Best 6 months of my life Past Review
By alex s (Psychology And French, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/10/2014 to 06/19/2014 with
University of Otago, New Zealand: Study Abroad Programme
I learned so much from my experience and made so many lifelong friendships (hopefully)! It was absolutely worthwhile- I think everyone should go to New Zealand.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
This was my favorite semester- I was interested in my classes and I liked the teaching style and I feel that I learned much more than I learn during a semester at my home institution. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved where I was placed and all of the people, though the quality of the housing was very poor- to the point where it was detrimental to our health. |
| * Food: |
Food was very expensive, so I ate very unhealthfully. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Dunedin, even at night, as long as I stayed in a group. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
It was definitely very expensive there, but because everyone else was in the same boat I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Traveling is what made everything so expensive, so bring a sleeping bag and prepare to camp out. Instead of renting cars, do transfer cars when possible- it's free! |
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? | It really is very cold in those houses! Don't bother bringing dresses, just bring a sleeping bag and lots of warm socks and sweatshirts! |
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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Psychology in Legal contexts |
| Course Department: | psych |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | english |
| Comments: | This was a great class- very challenging but also the most interesting class I have ever taken. I liked the written assignment, and otherwise we were assessed by exams. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Maori society |
| Course Department: | Maori studies |
| Instructor: | Suzanne Duncan |
| Instruction Language: | english |
| Comments: | Very interesting course- not difficult, but I was very glad I took it because now I know a lot about Maori culture |
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