My Study Abroad Experience: Isabella Bazante

/in , /by

Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?   

Hi! I’m Isabella, a rising senior at Questrom. I studied abroad in Auckland, New Zealand for my Spring semester of Junior year.

What did you do for your internship and what kinds of projects were you assigned (if you had one)?

I was a part of the Management Internship Program, which involved taking a total of 3 classes and having an internship. The first couple of months, I took the required BU New Zealand Culture class along with a Marketing class at the University of Auckland. Afterwards, I took another Marketing class and had an internship at Loop Media NZ. Loop is an entertainment producer and an agent for artists and public figures. Some of my tasks included arranging accommodation and flights, filing legal documents, and booking venues. I also coordinated and collaborated with artists, venues, and event sponsors through emails and phone calls to organize the logistics for events.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

I was surprised by the big music culture there is in New Zealand. Before traveling to New Zealand, I didn’t look into what kind of music was typical there. I focused more on the nature and travel destinations in my pre-research. Yet, working at Loop exposed me to a lot of music events and allowed me to see another element of the Kiwi culture. Talk to the coordinators, your classmates, boss and co-workers to find out what music events are going on. Facebook is also a good way to discover upcoming events.

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

One of the main things I learned while abroad was how to plan trips. In order to have a successful, worry-free trip, thorough planning is key. This includes things like renting a car, booking hostels, and researching activities. (Tip: it’s usually cheaper to book directly through the hostel’s website or by calling them, rather than using general booking websites).

What was the hardest part of your experience?

One of the difficulties for me was the time difference, since there’s a big time difference between the East Coast and Auckland. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to talk to my friends and family as much as I wanted. But this was solved by planning ahead by deciding on times and dates that worked best for us to talk on the phone (via Whatsapp) or video call (Whatsapp, Facetime, Skype).

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Hidden gems: Lake Marian in the South Island; Raglan in the North Island; Cable Bay Vineyard in Waiheke (not so hidden); New Chums Beach on the Coromandel.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

Auckland Tips: Explore surrounding neighborhoods (Ponsonby, Parnell, etc). Go to an All Blacks game (sign up to their email list so that you get notifications). Try surfing. Take advantage of the weekends to travel, even if you just do day trips. If you go to Milford Sound, the earliest Jucy Cruise is a good price and includes breakfast. Look up free or cheap stuff on campus – example: there’s $5 vegetarian food on Wednesdays organized by The Veda Club.

General Tips: Before going abroad, look up the places you want to visit while you’re there. Reach out to anyone you know who has been to your abroad destination (they’ll probably be glad to help). Don’t over pack. Go to class! It’s a good way to meet locals, especially if you’re at a local campus. Try to join clubs on campus. Don’t spend your money on unnecessary things – traveling is better J Walk as much as possible. Talk to store clerks, Uber drivers, professors, classmates.

My Study Abroad Experience: James Trindle

/in , /by

Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?

Auckland, New Zealand

What did you do for your internship and what kinds of projects were you assigned (if you had one)?

I interned at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, where I ran website and marketing analytics, assisted with office admin, and led a team of volunteers during the Festival.

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

Mainly just that a workplace functions just as well if shoes are optional. But I guess I also learned that I really don’t need a lot of the things I thought I did; that I can go a week without cell service and the world will keep on spinning, civilization existed before GPS, and that after two days of hiking a cold can of tuna is the best meal in the world.  Also, I know this is three now, but always take the scenic route.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

To be honest, I went in to the program with essentially no knowledge or expectations, and if you’re reading this, then you’ve already prepared more than I did. So I guess it’s equally valid to say either that nothing surprised me, or everything did.

What was the hardest part of your experience?

