Wellington, New Zealand: Choice! Past Review
By Patrick P (English, Gustavus Adolphus College) for
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Intern in New Zealand
Yeah I really got a good sense of exploring on my own. I'm a country kid so I thought the city was huge - the girl from New York said otherwise. I learned a lot of navigating skills and figured out how to be alone with myself. It was a very maturing experience.
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. |
Yeah I learned some good stuff at my internship. They didn't really need my help so it was as hands-on as it could have been but I enjoyed the atmosphere. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was very informal and by informal I mean it was one very nice lady and her son. They were helpful. They got me great deals on travel and had lots of tips on getting around and enjoying the country. But you can't really call it administration. It was more like a mentor help out. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The administration arranged everything. I was right in the downtown area. It was wonderful. I walked everywhere. There was an anarchist compound next door (they had little signs that said things like "Voting only lets us choose our masters!") - they were very funny. Not dangerous anarchists at all. It was the best spot in the city to live. No joke. Heaven's Pizza was just two block away. I ate so much pizza on days I was too rushed to cook something. |
| * Food: |
Well it was great because I paid for it myself. It was a tad expensive though compared to what I'm used to. You definitely cant eat out too often if you want to have some money left when you get home. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our administration didn't so much arrange things as send us helpful emails telling us what was going on in town. It was very freeing. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Wellington is one of the safest cities I've been to. It has its bad parts but you just don't go through those parts at night. My neighborhood was very safe. Walking to Cuba street for a late night burger was safe. The whole downtown area was safe - Courtney Place, Lambton Quay, Willis. All very good. No need to worry. Just don't go into creepy places. Stay where all the people are. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | If you like a lot of freedom then go for it. It's not for people who want a bigger net of support. |
