Finding a new home in a beautiful place. Past Review
By Elizabeth J (Biology, English, Williams College) - abroad from 06/21/2014 to 11/14/2014 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Christchurch - University of Canterbury
I learned how to be independent, to break out of my comfort zone, and explore! It was really hard for me at first, but definitely worth it.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought all the classes were super interesting, and the professors were enthusiastic. It was a bigger university than I'm used to, so it was less personal, but there were plenty of resources if you need help. There's a lot of independent work, and not too many assessments. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall, the local staff were excellent. I reduced my rating because there wasn't a staff member in Christchurch specifically. It would have been nice to have someone to kind of guide us along the first couple weeks. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Ilam apartments were kind of loud, since there's a huge party culture. My room was on the far side of the apartments, though, so it wasn't too bad. The rooms were excellent, the location was great. The kitchen situation wasn't the best, but what can you do. |
* Food: |
I bought my own food, so it was cheaper stuff and in bulk. The bread gets moldy pretty quickly, so you should keep it in the refrigerator. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Since I don't drink, there wasn't much occasion to mingle with Kiwi students. I did make a lot of friends at my local church though, and that was a great link to Kiwi culture. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any sort of issues. One girl in my group got stung by a jellyfish in Fiji, and she was taken care of just fine. |
* Safety: |
My city felt pretty safe. I didn't run into any problems. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
* 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) |
Day-to-day living was pretty cheap, but trips and travel were very expensive. A lot of the exciting things to do in New Zealand are high-adventure and cost a lot. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maybe average of about $140 a week? I spent roughly 3500nzd |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I got my vegetables at Grower's Direct, which was cheaper. I got other food at Pak-n-Save, which is the bulk food store. Make sure you get a metrocard to save on bus fare. You can also get discount passes on Nakedbus, InterCity travel, and airlines. Bookme.co.nz gets you discounts on things to do. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
* 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? |
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? | I wish I knew that I would want the extra time at the end of the semester. It's hard to get all your exploring in when you have to study! |
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. |