Auckland, New Zealand - Sweet as! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The grading was quite different - not just the system, but how the instructors evaluated my course work. For example, for my history course, I got penalized on my essay for being too original and unique because they preferred that we kept it simple. They would rather have all students write on the same topic and the same basic level than try to branch out, which I found very strange because in the US, our istructors try to influence the opposite. I feel that they didn't have high expectations for their students, and being "more educated and trying harder" actually translated to a lower mark. This is just my experience though. The system itself was different. Anything above 50% is considered passing (C-). It seems good when you first hear about it, but they also grade a lot harder here so your grades are still pretty low despite this change. Also, we were not allowed to take more than two 100-level courses, which was difficult for me since the courses I needed to take were mostly 100-level. Therefore, I had to take 200-level physics instead, which I was not prepared for at all.

On-site administration of your program

I would have liked it if the faculty was more accessible to students.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The location was really wonderful - close to downtown and campus, so I didn't miss having a car at all. Everything was in walking distance, which also made it seem safer to walk around late at night. I didn't like that they put me only with international students and other exchange students. I would have liked to have had some Kiwi roommates so I could have learned more about New Zealand. I felt that they purposefully kept the Kiwi students apart from all the international students, which was really a shame. Utensils, dishes, and cookware was provided. The place was furnished. I did have to buy my own bedding. There was no cleaning service, so it was difficult living with really messy roommates who never cleaned up after themselves, so I had to clean up their mess everyday. There was also an end-of-the-year inspection, where everyone had to clean their apartment and get it checked. They were really strict and rude about it, and charged us simply because our stove top had some scratches on it. Most of the staff was nice, but one particular one was really rude to me everytime I asked for help.

They are pretty vegetarian friendly in Auckland. The variation is food is different than it is back home, and is a lot more expensive. The quantity is roughly the same, but you are paying twice as much for it. I would just recommend going to random places in town and just trying what you can. One thing I loved about Auckland is that there were bakeries on every corner, which I could not keep myself away from. We don't have any back home - Starbucks in the closest thing I can find to a bakery, but here in Auckland there are so many different places. That is one thing I am going to miss.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I enjoyed the Maori influence found in Auckland. The few events that IES organized were really fun, although I wish there were more. I planned most of my travelling on my own though with other friends in the program, which were really good experiences.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt that New Zealand was a bit safer than the US. Walking home late by myself late at night was not a big problem as it is back home. I never had any problems. I did not have to use any form of healthcare during my stay, so I can't comment on how it compares to that back home. I don't recall having to take any specific vaccines to come to New Zealand besides the basic ones we are required to have as Americans.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• Apartment

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• International Students

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