Program Reviews

This goes out to anyone considering New Zealand;
Go for it! Trust me, this will be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. From the beautiful nature to the unforgettable people, New Zealand does not disappoint. Wellington is a beautiful small city filled with quirky points while still being nestled between seas and mountains. It is the perfect launching point for any adventures you are going to have, and trust me when I say there will be many. Please don't miss any opportunity to go.

I am not kidding when I say that this has been the best experience of my life, in every aspect, Sydney and TEAN made me feel like I had a new home. The freedom that you can experience in this city is unique, from wandering by yourself across countless hikes to going out with your friends to enjoy the night views of the harbor. This semester was an all-rounded experience, academically The University of Sydney was challenging, but very gratifying after completing it, while socially I had the pleasure of meeting friends who became part of my family. Adding to this, as a student-athlete I had the opportunity to play high-level competitive soccer on the University’s team.

This past semester abroad was everything I hoped it would be! It is crazy how the places I used to save as future traveling inspo were now close enough to visit and explore.

Seoul was the perfect city to live in because of how much there is to do and how affordable it is to visit other areas. I took several day and weekend trips outside of Seoul, and the process was very simple. I could not recommend it enough.

The people are very kind, and I felt welcomed immediately at Korea University. A lot of my favorite memories are conversations with strangers who showed me Korean affection. My favorite is a woman I met at BBQ. I visit her almost weekly with friends because she says I look like her daughter who is studying abroad. She even asked me to call her aunt!

The TEAN staff also made it easy to make friends because there are scheduled outings and a group chat. They are all very kind and helpful, so do not be afraid to send them a message on Kakao when you are having a problem.

As a foreigner, you will be stared at and potentially harassed, but as long as you react maturely, you will be okay. Especially when you travel to cities that are more rural, the stares will increase, and random strangers will probably come up to talk to you. Just keep this in mind and always be with another person! You may also face some discrimination. I experienced it at a museum when I was forced to pay more than the entry fee because I was not Korean. In one of my classes, I also had this problem because the grader said I was destined to not succeed because I am from America. There seems to be a lot of unwritten rules and expectations in coursework that students from America are unaware of. The best solution is to ask your professor detailed questions about what they are looking for and remain kind and respectful.

It is important to stay on top of your studies and reach out for help! I do this by scheduling time to talk with my professors. The class I mentioned facing discrimination in, is where I started to do this. I meet with the professor often to go over assignments, and we have tea. It has made a negative situation very positive!

The most important thing if you visit is to get out of your comfort zone. I flew here alone, but I am leaving with friends. I had never practiced Korean with a native Korean, and now I have hundreds of times! Make the most of your time and accomplish everything you want to do.

Studying abroad has been one of the best decisions I have made. My time in Australia was truly life changing due to the seemingly endless opportunities that prevailed allowing me to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone while gaining new perspectives from individuals of all walks of life. I chose The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) as my program provider due to their focus on Oceania where they helped me narrow down the options until I found Murdoch University in Perth, WA which ended up being an exceptional fit. I received help every step of the way and felt in good hands due to the responsiveness of the program coordinators. The extensive Welcome Week in Cairns, QLD allowed me to check several things off my bucket list such as sky diving and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. The traditional Welcome to Country from the local Indigenous people was a very unique experience and even included boomerang throwing and a smudging ceremony followed by song and traditional foods. Sharing these experiences with peers in the program allowed me to connect with them instantly and many ended up becoming close friends throughout the entire semester. I gained more knowledge on Australia’s history, political system, and cultural differences during our meetings and felt better prepared before departing for my host city and uni.

Once in my host city of Perth, WA I immediately realized the way of life was much more relaxed than what I was used to, especially due to the laid back atmosphere of Fremantle Harbor and the relatively less crowded city of Perth. All the people I met and spoke to from WA were extremely laid back and welcoming and friends were easy to make. I was extremely fortunate to see so much of beautiful Western Australia due to two road trips when combined covered nearly all of the Western coastline. Giant Tingle Trees, cave lakes, rolling vineyards, and endless rock formations define the Southwest region of WA for myself and my friends. Later in the semester, a second road trip offered by Murdoch University for study abroad students would be referred to as “the Northwest Trip” by everyone who attended which encompassed a massive proportion of northwest Western Australia with highlights of snorkeling in Turquoise Bay, a traditional Aussie BBQ in the outback of Karijini National Park while dingos howled at the full moon, and serene coastal views that occasionally included a whale’s caudal fin.

