Program Reviews

Going abroad with TEAN gave me the best and most memorable months of my life!! TEAN helps every step of the way- from initial application to applying for and tracking your visa through your final days abroad. Orientation was amazing! If you have the chance, DO IT! I will never forget scuba diving on the great barrier reef or talking to my friends about their morning skydiving! From there, TEAN arranged a shuttle to take me to my home uni in Australia which made everything super easy! I loved living in Kooloobong Village right off campus, and my Australian roommates are like my international brothers and sister. I loved the coffee and dessert catch ups and cultural experiences (Opera House tour anyone?!) with Jenn, our local TEAN advisor. My time in "The 'Gong" will never be forgotten and I hope it is not over! I can't wait to return one day.

This program was one of best, if not the best, experiences of my life. The course material is very interesting and is only made better by the professors, who are simply incredible, both as professors and as people. As the program moves around the east coast of Australia, we got to see a wide range of what the country has to offer, from the major city of Sydney to the surfer town of Byron Bay. The various excursions helped to expose us to the areas and topics that we were studying. Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef was something I thought I would only dream of doing and this program gave me the opportunity to do so. One of my favorite memories, however, was hiking through the Blue Mountains with a guide who was one of the local Aboriginal people, an experience that only an established program like this could arrange. This program was an amazing experience and TEAN made it all possible. The hardest part of the entire program was going home because I did not want to leave.

This summer, I interned in Shanghai through The Education Abroad Network (TEAN). I am never one to write reviews, but my experience was so life changing that I really wanted to share it! Due to engineering having a strict curriculum sheet with little flexibility for transfer credits, I was worried I’d never get to study abroad. When I went to the career fair and met with a TEAN representative, they offered me a unique solution. Since I knew my major would be difficult to get the appropriate transfer credits for, they recommended that I do their summer internship abroad program. Since internships are critical for gaining the practical experience needed for a job, and since I’ve always wanted to be part of an abroad program, this was the perfect fit for me! When you apply to internships through TEAN, there is a drop down menu to pick the field you’d like to internship in. I chose Computer Science, and got an internship at a startup blockchain/FinTech company where I felt like I was genuinely contributing and learning every single day. Apart from work, I also got to meet so many students from around the world and explore Shanghai with them! I had so much fun, made so many life-long friends, and even got practical experience along the way. To anyone thinking about studying/interning abroad (especially if you have a major where you can’t take a semester of gen eds), I personally recommend The Education Abroad Network (:

I recently studied abroad this past spring in Thailand and Vietnam. For me, my study abroad experience was an unforgettable experience that has definitely changed me for the better. I personally enjoyed meeting new people, learning Thai and Vietnamese, and going on cultural excursions. One thing I can definitely say about TEAN is that they have the program set up for the students so that they're getting an experience that's very enlightening. The program is set up so that students will have an experience to learn about the culture, environmental issues, how to combat the environmental issues, and most importantly, how to emerge yourself in a community. I studied in Thailand for 2 months then studied in Vietnam for 2 months and the experience was very different, but also a very enriching experience.

Thailand
During the last week of January, TEAN had organized a village homestay for us to participate in for a week. I had the opportunity to be assigned a host family, begin learning Thai, and getting to know my family members. I had a younger brother who I managed to love so much, play UNO with, and teach each other both of our native languages. In the village I had the opportunity of learning how to weave baskets, make desserts, and have a celebration with my host family. One of my favorite things I did was going to the rice field and planting rice because some of the parents were rice farmers so it was really cool to participate in rice planting and see how the process is done. Another activity I participated in was attending a Monk ceremony where I watched Monks chant, pass out goodies to the Monks, and join everyone in the community for a feast. Lastly, we had the opportunity to learn a few dances, practice in the village, and dress up in costume to perform for the community.

In Thailand, I attended Chiang Mai University which is an extremely colossal campus that resembles campuses in rural areas in the United States. My days getting to class consisted of me taking the shuttle bus or walking if I really felt I wanted an adventure. My favorite course I took while studying in Thailand happened to be Buddhism. My professor was an individual who was extremely knowledgable on Buddhism and is also a teacher for individuals who want to become monks. He taught us how to meditate, use different meditation techniques and sound audio to enhance our experience, and took us on trips to visit temples which were gorgeous by the way. I've always wanted to learn about Buddhism and what better way to learn about Buddhism where majority of people residing here are Buddhists! He had us make comparisons between religion in Thailand and the United states as well as interview an individual to learn about what religion they identify with, how involved are they, and what they believe. He also had us keep track of a meditation journal or participate in temple ethnography as a project which really made the course worthwhile.

TEAN organized a few group excursions which was very helpful to us because a lot of these places would've remained undiscovered if they hadn't. They took us to the Elephant nature park which was an incredible experience. While at the Elephant Nature Park, we learned about elephant abuse, how they rescued the elephants, and had the chance to feed the elephants as well. We also had a feast which had great options and accommodated special diets. As a group, we were always taken on dinners which I found to be very helpful because we were introduce to other parts of town and also ate at expensive restaurants which were definitely worth. Also, TEAN scheduled an optional excursion to the Phi Phi Islands which was an amazing experience altogether.

Vietnam
I truly enjoyed the level of independence I had while studying in Vietnam. For me, being on my own and planning things to do for myself is something extremely rewarding because I can do things on my own time. I personally enjoyed discovering things on my own, befriending locals, and trying to immerse myself as much as possible in the community. This allowed me to build strong relationships with people in Vietnam that I hope to see again one day. My time here made me realize how big this world is, how much there is to learn, and how important certain bonds will be. There's definitely a big sense of community in Vietnam and I believe this country is extremely welcoming and friendly. The people definitely made it memorable for me, but I also think my effort is what made it worth while.

