Just Keep Climbing Past Review
By Olivia Skatrud (Hope College) - abroad from 02/10/2016 to 06/27/2016 with
IES Abroad: Christchurch Direct Enrollment - University Of Canterbury
Specifically thinking about differences between my home uni and UC, I learned that just because I have been taught to learn one way does not mean that is the only way. Although it was tricky to adjust to UC's system at first, ultimately I came away from the semester with good grades and a new appreciation for how large universities operate. I also learned that (as cheesy as it may sound) outside your comfort zone is the best place to be. I wanted to make Kiwi friends, but found it difficult to connect with them given that I was in international student-heavy courses and lived in the international student complex. One of my good friends and I started attending a church with a Young Adults club that met on campus, and before I knew it I had Kiwi friends. Pursuing new clubs and social groups is not something that comes naturally to me, but now I know doing this can lead to making amazing friends. This experience taught me that your goals are more often than not possible to attain, but they may require you to shatter your preconceived comfort zone.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I came to the University of Canterbury from a small school, so adjusting to completely different lecture and grading systems was tricky at first. However, over time I found my courses to be not too difficult and the professors very willing to provide guidance if assignments were proving to be confusing. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Eunice will take care of you from start to finish - she is the best. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Food is different in New Zealand, but in my opinion it was better than food in the United States. Everything tasted fresher and less processed there - even McDonalds! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
By the end of my time in New Zealand, I felt as integrated enough with the culture that I could move back to New Zealand independently and make a smooth transition. I got involved with a church while down there, so all the Kiwi friends I made introduced me to numerous nuances in the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had an unfortunate run-in with a bus while crossing the street a few days before my program ended, landing me in the hospital for an evening. Because it was an accident, New Zealand's ACC insurance covered everything - I left the hospital not having paid a single penny. Eunice was also wonderful throughout the process - she made time to meet with me to make sure I understood how to make an insurance claim if I required further treatment back in the US, and communicated with Air New Zealand to ensure I would have the most comfortable as possible trip back to the US. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved my time spent in Christchurch with IES. I know some of the friends I made on the program will be my friends for life, Eunice will forever be my Kiwi mother, and I hope to return to New Zealand someday for a longer duration. |
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) |
It is difficult for me to say as I ate out rather frequently, but from others I talked to $100 a week sounded doable, possibly even less than that. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to cook and grocery shop with your flatmates if possible. Walk instead of taking the bus to downtown if you have the time. Make friends with cars so you do not have to travel by bus. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | It was much easier than I thought to get sucked in to traveling where everyone else wanted to go. I wish I would have made my original destinations a priority rather than putting them off assuming I would make it to them eventually. At the end of my semester I still had not traveled to several of the places I came to New Zealand wanting to see. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