If you are thinking about studying abroad, I recommend taking whatever steps necessary and just do it. You will not regret the experience and wherever you end up will be an enjoyable experience as long as you keep an open mind, step outside of your comfort zone, push yourself when the coursework is stressful, and be a good friend to others. The experience will unfold itself and before you know it you will be established with a new life just as it is time to pack your bags and return home. You will get homesick and you will experience tough situations when adjusting to the new country, school, and friendships but the connections you gain and the memories you will make outweigh the negatives. Nothing will have changed when you return home so you might as well take the chance.

This was by far one of the greatest experiences of my life. Everything from traveling within Thailand to other countries in South East Asia was incredibly Immersive. One of the best things by far during my time in Thailand was being able to connect with the locals and other students. Everyone was so kind and open minded it really made meeting people very easy. The support system that TEAN provided truly made the transition from America to Asia seamless. Having someone with us in Thailand to be there to answer any questions or concerns was extremely valuable to have especially when needing to communicate to the locals. Overall, I have nothing bad to say about TEAN abroad and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see Thailand.

My semester in Gold Coast was one of the best things I have ever done. I learned so much about different cultures that have come from all over the world to this one area and I was able to live a different lifestyle from what I was used to in the best way possible. I got to explore new places, food, wildlife, and traditions, all while meeting new friends that I will have forever. I would recommend this program to anyone who asks and could tell stories about all of the things I got to experience that I had only dreamed of.

I had the most incredible semester studying at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The TEAN crew were so helpful, with an orientation trip and lots of local excursions to explore the area and meet other students also studying abroad. It was through them that I got to meet one of my closest friends and now roommate! The leaders were always available to answer questions and provide support, even staff in other cities would help provide travel tips for me when visiting another city. In addition, Sydney was such a stunning place. I was not only able to explore some gorgeous locations, I got to connect with locals and pick up some lessons of the culture (and some slang) along the way. Overall, I would say this experience made me more confident in my own independence, a lesson that has been valuable even after I returned. I cannot recommend this experience enough, ever since I got home I've been counting down the days until I can go back.

I studied at UQ for their academic year and was able to not only take courses that were in my major, but I was able to assist in lab work with a few of my professors to further my knowledge and provide more of a background for my future. I was able to explore and understand more about living abroad and living on my own in another country and get to know Australia and Brisbane through excursions with TEAN and traveling with my friends. This program helped me grow as an individual and as a student and I now feel prepared to move away from home and not only live abroad in Australia, but I feel that from this experience I could live anywhere in the world and feel confident in my abilities to navigate and make friends that I would excel anywhere in the world. I would highly recommend this program and university to anyone who asked where to study abroad because I cannot have gain this experience anywhere else.

My time in Dunedin, New Zealand was all that I could have imagined and more. I was able to explore the majority of the country when I didn't have classes and I also got to spend a week in Australia! I was afraid to travel across the world by myself as I didn't know anyone going, but I was welcomed by an amazing staff and had support whenever I needed it throughout my semester abroad. I was able to get immersed into the culture and make friends from all over the world as well as make some amazing friends from my home country that I have already visited since being home! One of my favorite memories is camping in Fiordland with my young adults group where I experienced the clearest sky that I have ever seen absolutely filled with stars.

New Zealand was absolutely beautiful and I am so thankful that I was able to experience such a unique landscape! Not only was I able to explore through hiking, surfing, and camping, but I was also able to experience an entirely new academic setting. I learned how to adapt to new environments and ways of doing things! Now I have an incredible experience that has shaped the person that I am today, I have visited two new countries, and I have many skills to add to my resume!

I have had a really great time at Hanyang. The classes were a lot less strict then I thought they were going to be. The on site staff are very nice and respond very quickly. Had housing on campus at the dorms and they are nice and have their own bathroom and good space. The campus is nice just hilly. I feel safe walking around at night and you really can leave your belongings and no one will really take. The people here are polite but it’s hard making friends with Koreans because of the culture of who is a friend and who is noona or oppa. So if you want to make Korean friend you have to make one the same birth year as you or the dynamic will never exactly be friend with an older Korean. The there are a lot of fun things to do and you should definitely travel around Korea!! Definitely go to cafes in the Hongdae and Seongsu area. Go sheep cafe called Thanks Nature Cafe. The transportation system is smooth and cheap.