Amazing place to spend a semester

First off, if you're thinking of spending a semester in New Zealand, do it! It's probably the most beautiful country I've ever seen. And if you're looking for a school to go to, choose Unitec! They've got some really great programs (especially architecture, which I studied) and they have a lot of programming and some great staff dedicated to making sure the international students are well-looked after. Academically, this was one of my favorite semesters of my college career. I was pushed in the studio and produced a lot of nice work for my portfolio, but it wasn't so heavy of a workload as I am used to in the US. I still had plenty of time for weekend trips and daily adventures. I even trained for a marathon while I was there. And I got a lot of one on one attention from my professors, which was really valuable. As far as the accommodation goes on campus, it could definitely use a renovation. That being said, I am so glad I lived on campus as it made walking to class a breeze and I got to meet lots of other international students and we made a tight-knit community that really made my semester. Being in Auckland, there's lots of cool things to do around. You can walk to the beach or jump on the bus and be downtown in 15 minutes. And the neighborhood around Unitec is very nice as well. One thing I'm pretty excited about is all the improvements they are doing to Unitec's campus. They should be done this summer and it is going to be really nice. Overall, I definitely recommend studying abroad in New Zealand (particularly if you enjoy the outdoors) and I also highly recommend Unitec. And make sure to sign up for Unitec's Experience NZ trips - they're a great way to make friends and see the country.