Better Than I Could Have Imagined! Past Review
By Erin B (Biology, General., Stonehill College) - abroad from 06/22/2013 to 11/09/2013 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Christchurch - University of Canterbury
I learned so much while I was abroad and I am so thankful to have made the decision to go. I got to explore a really fascinating culture that on the surface didn't look too different from my own but surprised me in the subtle differences on many levels. I also was exposed to a new perspective of my own country as seen from abroad and it was eye-opening to see how other people viewed America.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were all challenging but very engaging and interesting. There was not much given for homework, so most of your grade was based on a couple long-term projects and the final exam. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My program did not have an office in Christchurch, but the program coordinators always kept in touch to check in, and help out if needed, so I never felt as though they weren't available to me. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
While in New Zealand, I lived in Ilam Student Accomodation, which was a group of apartment buildings across the street from the University. The flats were above my expectations, with each one having its own kitchen, laundry, living room, etc, it felt much more like just living in a house than “dorm-style” like back in America. I was placed in a flat with 3 students from New Zealand and 2 other Americans. Living with students from New Zealand was definitely one of the best parts of my living abroad because I got more exposure to subtle cultural differences that I would not have noticed otherwise and they were very helpful in showing myself and the other Americans around the area and giving us a hand when we were lost or confused. They also introduced us to a bunch of other New Zealanders, which was great because it offered the chance to immerse more in local culture and activities as opposed to only hanging out with other American abroad students. |
| * Food: |
The apartments were self-catered, so I had to shop and cook for myself most nights, which I really enjoyed because I love to cook and got to learn heaps of new recipes from my flamates |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because half of my flatmates were from New Zealand I got to meet most of their kiwi friends and was able to immerse into the culture more once I had made friends who were from the area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues while abroad. The program that I was in had its own health insurance system that was very easy to get set up (literally just pick up a form and carry a card with you). I did not need to get any special vaccines for this program. |
| * Safety: |
The area around the university had stricter laws than most of the city, so it always felt very secure for me. As far as advice for other abroad students I would suggest that you just use common sense and if you're ever out late at night try to have a friend with you. |
| 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) |
New Zealand was more expensive as far as food and ammenities because just about everything is imported, but it wasn't an exorbitant cost, so I was able to get by very easily by budgeting $50 for food/week (which i rarely spent more than $40 of each week). Amenities were usually not too expensive for store-brand, but were quite a bit more expensive if you tried to find American-brand goods |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would set a grocery shopping day on the same day each week (mine was Sundays) and then buy food for just that week so it was easier to estimate how much I would need. I also made a rough plan of foods that I would want to cook that week and estimate the costs of everything before I went to the store so I would know that I wasn't going to be over-budget. The simplest tip to save money is to remind yourself to buy what you need and not to splurge every week on expensive snacks or treats that you might not even eat. |
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? | That American drivers licenses are not a valid form of ID in NZ. If you were to get carded anywhere you would either need to apply for an 18+ card or carry your passport around on you. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
