Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A five month dream. Past Review

By (Geography and Cartography., Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/19/2013 to 06/19/2013 with

University of Otago, New Zealand: Study Abroad Programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
A better appreciation of the world

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.

The University of Otago may have significant opportunities in certain areas of study, but as a single semester study abroad student, I was only taking 100 level classes and I found the entire academic experience to be underwhelming. Uninspiring professors (from talking to other students this seems to be a tradition in New Zealand) and largely uninspired and unmotivated students. If you want to be deeply engaged in academics, you've gotta do it on your own here. The library's hours suck compared to most US institutions (they're only open until 11 most nights a week, and many of the course textbooks and relevant sources for research are only available in course reserve which means they can't be checked out).

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

University of Otago works hard to make sure foreign students are comfortable and happy.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It would be nice to pick your flatmates, but then again you probably don't know anybody before you go...

* Food:

You're own your own in NZ. It's nice to be forced to branch out and learn to cook. Most flats do family dinners where the chef rotates nightly, which is a good way to save money.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

This is essentially what you make of it. I played rugby which was a great way to get tight with the kiwis.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$300
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy a car with a few other people, sell it at the end instead of renting a vehicle. Try to camp/sleep in the car when travelling instead of staying in hostels. Adrenaline sports like base jumping or skydiving are MUCH cheaper in the US. I would strongly recommend against paying out the whazoo to jump off a bridge just because you're in NZ.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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

  • Other
* 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?
  • Being in the backcountry
  • Rugby
  • Ease of travelling about/how friendly people were
* What could be improved?
  • Academics
  • Closer interaction with locals
  • Things being cheaper
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How to go about planning weekend trips, purchasing a car, and getting information on routes/roads.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Maori Society
Course Department: Maori Studies
Instructor: Lyn Carter
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Disappointing professor, but an extremely easy class. A couple papers, a mid-term and a final. Great course if you wanna see the country. Few people attended classes.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Conversational Maori
Course Department: Maori Studies
Instructor: Craig Hall
Instruction Language: Maori/English
Comments: This class was great. Unfortunately most Kiwis already speak a fair amount of Maori so you'll be at a bit of a disadvantage, but it's a great class if you wanna learn how to pronounce most of the names in the country you're in and it was cool knowing a bit of Maori.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Physical Geography
Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Mike Hilton
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class is a bit of a whirlwind in terms of all that it covers. Not a great 'abroad class' as it meets four times a week, has a required field trip on one Saturday/Sunday and has a three hour lab once a week. That being said this course skims over pretty much all of the physical processes governing the Earth. The best part is learning a bunch of case studies about the physical features of New Zealand. The course is taught by four professors -- one for each unit. Nicholas Cullen, the climatology professor, is excellent. He has worked closely with one of the leading experts on the Greenland ice sheet. I would strongly recommend taking a course taught directly by him if you're looking for geography courses. I believe he teaches a few 200/300 courses on climate processes and climate change.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

New Zealand ind the World 1350-2000
Course Department: History
Instructor: Angela Wanhalla
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good course for some background on New Zealand and perspective of how a smaller country views and interacts with the rest of the world. An excellent study abroad course as it isn't too challenging, a lot of country-specific knowledge is disseminated and the time requirements still allow you to travel. I was surprised how little Kiwis knew about their country.
Credit Transfer Issues: