University of Canterbury, New Zealand Past Review
By Gillian Flippo (Butler University) - abroad from 02/07/2017 to 06/25/2018 with
IFSA: Christchurch - University of Canterbury
I learned how much I love to hike, surf and be outside and how I need to make that more of a priority in my life. I also learned how to be more sociable and outgoing. Before I was quite shy and it was hard for me to warm up to people, but I got over that when I was abroad. I went to the university not knowing anyone, and I ended up becoming friends with an amazing group of people. I also learned how to be more independent, especially when it came to taking the bus on my own. If I felt like going to the beach, I just went, even if no one else could go. Overall it was an amazing experience in an unbelievably beautiful country.
Review Photos
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I got to know some really cool, like-minded people in my program who I grew close with throughout the semester. The location was great for traveling and it was nice that a majority of the locations were in driveable distance. I also liked how the beach was accessible, even though it was a bit of a bus ride. It was a bit hard to immerse myself into the culture though because the apartments we lived in were mostly Americans and internationals. |
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? | about 100 for food and then the costs for traveling varied on the weekends. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew my correct hiking boot size so that I could prevent myself from getting terrible blisters. I also wish I was a bit more prepared with camping gear, at least in terms of a warm sleeping bag. I also wish i knew that I had to try a bit harder and participate more in the clubs at the university if i wanted to meet more locals. |
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. |