The bagels. Unless you’re willing to shell out for a diamond coated bread knife and reinforcements for your teeth, don’t bother. But honestly, it was often hard to stay motivated in my classes during the program. Once the internship started, it took up a lot of my time and energy (it took up about 50 hours a week during the Comedy Festival), and it was hard to focus on my Finance class, which was also quite difficult. Additionally, sometimes in the choice between studying and experiencing New Zealand, I don’t think studying is the right choice. Retrospectively, my advice is to avoid taking finance classes, as they are taught much better at BU in my opinion, and make a conscious choice about where your priorities are.

What was the best part of your experience?

The time I spent travelling with friends was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. I got to rappel into a cave and float down an underground river looking at glowworms on the ceiling above, then climb back up the cliff face as a thunderstorm quickly turned it in to a waterfall. I learned to surf, which resulted in me giving serious consideration to dropping out and becoming a beach bum, pulled an all-nighter with friends and proceeded to go white-water rafting on a category 5 river the next day, and saw dolphins, penguins, and seals framed by some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet in the Fjordland. So if you weren’t on board with me saying that studying isn’t always the most valuable experience, you should be after reading that list.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

First, if you bring a power strip with American outlets, you won’t need to buy as many adapters. Next, don’t be afraid to try new things or initiate trips. Take risks and do things that scare you, whether it’s jumping off a platform with a rubber band attached to your feet or going on an impromptu weekend trip with minimal planning and a tent. The experience makes it all worth it.

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Lake Mirian near Milford Sound. It’s about a 3 hour hike uphill on a loosely formed path in the woods, but at the top you’re rewarded with a pristine lake hidden between two mountain peaks. It’s especially great if you do a morning cruise in Milford Sound and hike afterward. There’s lots of things in New Zealand that you’ll never find on the internet, so just explore. Also, a great weekend trip is taking the ferry from Auckland to Great Barrier Island and hiking the Aotea track.

My Study Abroad Experience: Jelena Popova

/in /by

Where and when did you study abroad/off-campus?

Auckland, New Zealand during the 2016 fall semester.

What did you do for your internship and what kinds of projects were you assigned (if you had one)?

I interned for a local fashion designer’s company (taylor boutique). I worked directly with the Marketing Head in planning events, expanding social media, writing copy and helping with the launch of a new website.

What are two things you learned from your time abroad/off-campus that you may not have learned otherwise?

The Auckland program taught me a lot about the local Maori culture and their customs. The program organized a number of cultural events that helped us get a feel for what was important to the Maori people.

I also learned how much more relaxed the business culture is in New Zealand. The people do not seem to be completely money oriented as they are in the states. Since NZ is a much smaller market, I believe that this mentality works for them. Having done events in a corporate setting I also saw that people’s business culture was more like the one in Europe.

What surprised you most about your time abroad/off-campus?

This was not my first abroad experience so I was ready for dealing with cultural differences and meeting people in the program. I was surprised about how casual the interview process was for the internships. Coming from Questrom, I showed up in a full suit and was ready with interview questions but the whole experience was very casual. My future boss just wanted to get to know me  little and the office setting in New Zealand was super casual in general.

What was the hardest part of your experience?

T​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​he living situation was quite difficult because the space was very small. I know that future Auckland programs will not live at the Quadrant anymore but this was definitely a setback for the program.

What was the best part of your experience?

The traveling. New Zealand is full of absolutely amazing places that are all fairly close to Auckland. Even though you have to fly to the South Island, it is not very expensive and is completely worth it. Once there, the ease of renting a car and exploring all the natural wonders really made the entire experience worth it.

What are your best tips for those planning to study where you did?

It is pretty intimidating meeting so many new people at once and trying to plan trips around New Zealand with people. However, I would suggest you don’t panic and don’t rush into planning trips with people you first meet. You want to really get along with your travel buddies so try to spend some time getting to know the group a little more.

Try to meet as many locals as possible! I am sure the people in the program are great but try to get anyone in school or at your internship because that will really make your experience memorable. These locals will give you such a better understanding of how people live and spend their time in New Zealand. Everyone is super nice and gets very excited when they know someone is visiting New Zealand. They will be more than willing to chat so don’t be nervous to reach out to people at your internship or in class!

