Program Reviews

I had such an amazing experience with TEAN and my amazing host country, New Zealand. TEAN was amazing and provided me with so many resources to seek out scholarships and through there resources I applied with the NZ education department and received a stipend to do social media marketing and received a letter of recommendation from them in return.

TEAN provided me with a to the point orientation and were incredibly reachable but they also let me personalize my abroad experience and do my own personal travel.

Studying abroad in Seoul was amazing, and TEAN made it an even easier experience for me to just roam a new country and learn more about a different culture. I enjoyed studying at KU and riding the subways, and eating all of the great (and spicy!) food I could get my hands on. One of the best things about TEAN was the orientation they offered, where they took all of us, during our first week in the country, around to the hotspots, including a tour of the DMZ. I think this helped me a lot with getting my footing within a new country, especially one where I wasn't familiar with the language. Post-program, I think I've become more outgoing, and I'm putting myself out there more. Studying abroad with TEAN was an experience I recommended to anyone looking at studying in Seoul to go with TEAN!

There are so many things I gained from my time abroad but the most important thing I gained from my experience was independence. It takes a lot of guts to fly across the world, not knowing a single person, for 5 months and be okay. It was definitely worthwhile and I would highly recommend it. I met so many amazing people that I will now be friends with for the rest of my life. While abroad I got to travel to 3 differnt countries with so many of my new friends and had the time of my life doing so. I have so many valuable stories and life experiences becuase I chose to go abroad, and not just go abroad, but do it through TEAN!

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 in Wellington, New Zealand was the perfect fit for me for so many beautiful reasons. Going into studying abroad, I had very little idea where I wanted to go, and I am so glad I ended up in Wellington. The cool coffee capital culture of Wellington always seemed to amaze me. Wellington is the cultural capital of New Zealand and it shows, with many museums, live music bars, great coffee and restaurants and a bustling waterfront filled with many weekend markets. Living in Wellington never had a dull moment as there is so much to do in the city. Over the course of the semester, I attended a Diwali festival, a rugby game, and many concerts.
But New Zealand is much more than city life, the real fun comes from getting outside and exploring the completely gorgeous landscape. Almost every weekend, my friends and I would rent a car, for relatively cheap, and go "tramping", the kiwi term for hiking. As an avid outdoorsman, the scenery was one of the many reasons I chose New Zealand and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Every single trip was better than the last. A few highlights included staying in the famous Mueller Hut in Mount Cook National Park, a solo backpacking trip through the local forest range, and my own little hobbit pilgrimage to the fires of Mount Doom! Overall, planning and going on trips ranging from one day to two weeks were was my favorite part of my abroad experience.
Studying abroad with TEAN was also a great experience both before and during my time in New Zealand. Before arriving, there are so many different tasks that need to be completed including visas, class registration, housing, etc. But TEAN made it so easy. I was matched with one of their employees, who took me through all the various steps and eliminated so much hassle in the process. She answered the countless e-mails I sent to her very promptly and always had correct and timely information. While in New Zealand, TEAN's orientation helped us adjust to the initial culture shock of being abroad and was a good transition period that eased us into adjusting to living abroad. During the orientation, we learned to perform a Maori song and visited Milford sound, a highlight of my entire time abroad. Orientation also acted as a great time to create a network of students to visit in the other cities when making future travel plans! After arriving in Wellington, the TEAN students came together for three activities, a rugby game, a trip to Weta Workshop and a tour of a bird ecosanctuary. Overall, I would highly recommend studying abroad in Wellington, especially with TEAN. My only request to you if you do go is taking me with you!

TEAN was a great program choice for me because they helped a lot in working out the details and paperwork before I actually arrived abroad. It definitely allowed me to focus on preparing myself mentally for this adventure, and also because a lot of the processes, such as applying for the student visa, were confusing. TEAN does their best to answer questions to make sure there are no hiccups when we arrive in Korea.
The cultural events that TEAN planned were amazing! My favorites were the temple stay outside of Seoul, and the cooking class where we made bibimbap (a rice dish with lots of vegetables). The temple was so beautiful, and we went in mid-October when the leaves were changing color, making it that much more beautiful. Waking up at 4 a.m. and eating all vegetarian might seem super unfamiliar, but I think it's a great way to experience something that you most likely would never do otherwise. And again, the scenery is just breathtaking, so I think it's all worth it!
The biggest tip I have is to just put yourself out there. You don't have to wait for people to go somewhere with you. If you really want to go do something, chances are you'll have a great time by yourself too! Plus, you don't have to worry about whether others are bored, and you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want! I think you grow a lot more when you explore by yourself, but it may be scary to be alone. Either way, the most important thing is to keep an open mind, and don't wait around too long for everyone. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity so take full advantage of it!

