Patty Smith is a student at the University of Maine – Farmington, and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is currently studying abroad and with ISA in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Contrary to what family and friends back home might think, you actually do study during your time abroad. So, I reached out and rallied the troops (otherwise known as my fellow study-abroad students) to give you the inside scoop on some awesome classes available to take at Otago. Here’s a small slice of all the possible courses for you to consider:
MAOR103 Introduction to Ngāi Tahu: “Ngāi Tahu is the Maori group local to Dunedin. The class is small and the professor talks about various ancestral lineages and migrations, and how Ngāi Tahu and the Maori in this region differ from other groups throughout New Zealand. There is also a lot of discussion on the difference in culture before and after the Europeans arrived, especially with regards to resources and land rights.” -Makayla Lorch, University of Colorado- Boulder.
MAOR110 Introduction to Conversational Maori: “In this paper, you begin to learn Maori, the language of New Zealand’s indigenous population. I know how to introduce myself properly and say where I am from, who I’ve descended from and am able connect whakapapas (ancestors/genealogy). I like it because it’s very different from the standard Spanish or French language courses that everyone else takes and it is taught differently as well. You learn in phrases rather than building sentences with various words you’ve learned, so you are able to cover more. I am able to read full paragraphs of Maori correctly and it’s only been two months. I recommend this paper because it is very different and original.” -Andria Karcz, Northern Illinois University.
EDUC240 Special Topic: Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand: “This paper allows me to student teach in a local classroom for two weeks in May. It is structured as a one-on-one course that teaches me about the differences between classrooms in New Zealand and classrooms in the United States, as well as other countries. While I am able to obtain knowledge from the New Zealand classroom that will expand my teaching abilities, I will also be able to share my knowledge with them based off what I have learned while in a United States classroom.” -Kate Smith, New England College.
EDSU111 Children, Science and Play: “This is an education class that helps connect play with a science lesson for young children. We build and experiment with toys and structures every class, and then go over how each activity helps with development and learning. I like this paper because I have gotten the chance to learn how to educate younger children about science through fun activities. Getting to experiment with new toys each class also makes this paper very enjoyable to attend.” -Caitlin Demmons, University of New Hampshire.
GEOG101 Physical Geography: “Focused around four main divisions of geography: climatology, geomorphology, hydrology, and biogeography, this course covers a wide variety of material. Although lecture based, the course also incorporates labs and field trips that take place throughout the Otago region. It is especially great for the outdoorsy types as you gain a lot of insight into the remarkable physical makeup of New Zealand.” -Kelly Berg, Chapman University.
MART305 Societal Issues in Marketing: “This paper deals with, you guessed it, societal issues in marketing! The class is discussion based, and you eventually conduct a study and gather research around university binge drinking culture. The class primarily deals with government regulation within marketing. Due to the fact that the class is essay/discussion based, there aren’t any real tests, and your grade is based on your understanding around the topics discussed in class.” -Mark Cox, University of Arkansas.
TOUR219 Destination Management: “I highly recommend this course for anyone interested in the tourism, recreation, or business fields. In lecture, we learn all the factors that need to be considered while managing a sustainable tourism destination. We apply these concepts to the nearby tourism hotspot Queenstown, on a three day field trip where we meet community stakeholders and begin to build connections between our classwork and real life. As an Outdoor Recreation Business Administration major at my home university, I believe the links I make between this course and New Zealand’s booming tourism sector will be invaluable for a future career in the tourism industry.” -Patty Smith, University of Maine at Farmington.
The world awaits…discover it.
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