Are there any hidden gems that your classmates should check out?

Ponsonby is an awesome awesome area! There are a bunch of local designer shops and cafes and all the people who hang out there are locals that work in some sort of design/fashion. The Golden Dawn Tavern is awesome over in Ponsonby. Go there for a drink and they have live music most days of the week! The venue is very down to earth and mostly locals so I really recommend it.

Emily Knecht, Auckland Management Internship

/in , /by

RSCN0875Interned for the Auckland Writers Festival in Spring 2014.

Internship: The Auckland Writers Festival is a five-day event held in May that brings the very best local and international writers of fiction and non-fiction, scientists, economists, poets, journalists, and public intellectuals together with audiences to explore ideas and share stories. I helped the organization with their marketing efforts, the development of their new website, and various small projects in preparation for the festival. I also worked on the production team during the five days of the festival.

I learned: I learned the most about myself. My internship helped teach me about what I want to do with my life. The people I met in New Zealand helped teach me about the type of person I aspire to be. And New Zealand itself taught me how take advantage of every opportunity that life presents and to appreciate all the natural beauties of the world.

I was surprised by: I was most surprised by the person I became: the adventurous, independent, always optimistic, spontaneous Emily Knecht.

The Hardest Part: Honestly, the hardest part of my experience was getting on that plane and having to leave New Zealand, a place that became a second home to me.

The Best Part: There are too many amazing parts from my experience abroad. I loved everything about New Zealand: the activities I participated in, the people I was fortunate enough to meet, and the beautiful country I was able to travel.

My Tips: Push yourself as far outside of your comfort zone as possible, and take the time to meet the people of New Zealand.

Blair Lineham–Auckland Management Internship Program

/in /by

NZ North Island 1Interned in Market Research for SIMTICS, a medical e-Learning application for learning to perform surgeries and ultrasounds through simulation.

If you’re thinking of studying abroad, I cannot highly enough recommend doing so. My cousin graduated from BU 3 years ago and told me that his biggest regret in college was not studying abroad. I took the hint and headed to New Zealand for 6 months.

Internship: SIMTICS is a very small company and I worked virtually, but physically operated out of the BizDojo, which is a co-working space for entrepreneurs, designers, developers, videographers, and tons of other creatives. It was a really great environment for collaboration, as people would constantly ask each other for feedback on projects, and often times these conversations would turn into them working with each other on something. I met a lot of really interesting people working on cool projects.

For the internship, I did a lot of research on schools in the United States. New Zealand is a relatively small country, and the USA represents a huge market for companies producing virtual goods and services. I helped build out SIMTICS’ database of potential customers, but also got to give a lot of marketing feedback and advice for the company. I loved sitting in on monthly meetings (it was just the four of us), and getting to share my honest feedback and perspective on the company’s efforts. Experiencing decision-making and feedback in real time in an environment like that is something I really learned from. I’m really interested in entrepreneurship and it was great to gain the perspective of a start-up company on the rise.

Perspective: I met a lot of really down-to-earth classmates, as the Auckland Program had me studying at the University of Auckland. It was interesting to learn in a non-BU and non-American schooling environment. Being there for multiple months really allowed me to soak in the local culture. New Zealand is just a sliver of the world, but having met so many great people there really shows me there are amazing people all over the world. Going to another country allows you to connect with like-minded people that you had NO idea even existed.

Travel: This is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and we were fortunate to have so much free time to explore it. The highlight for me was a 10-day car tour through the South Island, where we slept in tents each night and hiked and explored in the day. The scenery was mind-blowing, and I got to know my fellow abroaders a lot better in such an environment. The climate change throughout different parts of the country is incredible in New Zealand. The last week in New Zealand, my family came to visit and we went skiing in perfect snow. Exploring both the North and South islands are essential.

I was really happy with my internship and continue to do work with the company. So incredibly satisfied with my Study Abroad experience, I can’t see why someone wouldn’t take the jump. Trust me, it’s worth it.