Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Some of the best experiences of my life! Past Review

By (University of Iowa) - abroad from 02/08/2018 to 06/21/2018 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Dunedin - University of Otago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a confidence in myself and I learned that I love to spend time in nature

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

They provided us with plenty resources to succeed

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The TEAN leaders in New Zealand were great

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I don’t think i could have had a better living arrangement, I got really lucky

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I am still pretty connected with multiple people living in New Zealand, so I would say I felt very integrated

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My flatmate once needed to get some medicine and it literally took 2 minutes.

* Safety:

Overall i never felt in danger but one of my friends’ rooms was robbed while she was away

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I really feel that TEAN did a great job at getting all of us students to get to know eachother right off the bat, which led to us capitalizing on so many experiences throughout the semester

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)

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? Have a budget, or go tramping a lot and eat tramping food most of the time

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • People
  • Orientation in queenstown
  • Giving us some autonomy and not just scheduling all of our time
* What could be improved?
  • Prior to the orientation the students should be motivated to talk to eachother
  • Set something up for the students to get together after their time abroad
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it would go by faster than you thought it would

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 Adventurer
The 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.