"I went to New Zealand... it was very lovely" Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

WEll as far as work load went it was not really all that stressfull. The frist couple of days I spent in the country (New Zealand) Were an intrduction that Australearn provided. The acedimic envorment of AUT was consiberable more laied back then the acidemic evnernment here at hamline, though I did freakwently worry about how my grades from AUT would tranfer back to Hamline as just because the expectations were so diffrent. I found there was all lot less outside class work for the classes I took at AUT. One of the only and most frustating things about going to School at AUT was trying to figure out what classes to take. Australern had us pick classes before we got there to register for but I found that two of the classes they signed me up for where, to be frank, compleatly rediculous, and I refused to take them so then I had to try to find other classes that fit my schedule but while I was seaching I found that the way they structure class time/lectures was just ilogical. None of my classes were ever taught at the same time on any given day or same room so there were a lot of classes I wanted to take that conficted with another class I was already taking for like 30 minutes one day a week. So I found that very fustrating but other than that I was mostly very happy. I found that austra learn provided very good suport too.

On-site administration of your program

The international office at AUT was pretty good. AUT has a lot of international studnets but they have a one person working in their office who deals with Australearn and astralearn students derectly and he was for the most part very helpful. The facalty on the whole I thought were a bit diffecult to contact/comunicate with. I just kind of thought on the whole AUT was super disorganized and none of the departments seemed to coradenate with one another, which could at times be irritating.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Well I lived in international student houseing on Campus. Most kiwis don't actualy live on campus. Acutaly i found a lot lived at home or comuted. the conditions of the building were alright it was a 14 story building with international studnets so there was a constant sucurity team that tryed to "keep the students under control" because many of these international studnets where there to drink/party/have a good time. Now I personaly thought the sucertiy was overboard, but I understood why it was in place.

I cooked for myslef in my apartment, which is what I wanted, and it was fine.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

ok the only remotely othentic culture New Zealand has to explote was the mauri culture and I really didn't find it all that intresting. I saw it as a tourist trap.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

As far as health insurance gose I knew my plan because it was expained by australearn and hamline both. I never felt unsafe anywhere in New Zealand because it has to be one of the safest countrys on earth...

(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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• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students