WorldStrides Reviews

I am so glad that I decided to go through The Education Abroad Network (TEAN). I looked at a few other programs and this was the only one that fit me, but as soon as I committed I never looked back. TEAN helped me with everything before leaving for the trip. There were things that I never would have even thought of doing, but thanks to TEAN I was able to follow their checklist to get all set for Australia. I did the pre-semester trip which was totally worth it, but as soon as we got to Sydney the TEAN staff spent the next few days giving us an orientation. Normally I find orientations dry and boring, but TEAN incorporated awesome activities making orientation a ton of fun and it ended up being one of the highlights of my semester. When we finally got to the Gold Coast, the TEAN staff didn't just dump us. They frequently checked in and planned events for us. It was really nice to be able to know that someone was there for us for our entire trip. Not that going abroad is stressful, but having TEAN did take away any stress we would have had.

Studying in Paris with ISA was an AMAZING experience. I got to live out my dream of living in and exploring the beautiful city of Paris.

All of the information supplied by ISA before departure and upon arriving in France was so helpful and helped prevent serious culture shock and stress. The staff is so incredibly helpful about any questions/issues you may have. They plan excursions in the city and outside of Paris for you, so you get to explore a little more without any extra effort. That's also a really good and easy way to meet other people in the program.

The French course at the Catholic University was somewhat challenging and really forced me to speak up and use my French which turned out to be a really good thing as I gained more confidence to go out and speak to the natives. Workload was not bad at all though, so I never felt swamped with school work and could go out after class without stressing. I took Art History with ISA, and that was incredible. We went to many museums and sites in the city, and I learned a ton. No classroom time at all, which was great.

I met so many awesome people through the program, and my host family was fantastic. I am so grateful to ISA for giving me this great experience. If you are considering this program, go for it!

I searched many programs when I finally made the decision to study abroad and it is with the utmost conviction when I say that The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) is the best one out there. You are immediately aware of the superiority of this program when you are matched with a program advisor who is personable, knowledgeable and genuinely cares about your questions and concerns. And that doesn't stop once you leave the United States. TEAN provides you with an advisor in your selected study abroad city as well--making sure you are in safe hands at all times. Another aspect TEAN offers in Gold Coast, Australia is the option of living in a serviced-apartment hotel as your living arrangements! On-campus housing is of course offered as well. Studying abroad in Australia was the experience of a lifetime, so much so that I now consider it a second home. Between the weather, laid-back lifestyle and friendly natives, it was an easy transition with actually more culture shock when I returned back to the United States! Bond University houses many international students so you're also a part of an even wider culture experience. The Gold Coast is social and lively while mixing in beautiful beaches, breath-taking views and easy accessibility to other cities and attractions.

Thailand will always be one of the best experiences of my life. I have nothing negative to report about the country in general. The Thai people are always helpful and rarely did we ever feel unsafe. However, I was unsatisfied with GlobaLinks as a study abroad program. The program fees are incredibly high for such an inexpensive country and although I asked why this was and what my money was going towards, the staff at GlobaLinks never gave a clear answer. As students, we each paid a total of around $8000 in program fees when the tuition for the school was no more than $2500. Where the extra $5500 went is a mystery since this program advertises itself as non-profit. GlobaLinks also changed their policies and failed to update their website with all the new information on fees and visa applications, so, as you can imagine, it was extremely frustrating when we were not told about the changes made to fees until we had already paid the initial payment that was non-refundable. My fellow students and I also had many problems with the coordinator who was very delayed in responding to our emails and was unable to keep in contact with us while we were abroad. I would recommend studying in Thailand to anyone. However when it comes to GlobaLinks I would say to find another study abroad program or be adventurous and go on your own since this one is extremely over priced and not worth your money for the poor, inadequate services they provide.

Studying abroad through GlobaLinks was the best decision I have probably ever made. GlobaLinks made the process of getting ready for my semester easy and exciting. The orientation week was so much fun and made the transition to a new country seamless. If I had to make the decision to study abroad through this program again, I would make the same decision every time.

This school was remarkable! I'd love to be back! It has everything I could ever want. My biggest concern was being far away from Sydney, but a week was more than enough time for there. The tropics have so much more to experience. The Great Barrier Reef was my number one reason for going to JCU, but the people, the phenomenal weather and the great classes helped make it the best experience I could ever ask for. Make lots of friends with the local students as well as people in your program! Pack lightly and enjoy every single day. It goes far too fast!

