$0 No textbooks needed $700 total for February to June in the student dorm Sabinki

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1 Victoria Abroad Evaluation Form PLEASE TYPE THIS EVALUATION FORM & IT TO VICTORIA ABROAD AS A WORD DOCUMENT A: Student Information VUW degree(s) Bachelor of Commerce Major(s) Commercial Law / Marketing Exchange Institution VUW Tri & Year of Exchange SGH Warsaw School of Economics Tri 1, Year 2015 B: Finances Please detail your basic costs in New Zealand dollars. This will help future students plan their own budgets. (Enter your number rounded to the nearest dollar.) Books Accommodation $0 No textbooks needed $700 total for February to June in the student dorm Sabinki Return Airfare Flights are around $ $2200. One way I paid $1250. Local Transportation Meals Visa Health & Insurance Personal Spending Communications (phone, etc.) Other fees (specify) What unexpected costs did you encounter? What items were more or less than expected? $60 for a 3 month metro/tram/bus pass $20 on groceries a week, or around $3 a meal eating out $0, however I have an EU passport. Unsure of cost. $450 for 1 year insurance theft/health etc. Shopping is cheap, depends how much / want you want to buy, and how much you want to travel as this will be your biggest cost. $9 for 3gb of internet a month for cellphone with free txting/calling. $130 bond for the dorm, refundable. No unexpected costs unless you travel on any train/tram/metro/bus without your valid and up to date ID card and travel pass - $50 fine on the spot. However be prepared for unexpected costs while travelling to countries, as they do happen How did your financial expenses compare to what you originally expected to spend? I expected things to be much cheaper than in NZ, however remember not to get too carried away as it is definitely easy to spend money when everything is so cheap. By what means did you maintain your finances? What would you recommend? (Credit card, foreign bank account, travelers checks, etc)? Withdraw large amounts of cash for 1 2 months of spending. Leave most at home, and carry only what you need when going out. This way there is only 1 overseas bank charge fee and conversion fee for one large withdrawal. I have one Visa Debit card and also a student credit card, just in case I lost one or the other, and never carried both together.

2 What financial advice would you give students attending the same university as you? Financial costs are not too much of an issue, compared to New Zealand prices/costs. What was the average cost of a can of coke or coffee in your host country? $0.75cents for a can of coke. $3 for a big, decent coffee. C: Visas & Insurance *Please note this information is recommended by VUW students & current at the time of their exchange. For all up-to-date visa information you must check with the embassy/consulate of your host university. Did you have to apply for a visa? If so, was it difficult? What was the process, how long did it take and how much did it cost? No, I did not need a visa. Do you have any advice for future students when applying for visas to your host country? I have heard that the Polish embassy in Wellington is quite helpful when applying for visa. Did your host university have a mandatory insurance? Or a particular insurance they recommended? If Yes, what was it and how much did it cost? No mandatory insurance. What insurance company did you use and would you recommend it to future students? Through Flight Centre along with my flight tickets, Cover More. They can beat any price, and I found it useful to have my agent look after both my flights and insurance, just in case something was to happen. Did not have to use it so unsure of how efficient the claims process is. D: Academics at Host University Which courses did you take while on exchange? Please rate the difficulty of each course (1-5, 1 = Very Easy & 5 = Extremely Difficult) and leave any comments you may have. Course Title Language of VUW course VUW Rating (1-5) Comments Instruction equivalent or points/credits elective value VUW Trimester 1/YEAR Marketing English Any x report, 1 x presentation, 1 x exam Management English Any x exam European Organizations International Competiveness English Any x exam English Any x test, 1 x essay OR 1 x exam Body building Polish Any 10 1 You have to go to the gym

3 once a week VUW Trimester 2/YEAR Course Registration/Enrolment Please describe the registration process at your host university. What kind of help was available? A bit disorganized, you basically sign up to all classes within the first week, as a lot of classes are cancelled. How successful were you in registering/enrolling for classes you wanted? What advice would you offer to next year's exchange students about registration at your host university? I only had general elective papers to do so I could basically choose any classes that fit my timetable. I waited till the first week as the process and website to sign up is a hard to navigate. Do you have any advice for future students when choosing and applying for courses? If you need specific classes then apply as early as possible as a lot will be cancelled, and be prepared to be flexible. If you just need papers for points then I would wait till the first week when university starts as its very easy to choose them then. Academic Experience How did your academic experience differ from your time spend at Victoria? Did the academic experience meet your expectations? Very different, however I knew it would be much different as I had talked to a previous student from Otago University. How did the style of teaching at your host university compare with that at VUW? How did the workload compare to what you would expect at VUW? For Bachelor programs, the workload is much less than at VUW. Keep in mind really depends on the classes and the teachers. In the first week, ask local/past students what courses to take. At SGH students usually take up to 12 courses a semester, which effectively means that each course had a much lower workload, compared to VUW courses. What would you recommend as an appropriate course load for other VUW students visiting your partner

