If you're questioning whether or not to study abroad, the answer is DO IT. From the moment I arrived in New Zealand, I was in love. The nature was absolutely incredible, from the unbelievably clear, blue water in the lakes and oceans to the jagged, glacier-ridden mountain peaks, to the endless, green rolling hills covered in sheep! University of Otago was the perfect location to explore South Island, as there were endless amazing hikes and landscapes within four hours drive away. I spent almost every weekend going on backpacking trips around the island, and over the mid-semester break, some friends and I took a 10 day roadtrip all over South Island. There was also a ton to do in Dunedin itself. Living in North Dunedin, there were amazing hikes within half an hour's walk away, and downtown, filled with bars and restaurants, was only a fifteen minute walk away. There were always parties going on nearby, but unless the party was in your flat, the flats themselves were pretty sheltered from the noise. My flat was a bit cramped and damp, but hey, I didn't go to New Zealand for the housing. My flatmates were cool and it worked out fine! Compared to the amount of schoolwork I'm used to doing at my school in the US, classes at University of Otago felt like a breeze... until finals period. Most of your grade is based on final projects or tests given at the end of the semester, which meant that I ended up cramming a semester's worth of information into my brain in the span of 2 weeks. This worked out GREAT for having time to get out and explore New Zealand, but it put more pressure on me to make sure that I knew and understood what I needed to. The IFSA-Butler team was always there if you had a question or needed support, and they provided many fun and interesting activities as part of the program, such as exploring a castle or taking an overnight boat trip! I met a ton of amazing people through my program, and we still keep in touch! I grew so much in so many different areas of my life, and gained valuable life skills that will help me in my future endeavors. Studying abroad even changed my life plans to include more time abroad, and I feel more confident in myself to be able to do what I want to do because of my experience in New Zealand. It was the best time of my life, and I miss it so much that I'm applying to study abroad with IFSA again next year! Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I hope you make the same decision too!

I learned so much from this experience abroad. I learned about myself as well as New Zealand and the States. I learned about the New Zealand night sky as well as quite a bit about the political system (perks of being there during the election season!) I learned about myself and my values since I needed to be aware of so much more than normal. I learned about New Zealand culture as well as other cultures such as those in European countries. More than just conventional New Zealand (or pākeha) culture, I also learned a lot about Māori culture, language, history, myths, and so much more! So yes, it was most definitely worthwhile!

I absolutely loved this experience! You have a ton of freedom, as well as any support you need should you ask for it. The campus and area are totally safe, but it is a party school as well as a fantastic area for skiiing/snowboarding/surfing - accidents can happen if you aren't careful. Regardless, the IFSA staff were there and always happy to help with anything I needed or even just talk. Highly recommended!

Spending a semester in Dunedin through IFSA was wonderful. They take care of the housing through UniFlats so you are placed with other study abroad students who aren't necessarily through IFSA, as well as a Kiwi host. The Kiwi host is a student who attends the University of Otago, and is incredibly helpful in navigating the social and academic scene. My flatmates were amazing, I was able to meet some incredible people, and go on outstanding adventures. Many issues that other friends had with their study abroad experiences were not issues for me at Otago in Dunedin. I loved having a program that supported me, and I loved the staff. When reached out to, I found them to be very helpful; otherwise they stayed out of the lives of the students.

Made many new friends, went on amazing trips through IFSA and independently. Went wine tasting, horseback riding on a Black sand beach, explored glow worm caves, went on hikes, took a spring break trip to Fiji, went jet boating, white water rafting, skiing, spent a weekend at an alpaca farm. I found a way to go sailing at least twice a week out of Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and made a ton of new friends that was too.

I went to study abroad mostly so I could take courses in a more lenient grading system and have the grades transfer back to boost my GPA. My program mandated that I HAD to take 4 courses to count as a full time student, so that's what I did. I verified that my courses would qualify and carry over, and by the time the next term went around, I had both of those goals accomplished.

However, Christchurch is an absolutely depressing place to stay. The neighborhoods are lifeless, the majority of people you'll meet are as emotive as worker drones, and the most available source of fun comes from alcohol.

The rest of the islands are so much more interesting. Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, and Dunedin all offer so much more to see, hear, and do than Christchurch. It's great if you can take courses that'll count towards your degree back home (the grading system is so worth it), but don't take all upper division courses like I did. I sacrificed pretty much all of my free time just to study and it was a slog to go through.

Going to New Zealand was by far the best decision I've ever made. I made many of my own personal trips, and opted into the ones organized by IFSA-Butler. The IFSA sponsored events were so much fun, and we had a big group of friends by the end of the first few days! If you set out to explore as much as possible, you'll have a great time. Make sure you're open-minded and have a sense of adventure plus a love for the outdoors and it'll be great!

If you love being outdoors and meeting friendly people, Dunedin is the place to go and IFSA is the program to go with. IFSA staff helped make the first few days in New Zealand a great experience and prepared us to succeed in our respective universities. Once at school IFSA maintained contact with all of us and provided exciting trips (boat cruise in Doubtful Sound) for everyone in the program to reconnect on. While I made many friends at Otago, I can say that the best ones were found within the group of students participating in IFSA.