WorldStrides Reviews

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.

I think about the month I spent in Malaga this summer with ISA almost every day. It was such a beautiful experience. I stayed in a residencia right in the city center and could walk to shops, amazing restaurants, parks, and beaches. I had 11 roomates from all over the world, some of whom were in the same program. Prior to the trip though, we were given pictures of a different apartment, however, and told that we would only be staying with ISA students which turned out to be untrue. This wasn’t an issue, just a discrepancy. Some of my roommates struggled to sleep because our residencia was right above a popular club but i had no issue with noise in my room. ISA staff was very helpful with the move in process and getting me connected with the landlord. We took weekend trips to Granada, Seville, and Cordoba that were included in the program cost which was really nice. However there was no information prior to the trip on these so it was it was a nice surprise when I got there. I also took a weekend trip to Morocco with friends from the program which was amazing and very convenient because there is a full international airport in the city. The academics were engaging but the not too overwhelming and the professors were understanding at UNAM. I got to meet a lot of other international students which was really fun. Our group leader Iker was awesome. He helped us settle in and organized excursions every week in the city, and was always there to answer any questions or offer support. These excursions included tours of local monuments and a flamenco dance class. Overall I think Malaga is very underrated as a study abroad city. It is big enough to be exciting but not overwhelming, it is not too touristy but a lot of people do speak english in the city center shops, and it has close proximity to other places to travel. It is such a beautiful, charming city and I would highly recommend it.

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.

I really enjoyed the aspect of being in a country that has a very different culture to that of the US or Europe but still have the support I felt like I needed to be comfortable in that environment. It was an incredibly immersive experience where I made incredible friends and enjoyed myself greatly. San Jose is a rough city but once you get out into the country it is absolutely beautiful and the culture is incredibly welcoming and kind.

The amount of excursions in this area is astounding. You can go ziplining in the cloud forests of Monteverde, scuba diving in Puerto Viejo or anything in between!

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.

I participated in a 6-month study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain where I took courses with the locals about topics related to my linguistics major. At first, I was terrified of leaving behind my seemingly perfect life in the US. But as soon as I arrived, I knew I had made the right choice.
Salamanca was a beautiful city that was very different from every other place I have lived. I stayed with a host family in a lovely apartment and although the language barrier was tricky in the beginning, the host mom quickly became my best friend. She helped me pick my outfits for school, she taught me how to cook some delicious meals, and she made my transition into a new culture fun and simple.
Over the course of my stay there, my Spanish language skills improved tremendously. I never thought I would become fluent, but after being surrounded by the language every day I started to think and even dream in Spanish. The coursework was definitely challenging but it was also incredibly interesting and the program staff was always available to help me. I felt like I learned more in my 6 months there than I had in my 5 years of studying Spanish in the US.
Not only did I grow academically from this trip but I also grew as a person. Living in a different country and having to adapt to a new culture expanded my mind in ways I wasn't expecting. I met amazing people from all over the world and I gained confidence that allowed me to take on challenges that I would have previously seen as too intimidating.
I had so much fun during my study abroad experience and I made so many best friends that I decided to spend the summer in Europe after my program ended. I traveled to almost all of the nearby countries and I began to see the world with a new perspective.
If I had the chance, I would do this all over again!

I decided to go abroad for a whole semester and didn’t really know a ton of people from my school going. Definitely was nervous and excited at first but ended up meeting so many friends and we still get together and go on trips! Barcelona is definitely the place to be, its beauty, nightlife, and culture is something everyone should experience. We also got to travel just about every weekend but loved our time in Barcelona so much! I wouldn’t be the person I am today with out experiencing a whole semester of learning, laughing and truly living. Best time of my life.

It was simply the best time of my life. Finally got the opportunity to visit so many places in Europe. I got to learn & expand my knowledge of spanish as well. Being able to travel relatively cheaply is awesome as well. The BCN airport is super easy to get to & always has flights to anywhere. The schooling was great as well. Most of the professors speak great english & are super useful for anything! The Barcelona metro system is great as well. It really can get you anywhere. The tourist attractions in Barcelona are second to none.

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.