The motorbike food tour was an incredible experience. I have never been on a motorbike before so the experience was terrifying, but it was also worth it. I went on a five hour food tour that exposed me to popular foods, drinks, and desserts in Vietnam. This was a great way to experience numerous dishes because I think it's easy for individuals have a hard time deciding what dishes they should try. I left extremely full and satisfied with the food tour. The individuals running the food tour were very helpful, kind, and welcoming. The staff did an exceptional job of introducing me to different dishes as well as educating me more about Vietnam. One thing I can say that stood out to me was an outdoor market we went to at night which was filled with all of the fruits and vegetables you can imagine. During the tour, an associate actually cut up Guava for me to try free of charge which I thought was really sweet because this is what she does for a living.

In Vietnam, I attended Hoa Sen University which resembles my home university because it's located in a city and has separate buildings. My favorite course I took while attending Hoa Sen University happened to be Gender and Development in Vietnam. Taking this course helped me learn about the gender roles in Vietnam, men and woman paying to be matched with a spouse who has all of the qualities they're looking form, and how men and women are treated in the work force. I had an amazing professor who was very knowledgable on this topic and encouraged us to think outside of the box. We participated in daily discussion and made comparisons and contrasts all of these topics to the United States. Our professor was an incredible woman who also tried to introduce us to Vietnamese culture as much as possible. She brought in seaweed, desserts, and tea for us to try which were delicious.

Being abroad for five and half months has shaped me into a better individual and I can guarantee being abroad has broaden my horizons in many ways possible. I enjoyed my time in both countries and had the ability to experience how breath taking Asia is. Leaving was tough, but it's only a goodbye for now and I know I will be back one day.

I can honestly say that studying abroad through TEAN was the best decision I ever made. TEAN happened to be the only program that had a unique program experience that I was looking for and I'm very happy I met with staff when they attend my study abroad fair. I signed up to be on their email list and kept receiving wonderful emails which led to me to revisit their website plenty of times. TEAN really outdid themselves with this program and I highly encourage any student looking for an extraordinary experience abroad to study abroad through TEAN.

Most amazing summer experience of my life. I felt like Steve Irwin the whole time. The course material wasn't particularly difficult simply because it is such interesting information. If you love animals and conservation and learning about new cultures then you will love this course.
The best parts were the nature excursions, all the cultural integration and learning about the Aborigines, and being with other students of different disciplines and from different universities.One thing you should know before going on this program is that it doesn't matter what you major in at your home university, what matters is that you follow your passion. If you love animals and you want to learn about how amazing Australia's conservation efforts are and how you can bring that back to your home country, then sign up!!!

I absolutely loved this program! The professors are extremely knowledgeable and answered every question that we could think of. The program is the perfect length of 3 weeks so we were busy the entire time but still had time to have fun. I had never been out of the country before, but TEAN made it such an easy transition and organized all the events very well. We stayed in various hostels and one apartment which were all very nice. I had never stayed at a hostel before, and I was pleasantly surprised with the staff and accommodations. The areas that we traveled to were extremely beautiful and made me realize why I wanted to take this course in the first place. This is an unforgettable experience that everyone needs to try!

Working with TEAN to help with admissions to RMIT couldn’t have been easier. The support I received from Helen and the team made all the difference in getting set up to study overseas. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to be where I am today.
I had trouble with getting transcripts from previous study authenticated as the standards were different to that of my home country. TEAN was able to get all of the certification done without any struggle for me. It was much appreciated.

Studying abroad in Southeast Asia was an experience that I will forever take with me. It was such an fun, eye-opening, and adventuresome way to learn about yourself and new places! TEAN was a great organization and the experiences and people I met through them are invaluable to me! The split semester between Thailand and Vietnam was an a unique way to study abroad but was a great way to compare different cultures and places within the region of Southeast Asia. Both offered great housing accommodations, classes, and excursions!

My experience with The Education Abroad Network exceeded my expectations. I wouldn't change anything about my time abroad. In fact, I had such an amazing time, I am going back to Wollongong through The Education Abroad Network next fall, 2018. I believe my experience was unique because of where I was located. I enjoyed being outside of Sydney because I found that I was able to make more friends from Australia, Germany, Dubai, and Pakistan. Leaving the United States I wanted to make friends from all over the world and studying abroad in Wollongong made that possible.

Studying abroad with TEAN was one of the best decisions that I have made in my life. I had been to Thailand previously but TEAN provided me with an experience like no other. I enjoyed all of my classes and learned a lot but the language classes stood out too me for multiple reasons. The professors were encouraging and understood that each student started with a different skill level. Pairing this with the fact that I was able to practice the words I learned in class while buying dinner at the market in Thailand or with my host family in Cambodia helped me learn much more language than I would have otherwise. The academic program was further supported by the trips that we took as a group. TEAN also took us to Krabi, Thailand and Siem Reap, Cambodia which were two of the most beautiful places that I have visited.
Having the opportunity to study in both Thailand and Cambodia helped me learn so much about the local histories and cultures. I was able to compare life in both countries and have many wonderful experiences. Living with a host family in Cambodia helped me see more of the culture than I would have if I had not had the opportunity. It also helped me make a deeper connection with the local community. Even now the friends that I made in Thailand and the family that I joined in Cambodia are present in my life. My experience with TEAN impacted me in so many positive ways and really was life-changing. I would recommend this program to anyone that is interested in studying abroad in Southeast Asia!