TEAN Abroad in New Zealand Was Sweet As, Bro! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes in NZ are more lecture and long-term assignment based rather than day-to-day homework. It was nice that way. It allowed me to get out and off campus more than I do here. Of course that also comes with the trade off that the long-term assignments are more heavily weighted.

On-site administration of your program

I didn't really have many expectations when I went there, I was open to anything and everything. The international student population there was very high so they were pretty knowledgeable on that front. Overall their program was pretty similar to any other university I've some in contact with.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the on campus hostels and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The hostels there are pretty similar to here except that the rooms are single rooms with a large common room. I loved this setup because it really allowed people to get to know one another. I knew everyone in the building, that was upwards of 50 people! Here I don't even know my own neighbors.

The setup of the dining hall was a little unsatisfactory, making it difficult to actually get the food in a timely fashion, but the food quality was certainly better than here.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

TEAN does an awesome orientation program before the semester begins, allowing all the students to get to know one another, in addition to getting to know the country in a safe and enjoyable way. Massey also does a really fun orientation on campus. There are many cultural activities in Palmerston North throughout the year and Wellington isn't too far away either.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The safety in New Zealand is ridiculous. When we arrived in the country we were told that the police are the most important force, higher even than God. That indicates safety, I think. I also had experience with the healthcare on campus. I had a benign cyst for about eight years or so that decided to flare up while I was there. The health center took me right in, asking enough questions to figure out exactly what was wrong and fixing it right away. The student insurance covered everything, too. The only thing I had to pay for was the resulting antibiotic prescription.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

New Zealand is pretty unique in that they have a dual national language between English and Maori. It was not required to take a Maori language course but I found it very informative, both on the language and the country as a whole. Taking the class also gave me the ability to pronounce some of the more formidable names we encountered throughout the country.

Select all that apply

• Hostel

Select all that apply

• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students

• TEAN was awesome in their support before and throughout the semester.

• Nothing!