I absolutely loved my study abroad experience with The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) at the University of Sydney. TEAN staff was so helpful in answering any questions or worries I had before going abroad up until the day I left. Once I landed in Australia, I attended the TEAN orientation, which was such a blast! We spent time learning about Australian culture, the logistics of the next 4 months of our lives, getting to know the other students in the program, and doing crazy activities like Skydiving and canyoning. This was the perfect way to start my study abroad adventure, where I soon ended up in Sydney. TEAN organized for about 20 students in the program to live together in apartments right in the city within walking distance of school, grocery stores, malls, the train station, and so many tourist sights! I also had such a great experience at the University of Sydney were I learned so much by being in a classroom everyday with Aussie students. TEAN also set up lots of events throughout the semester for all of the students in the area including surfing at the famous Bondi Beach, a day at Luna Park (an amusement park), a tour of the Sydney Opera House, jet boating around the harbor, an end-of-the-semester dinner cruise, and so much more! It was a great way to spend time with the other students in the program as well as see more of the city. They also organized a fun trip to Melbourne, which is another big city in Australia, which I absolutely loved! Having to say goodbye to all of my new best friends and a city I fell in love with at the end of the semester was so hard. I would absolutely recommend this program, as I had the time of my life and I'm sure you will too!

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!

Interning through TEAN is the best choice I've ever made. If I lived any closer to New Zealand I would have stayed with my company for a full time job. An intern abroad experience is a unique way to gain work experience in which hiring companies love to see! My company was absolutely fantastic. As a marketing major, I was unsure of what specific kind of marketing I was interested in. I decided to click the "Public Relations" option when matching with a company to work for because it is something I was previously on the fence about, and I found that I love it! I truly enjoyed talking to people on the phone, getting ready for events, setting up interviews, talking to magazines, and specifically speaking with young chefs in Auckland that we would later write a press release on. I learned how to write reports, press releases, and how to design a social media page to target customers of clients we worked with. I learned so much about myself; what I am interested, and what I am not so interested in, and that communicating with others actually brings me joy. TEAN gave me the tools I needed to feel comfortable as an intern while allowing me to be on my own as well. Our four day intro helped me to make friends in my program and understand my surroundings in Auckland, and The Great Barrier Reef Excursion I went on provided by TEAN after my internship was the absolute perfect way to end a few months of hard work! I cannot say enough about how much I loved being an intern through The Education Abroad Network.

Studying abroad has changed the way I view myself, and the world. Since my trip this spring, I’ve completely changed my perspective on learning, and what it means to grow outside of my college bubble. Studying abroad has shown me to take full advantage of opportunities, for they could lead to some of the most significant and influential experiences of your life. I’ve become extremely passionate about traveling, and the importance it has on higher education. What I loved most about my time abroad was that learning didn’t stop when I left the classroom. As a member of a foreign community I learned to be independent and open minded to all the country had to offer. I believe there’s no better way to learn, than to learn by doing, and immersing myself in a completely new culture has impacted me in ways that staying home could not, and I’m very excited to share my experiences to other students.

Melbourne is the perfect size for study abroad. It’s big enough to have something going on at any given time, but by the end of 5 months I could travel around the entire city and know where I’m going. There is so much culture within art and music, but also has great beaches and national parks, as well as it’s close to the Great Ocean Road and other surfing and hiking locations. It has an incredibly competitive vibe when it comes to footy, but also has an overwhelming sense of acceptance for diversity of fashion, customs, and people as a whole.

Overall, studying abroad with TEAN was the greatest time of my life. I learned more about myself, other people and cultures, about how to be independent, and how travel and adventure through life this past semester. Never again will I be able to befriend 20 new strangers, and be able to travel with all of them to some of the most notable places in the world. TEAN gave me the building blocks to be successful through information sessions, housing, affiliation with the University, our RD, and so much more. Traveling to foreign country can be incredibly daunting, especially a country on the opposite side of the globe. TEAN recognizes that vulnerability and makes sure that we are completely taken care of.