New Zealand: A Wild and Wonderful Adventure Past Review

By Phoebe C (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Middlebury College) for

University of Otago, New Zealand: Study Abroad Programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Yes, it was extremely worthwhile. I learned how to be completely independent - paying rent, cooking for myself, paying for utilities, balancing schoolwork and travel, without anyone checking in on me or telling me what to do. We planned our own trips and I found a strength inside me while summiting Mt. Doom or hiking on the active volcano White Island that I didn't know I had. I learned to live a somewhat ascetic lifestyle and found that all I really need is a couple friends, some mountains and a sleeping bag to have an incredible time.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I really enjoyed the academics at Otago. The class sizes were much bigger than I was used to, so it was definitely a little less personalized, but I found the material to be really engaging. All of the professors were clear in their expectations and happy to help when I came in. The work load was heavier than I expected and at time it was difficult to balance being a full time student in a new academic environment with my desire to travel and see New Zealand.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The University Flats office was relatively uninvolved in my stay in New Zealand. I actually really enjoyed the independence but I don't feel as if I did a program at all. Many of the other students had gone through programs like AustraLearn, and they got cool opportunities to explore the country that I was a little disappointed to not have also had. The international housing was amazing though and I loved getting to know students from all over the world and living completely independently.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Sometimes I think that our hosts felt that their responsibility was to teach us how Kiwis party rather than how they study. I worked harder than almost every Kiwi host I knew. But, they were so nice and welcoming and fun! We had to buy a lot of cookware for our flat which I didn't expect and they certainly weren't fancy but I loved having our own space and they were perfect for our needs.
* Food:	We were completely on our own to get our own groceries, cook for ourselves, etc. and while that was a good growing experience for me, at first it was a bit overwhelming.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I loved my housing situation because I was in close proximity to about 100 other international students, so it was easy to find people to travel with. We bought a car and sold it before we left and left Dunedin about every other weekend to see NZ. In the last two weeks after finals we drove all the way up the North Island. My time in New Zealand was made by my incredible travel adventures.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I felt safe and healthy my whole time in New Zealand! The health center was great and there were plenty of accessible pharmacies. Our flat wasn't in the best part of town but I didn't feel nervous to go places alone. New Zealand generally has a very low crime rate.
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)

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university?	Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	I loved my independence! And the gorgeous setting.
* What could be improved?	It would be cool if orientation was a bit more extensive and we got more instruction on how to settle in to life in Dunedin.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	If you are an independent, outdoorsy person who likes to have a good time you should really consider Otago. It was the most fun six months of my life and absolutely flew by.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Conversational Maori
Course Department:	MAOR
Instructor:	Forget his name
Instruction Language:	Maori
Comments:	Although this class seemed like it would be a fun and interesting way to learn about the Maori culture but it turned out to be time consuming and relatively irrelevant for the rest of my life. I wouldn't recommend future Middlebury students to take Conversational Maori. Instead, they should take Maori Culture.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.