Study in Windy Welly! Past Review
By Kendall Spreen (University of New Hampshire) - abroad from 02/09/2019 to 06/30/2019 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Wellington - Victoria University of Wellington
My study abroad experience was so worth while. I learned so much about myself as an individual and made so many genuine connections. I gained so many unforgettable memories and lifelong friends.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
New Zealand has a very different set up for gradings as there are only a few assignments which are weighted heavily, but the professors are incredibly accommodating. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Great Staff! They had monthly check-ins where we would go to fun cultural events. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Each of the houses in the University Hall varied dramatically by quality, but I thought it added character to Wellington. It was a fun day bouncing house to house seeing everyone's arrangements. |
| * Food: |
I mostly cooked at home, but the food trucks and windows were incredible. I particularly was a big fan of waffle wednesdays at the little waffle shop and the dumpling trucks on cuba street during weekend festivals! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I personally spent the majority of my time with other international students, but I loved interacting with the locals in my classes and around the area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I personally had no health issues, but we were set up with a good provider prior. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe walking around Wellington. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Students from other study abroad programs would tell me they were jealous of how close the TEAN students were and wished they went through the same program. |
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) |
We get more for our US dollar in NZ so that was always a relief when looking at the bank account. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cooking at home and not using food delivery services definitely were helpful in saving money. And although it is tempting, taking the tram or uber home from the grocery store will add up in the end. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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 spent more time, whether before or after the program ended, exploring New Zealand because there is so much to see in such little time. |
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. |
