administration, Brett and Kevin, were terrific. They did a great job at keeping the program together, and bringing us to fun places.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Unilodge was okay, I would have rather lived in student dorms with the opportunity to meet more Kiwis but it was nice having a single room and a kitchen.

* Food:

NZ has great fresh food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was difficult to meet Kiwis without living with them, but I was able to join clubs and meet a bunch.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no problems

* Safety:

I always felt safe, and it would have been easy to contact Brett or Kevin if needed.

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)

With the exchange rate, and the fact that we weren't restricted to a meal plan, it wasn't too bad and about what I expected.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About 100 a week?
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook at home whenever possible and save money to do fun activities

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The coordinators
  • The other students
  • The trips they took us on
* What could be improved?
  • Living situation
  • Classes at University of Auckland
  • Making sure internships commit to what they say you will do
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing, I knew what I was getting myself into

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.