Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Wonderful experience with TEAN (The Education Abroad Network) Past Review

By (Hampshire College) - abroad from 06/22/2013 to 11/15/2013 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Wellington - Massey University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a broader perspective on the world and grew a lot as a person. It required me to push a lot of my boundaries and become much more outgoing and independent. It was a good experience to be able to travel around the country and immerse myself in the culture and the country. It was definitely worthwhile and TEAN makes it all run smoothly. I would recommend this program to anyone considering going abroad.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall the experience was very good, but since I go to a very alternative style school it took some time to adjust to the way things worked at Massey University.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There were good activities available through TEAN during the course of the semester.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

They were fine. Occasionally loud and not the best facilities, but overall was good.

* Food:

Food was almost entirely self-cooked. There was no dining hall at Massey Wellington, just a cafe. It would have been nice to have a cheaper food option other than cooking, but it was fine.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was living with all Kiwis and all my classes except one were mostly local students so I got to know people there very well. Also traveling helped to immerse myself in the culture even more.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only had to use healthcare once. I didn't need any assistance through the program, I just had to find a chiropractor. It was very easy and quite cheap due to getting an accident discount.

* Safety:

The city felt much safer than I have felt in US cities. I felt fine walking on my own at night, though it is probably still wiser to go in groups late, especially on weekends. I never felt unsafe though.

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

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)

Living on a student budget was fairly easy, most of my money got sucked up by travel expenses rather than food and living.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $30-$50 depending on the week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Research multiple options for travel. There are several bus companies in New Zealand. I mostly used Intercity and Naked Bus, but it varied on what was cheaper depending on time and location. Going out to eat as opposed to grocery shopping really adds up, even if it's just little things, so try to cut down on that as much as you can.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local 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?
  • Friendly Staff
  • Ease of transition into studying abroad
  • Variety of activities available both before and during the semester
* What could be improved?
  • Application process was occasionally confusing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had researched the cities and universities available to study in a bit more. While I was very happy with Wellington, upon visiting other cities and schools I feel I might have been happier if I'd chosen a different university.

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.