I had a wonderful time during my time in Amman in the summer 2012 Middle East Studies program with ISA and would highly recommend it to anyone! The ISA staff is extremely supportive and they do an excellent job of helping you familiarize with the city when you first arrive and showing you where a lot of the great places to eat and socialize are. I have been abroad several times and while I think the educational aspect is important, the support of the staff is what will really make or break your experience, and I was thrilled with how smoothly my excursions were to places like the Dead Sea. Amman is a very culturally rich city and very welcoming to visitors as long as you are ready to embrace something new, and anytime I looked confused for more than a few seconds in a store or restaurant someone who could speak both Arabic and English would come assist me. Only two things I would recommend that wouldn't be obvious to someone who hasn't been there: BRING PLENTY OF CASH! I had came prepared to put at least half of my expenses on a credit card only to learn that almost no businesses take credit cards (including McDonald's even). Also, be prepared to spend money on cabs, and if you are going to use cabs make sure you give yourself plenty of time in advance to catch them and travel to your destination timely. Otherwise just be mindful of the usual advice regarding respecting the local culture and you'll have a wonderful time!

I wanted an experience that was completely outside my comfort zone, and that's exactly what I got studying abroad at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji with GlobaLinks Learning Abroad. It's impressive to see how much one semester abroad in Fiji can change you. My time abroad I became more independent, outgoing, and most importantly appreciate and am very grateful for the life that I have. GlobaLinks provides a orientation week which helps so much, so the initial culture shock isn't too overwhelming. We were able to stay a few days at a fijian village and experience the every day lifestyle of a fijian and also did some community service during the village stay. The staff at GlobaLinks are wonderful and make everything so much easier for you. The University of the South Pacific takes care of the international students very well, the academic aspect of the school isn't as tough as we are used to. Also the teachers there don't respond to you as fast, so you have to be patient or make sure you talk to them face to face. The housing was wonderful, we each had one roommate, but had our own bedroom and bathroom, and had a shared living room and kitchen. With the kitchen we were able to cook on our own, which I enjoyed a lot. Also, try to get as involved in school activities as possible. I joined the basketball team at USP, and I have met so many local friends from Fiji and still keep in touch with them. With local friends, I had so much more fun because I was able to live more like a Fijian and experience more cultural things. One of my favorite aspects was being able to travel around Fiji so much. Go out and explore, Fiji is beautiful and island hopping and traveling around the main island is easy and not too expensive. Also the safety in Fiji is not too bad, just make sure you are always with someone at night to avoid a dangerous situation. To help prepare for the program I talked to a previous alumni of the program, and she helped me so much, so if possible try to connect with an alumni to help you out. She helped me with things such as what to pack, places to go, things to try, and so much more. I only stayed for one semester, but I really wish I could have stayed longer. I consider Fiji my second home now, and I will definitely be back to visit the beautiful islands and my friends. I would recommend this program to everyone. It's been the best and most rewarding experience of my life.

Studying at the University of Queensland was an amazing experience. Classes are set up completely differently than in the U.S. Usually there would be one or two meetings per week with no homework so grades are largely based on one exam and/or a paper. It is important to stay on top of your work but this format also gives you a lot of time to explore Australia and get to do the fun touristy things with your friends. We would usually travel along the coast on weekends and we made sure to see as much as possible. An average day was waking up going to class, coming home pretty early and relaxing with friends before we went out to the lagoon in the afternoon to soak up some sun or walk around food markets in the city - Definitely worth every penny.

Studying Abroad is one of the most amazing opportunities and I'm so glad I got to experience it. Living in a foreign country has opened my eyes to so many possibilities, and made me realize the world is a lot bigger than we think.

Gold Coast is the perfect climate and ideal location in my opinion. It was rarely cold during the day, cold being lower than 65 degrees, even in the winter. During the winter nights it can get chilly, but you'll get by just fine with a sweatshirt and jeans. I would highly recommend living at the Griffith University Village if you can. They aren't the nicest apartments and you'll probably find better one along the beach. However if you want to meet Australians and other international students this the best place to live.

Something I didn’t realize before going was that Australia is about the same size as mainland US. It’s unlikely you’ll get to see the whole country because you have to all the major cities; however the cost of airfare is usually pretty reasonable. I would suggest planning out any trip in advance, that way you can find the best deals on cheap flights. You can save a lot of money that way, especially if you’re trying to budget your money. There are so many amazing places to see, and you’ll want to see as many as you can. Australia tend to be more expensive in almost every way when compared to the US, so budgeting if very important.

What I really like about going through GlobaLinks was how much the staff genuinely cared about the students they send abroad. They are willing to answer any questions you have from starting an application to how to make the most out of your experience. The safety and education of the students is most important to them. There are GlobaLinks staff on site in every country, and you can call there office if you have any problems while abroad. They also check up on you thought the semester, just to see how you’re doing. Another awesome perk about choosing GlobaLinks is the Bridging Cultures Program that you do at the start of your trip. You spend 5 day up in Cairns, Queensland where the Great Barrier Reef is. You have the option to go on a boat tour of the reef or white water rafting, you also spend a full day on the reef, snorkeling and diving and a day at a wild life sanctuary where you learn about Aboriginal culture, hold a koala and get to play with the kangaroos. It is definitely one of the highlights of the program. I would recommend this program to anyone thinking of studying abroad.