BEST 6 Months of My Life in Australia and New Zealnd!! Past Review
By Bailey S (English and Education, University of New Hampshire) for
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Christchurch - University of Canterbury
It was the best 6 months of my life! From the people to the beauty of the country and new adventures, I would love to go back to visit/ work/ teach. I grew as a person and gained life lessons I would have never gotten had it not been for my time abroad.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Youth at Risk: An Australian Perspective- Augustana College, South Dakota, USA- in Partnership with Study Australia |
| 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. |
I spent six months abroad total- 1.5 in Australia during the Winter course and 4.5 in New Zealand studying at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. I found the courses to be challenging- especially because I spent less time doing school work than at my home university and used the weekends to travel, which is ESSENTIAL to experiencing the country! The grading system was also different as professors give a limited number of assignments, thus they are worth more when your final grade is calculated. For example, you may only have one paper, one mid-term, and a final exam which is worth 50% of your grade, so the pressure certainly increases at the end of the semester. My advice to students going abroad is to take elective courses thus you can be more selective and enjoy taking less demanding and more enjoyable classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
TEAN was wonderful! I often get tongue tied because their acronym should be 'TEAM' as I felt as though I became a member of their study abroad family. From the staff members in the US to the resident director in NZ, I could not have had an easier time planning my trip or getting my questions answered. TEAN is definitely the 5-star program for study abroad providers as they aim to please students and help make their time abroad culturally enriching and exciting! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Orientation was 'heaps' of fun and I was able to make friends with students studying all over NZ, so when it came time to visit a new place, I could call my new friends and they would show us around!! I did the same for them and it worked out perfectly! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| 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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | GO! If you're reading this review, you are curious and want to know more. Showing just the slight bit of inquiry is all the courage you need to study abroad with TEAN. They could not have been more helpful and supportive during the planning stages and once I arrived in NZ. |
