EVERYONE, GO TO NEW ZEALAND!!! Past Review
By Avva B (Engineering Science., Trinity University) - abroad from 07/05/2014 to 11/18/2014 with
IFSA: Auckland - University of Auckland
I learned basic life skills for living on my own--budgeting, cooking, cleaning... I have never really had to do any of this independent of my family or school. It was an eye opening experience.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was friendly and approachable. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a brand new apartment complex for University of Auckland students. It was clean, safe, and close to campus. |
| * Food: |
Food in New Zealand was very expensive. I spent most of my money on groceries. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Kiwis were so friendly and welcoming. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never needed to use my health insurance, but several of my friends did. The University of Auckland's health services were very accommodating and helpful. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe walking alone in Auckland; however, I would always recommend that students, especially girls, walk with a group since crime is not unheard of. I knew two people who had their bags stolen while walking home, so I never took bags out to town with me at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150-$200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take school supplies and toiletries with you if you have space in your suitcase. The school supplies and toiletries in New Zealand were 3x-4x as expensive as they are in the states. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Not applicable. We learned a few words in the Maori language; however, it was not necessary to get around the country, rather it was part of the cultural experience. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? |
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? | How to manage my money more efficiently. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
