Down Under's Little Cousin

Wow, what I would give to return to Christchurch, New Zealand. While my study abroad experience posed certain challenges like adjusting to a new uni system and living with randomly assigned flatmates, the positives of the whole experience definitely outweighed the negatives. The city of Christchurch was exactly what I desired out of a host city: the city itself felt small and manageable enough that I could get to know its nooks and crannies, yet it was large enough to be the main transportation hub of the South Island which made air and bus travel easy to arrange. If you desire to really get to know your host city as well as travel frequently around your host country, Christchurch could be the perfect home base for your study abroad!
Speaking on the IES program in particular, I felt so cared for from the moment I stepped off the plane in Christchurch in February to when I boarded the plane for the States in June. Eunice is the absolute best – she genuinely cares about each of her students as individuals. From planning an orientation that immersed us both in the culture of Christchurch and took us on a field trip to ensuring there was always an allergen-free cake at our IES meetings to organizing our budget-friendly field trip to Rarotonga to meeting with all of us one-on-one at the beginning and end of the semester, Eunice was both our Kiwi mother and first Kiwi friend. In my last couple days in New Zealand I unfortunately had a run-in with a bus while crossing the street, landing me in the hospital for an evening. Eunice made time in her busy schedule to meet with me several times, ensuring I knew what steps to take with the insurance company if necessary as well as making sure Air New Zealand provided me with a comfortable passage back to the States at the end of the program. No matter what situation you find yourself in, Eunice will take care of you!
My critiques for the program are minimal, but are important to acknowledge. Firstly, you are not permitted to drive during your time abroad under IES policy. Before arriving in New Zealand I did not think this would be a big deal, but in trying to get to smaller destinations around the country this restriction complicated travel quite a bit. This brings me to my second critique: unless you elect to independently find housing and are approved to do so by IES, you will be housed in Ilam Apartments at the University of Canterbury. While there is nothing wrong with the complex, it is traditionally where all the international and study abroad students attending the university are housed. My flat consisted of four girls from the States and one from Malaysia. So, if you want to befriend local students, you will have to be bold and venture out from Ilam. Overall though, I would highly recommend studying abroad with IES to Christchurch!