4 university? What specific courses would you recommend to visiting VUW students? Why? Don t pick courses based on subject but rather by teacher, as a lot of teachers/professors are much better than others, some have great English and teaching skills while others are hard to understand and disorganized. Talk to past students, local students, or there are also useful Facebook pages for this. What advice would you give VUW students about succeeding academically at your host university? The enjoyment of your time at SGH and courses will depend on your lecturer, however in general they all want overseas students to pass and will help wherever they can. What was your impression of the computer facilities, library, and internet access at your host university? The library is well sized, however Wi-Fi internet only works about 75% of the time. There is computer access readily available. If you went to a country where English is not the native language, how did you prepare for this? Were there any intensive language courses provided by the host university? I speak fluent Polish so I did not have any problems, however SGH does offer a Polish for beginners class which count for credits, and I would recommend taking. E: Accommodation What form of accommodation did you stay in? Student dormitory Sabinki. What were the pros and cons of this form of accommodation? Pros cheap, close to university, good location, easy to meet people. Cons shared room with either a bunk bed or 2 separate beds, small room, shared cooking + bathroom facilities. What accommodation would you recommend to future students? Student dormitory - easy option and cheap. How early can you move into accommodation? 1 week or so before the official move in date. What options were available for meal plans or cooking facilities? How satisfied were you with the food? Shared cooking facilities with microwave, oven, gas cookers. Must buy own pots/pans. If you lived in off-campus housing, how easy was it to find? What should future VUW exchange students know about living off-campus?

5 There are Facebook groups where students advertise their flats watch out for housing scams as they are common in Europe. Do you have any tips of advice for future students when applying for accommodation? Coming from New Zealand stick to the dormitory, as students will definitely get accepted. F: Personal & Cultural Connections What was it like making friends? How successful were you at making friends with local (i.e., not international) students? Local students generally liked to mix with overseas students, particularly in the dorms. What was it like to adjust to the culture of your exchange country/university? I understand the Polish culture so did not find it too difficult to adjust, but be prepared for a completely different culture as it is very different to NZ. What, if any, cultural differences did you find particularly challenging? How would you recommend students to prepare for these differences? The winter semester here can be quite tough; Warsaw is generally very cold and grey along with short daylight hours. Stay motivated and active by signing up to a gym (best to get a BeActive card), or sports teams. What parts of the culture did you most appreciate? The food and drink culture is great, tasty food and also very cheap. How were you treated by local people? By university staff and faculty? By students? Local people like to practice their English so are generally welcoming to English speaking people. Most young people speak good English. As far as you could tell, how easy would it be for students with disabilities to study at your partner university? For students who are visible minorities in your host country? For students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered? I believe there would be not issues with any of the above. Did you face any issues regarding discrimination in your host country? What were they, and what advice would you give to future students? None, people love New Zealanders! G: Extra-curricular/Social Activities What organized activities (clubs, sports, etc.) were available to students? What extra-curricular activities would you recommend to future exchange students?

6 Take a sports class, which not only counts for credits but was also a great way to meet new people. What do you recommend other visiting students see or do on their weekends or holidays? This is probably the most important part. As Warsaw is so central in Europe it is incredibly easy to travel during holidays/weekends. If you plan and time everything right you can get flights anywhere such as Norway, Italy or Spain for sometimes as low as $20NZ return with Ryanair or Wizz Air. Plan your class timetables to have Monday and Friday off if possible, which will allow for longer weekend travel. What opportunities were there for students to work on-campus? Off-campus? Would not suggest working, as wages are low compared to NZ. What volunteer or internship opportunities were there for students? Yes there are both opportunities for students, such as tree-planting during the year. 5 things to take to your host country or region 1 A good, warm, down jacket is recommended, it gets very cold in either semester. 2 Some decent footwear, again it can get very cold and wet with snow so some good boots are needed. 3 A good, hiking daypack, for those weekend trips. Under 40L is great as it is considered carry-on luggage, and therefore you don t pay for bag check in on flights. 4 Travel adaptor or 2 for electronics. 5 A positive attitude and open mind you are going to experience a lot of different cultures and new things! 5 pieces of useful advice would tell a VUW student going to your host university 1 Don t stress about course choices they can be done in the first week of university easily. 2 Pick courses that allow for a longer weekend if you plan to travel (which you should!) 3 Don t worry too much about the workload lecturers want you to pass. 4 The international office at SGH is very helpful with any problems; remember to be nice to them as they get a lot of students! 5 Go to every orientation week event at night, this is where you will meet your friends that you will stick with and travel with throughout the semester. Top 5 Things to do What are your Top 5 Things To Do future VUW students at your host university or city/country? 1 Travel, travel, travel as much as you can! 2 Great nature places in Poland Zakopane, Hel, Mazury lakes. Make an effort to visit these places, as they are really beautiful.

7 3 Great cities Krakow, which is much like Wellington - great student vibe and good club scene. Sopot and the tri-city region have the best sunrises. 4 Eat out at restaurants, they are incredibly affordable and you will try some amazing food. 5 Visit a Legia soccer match in Warsaw the ambiance is amazing, and you get to see some real soccer hooligans. H: Personal Experience Please write one paragraph about your exchange experience. Plus, don t forget to submit some photos to the exchange office!! Poland isn t the first choice of many students, but it really should be. Students can live for a very low cost indulging in the best activities, food, drink and shopping. Worried that you won t experience the real Europe? Travelling from Warsaw is incredibly cheap and easy, and overseas students will be going somewhere new every weekend so hitch along with a group or take your own path. You will love visiting all the most picturesque landscapes, historical cities, and experience everything Europe has to offer; yet Warsaw makes a great base for coming back to. You won t have to live like a real student, as your student budget in NZ will go a long way here, therefore you wont feel guilty with a bit of indulgence. Poland itself also has a lot to offer amazing nightlife, beautiful nature, and a great Polish culture. It has been an absolutely amazing experience and I would sincerely recommend it to all students looking to do an overseas exchange. To any students with questions don t hesitate to get in touch regarding Poland, SGH Warsaw School of Economics or travelling Europe in general; my is julian.wroblewski@gmail.com

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