Best 4.5 Months of My Life

Dunedin, New Zealand is the perfect place to study abroad. The culture within the country is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Everyone is so friendly and the entire country is extremely clean. If you are looking for a clean, safe, and gorgeous place to travel, then this is definitely the place for you! Classes are not extremely hard, so you have a lot of free time to travel and explore the city. I went to a new place in the country almost every weekend I was there... and still couldn't see everything I wanted to. There is so much to do and see there, you will never get bored. The landscapes are out of this world beautiful. It is amazing how you can go from the rainforest to beaches to mountains to rolling hills all in one area. In one day, I slept at the top of a mountain, walked down into the rainforest, and ended up on a beach by the end of the day. I loved every single second I was there and the only regret I have is that I did not stay for the full year. The program directer Ashley was very helpful and while she was on maternity leave, Jan was just as friendly and helpful as well! From a school aspect, there are so many things to get involved with. While there, I had many opportunities to volunteer and try new things, such as volunteering at a nearby after school programme, replanting native plants on wetlands, and joining intramural type teams for lawn bowl and volleyball. This trip was the most life-changing experience of my life. I was able to depend only on myself which allowed me to grow as a person and become much more independent than I thought was possible. I also met some of the most amazing people, both those studying abroad from all over the world and kiwis too. I highly recommend this program, you will not regret it.