WorldStrides Reviews

Hi everyone! My name is Kaitlin and I have semi-recently returned from studying abroad in the Gold Coast of Australia at Bond University. I loved every second of my abroad experience. From the beautiful location I was able to live in, to the awesome school, great people on the program with me and the incredible destinations I was able to travel to, every second abroad exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend choosing TEAN as your study abroad program if you are thinking of going to Bond University. The staff in both America and Australia were easily reachable and would quickly respond to any question I had about the abroad process. They provide spectacular living options for all budgets and even put on fun events throughout the semester like surfing lessons and jet-boating. I was able to travel to a country I had only ever dreamed of visiting and check so many activities and sites off my bucket list while abroad. And thanks to TEAN, I was able to make this big move stress free and ready for the adventure. I am so thankful for my outstanding abroad experience and would recommend it to everyone considering!

My experience studying abroad with TEAN was life-changing (as cliche as that sounds, but it’s true). I cannot stress enough how many times I left my comfort zone and how many friends I made that I truly believe I will keep in touch with (especially those from TEAN and the orientation in Queenstown). My experience allowed me to take classes that satisfied my intellectual interests rather than solely requirements and helped me realize and redefine my career goals. I was also privileged to be supported and guided by friendly, insightful and experienced TEAN staff, who led exciting excursions such as a trip to Rangitoto Island. When reflecting, I am extremely glad I chose this program. I’ll always fondly remember my semester abroad in New Zealand and draw on the lessons I learned about myself there.

I didn't know what to expect when I signed up for this abroad program, but TEAN was with me every single step of the way. They answered my thousands of emails and even held a small video conference to address any concerns predeparture. When we arrived, a local grad student picked us up at the airport and showed us to our incredibly nice apartments. The local TEAN staff showed us around the city and helped us get all settled in. Honestly, without TEAN's orientation, the transition would have been pretty rough. TEAN staff even held a meeting halfway through the program just to check in on us. I got to explore many unique places, like Hangzhou, Tong Li, and Beijin, too. I made friends from around the globe that I still keep in touch with. In fact, we're planning a reunion trip soon! This was definitely the experience of a lifetime.

I have always been excited to travel abroad and choosing Chiangmai, Thailand as my destination was the best choice I could have made. I was instantly thrown into a culture I was very unfamiliar with, yet was welcomed with kindness and many smiles. TEAN offered a village homestay the first week we arrived, and this instant immersion into Thai culture formed the groundwork for the values we developed throughout this experience. As an art history major, I was in awe with the many beautiful temples I was able to visit and the local handmade artifacts I saw. Monk chats at these temples allowed me to further understand this Buddhist country. TEAN offered courses that allowed us to connect what we learned in class to the culture we were living in. I took a Contemporary Art course that allowed us to visit workshops, factories and museums. A Buddhist class I was enrolled in took a trip to a Buddhist temple for a meditation retreat. I loved the smell of food cooking on the sides of streets, the sound of motorcycles passing by and the sight of monks in their orange robes walking by. Thailand is a truly mesmerizing place that I was able to call home and TEAN allowed me to experience all that I could in these few months.

Going abroad to the University of Otago in Dunedin New Zealand with TEAN was the best choice I have ever made. There are many like-minded amazing students who are also embarking on this adventure right alongside you. TEAN does a great job of helping organize the logistics of studying abroad and always made me feel supported without ever taking away my freedom. It was hard to decide what to do each weekend between camping in beach caves along with penguins, hiking amazing mountains, swimming in clear blue rivers, hanging out in the awesome college-town of Dunedin, and more. I met some of the most amazing peers I have ever met in my life. TEAN provided us with a week to get to know one another in an orientation before the semester started. This made such a difference because once I arrived at school I already had 40 amazing new friends. I am so glad that I took the leap and went abroad to the University of Otago with TEAN.

My semester abroad would not have been as amazing as it was without the help of The Education Abroad Network, TEAN. TEAN made every aspect of my semester abroad as easy-going and as fun as possible. From the beginning, a TEAN staff member worked alongside my home university advisor in order to make my application process as painless as possible. The helped by setting reminders of the tasks I had to complete and the deadlines which they had to be done by. They also helped me book my flights by connecting me with a travel agent who set everything up for me including the flight and the baggage. TEAN started off my semester abroad with a bang with an unforgettable orientation in Cairns, in which I was able to hike a trail with an indigenous tribe, sky dive and dive in the Great Barrier Reef. All of these experiences were unforgettable and have made for great stories. After the orientation concluded, TEAN helped provide accommodations to where we would be staying for our semester abroad and helped us to get settled by giving us tours of our city and answering any questions we may have. Throughout the semester our host country advisors were available to answer any questions of provide any support we may have needed. they were there to provide recommendations of restaurants or fun things to do, ways to get involved at our universities or in our cities or to just be someone to talk to. They hosted events throughout the semester such as milkshakes at Cowch, a local ice cream place or doing the famous Q1 climb in Surfers Paradise and lastly our very fun but sad farewell dinner. Throughout the entire application process and four months abroad, TEAN provided the absolute best service and was an absolute pleasure. I am sure my experience abroad would not have been as amazing as if was if it wasn't for TEAN and their amazing staff.

TEAN gave me the best semester of my life and led me to meeting multiple life long friends. They helped me grow as a person and experience things that I truly could not have experienced or seen anywhere else in the world. TEAN did an amazing job of getting their students into a position where we could succeed in a new environment so that we could grow as people and see the world.
I had high expectations set for my semester abroad but they were most definitely exceeded, and I have countless amazing experiences and memories that I will cherish for a long time.
I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad in New Zealand, and if you are on edge they are very helpful in giving you more information by chatting with someone on their website.

Studying at Vic was a great experience! While never overwhelmed I was adequately challenge d and able to learn a lot about New Zealand in both a historical and modern context. My classes consisted mainly of local students and thus, were a great connection to an authentic experience. Wellington itself is a colorful and exciting city with countless restaurants, cafes, shops and museums despite being easily walkable. Located near the center of the country, it is the perfect home base for exploring the rest of New Zealand! I can attribute my comfort throughout this experience to TEAN for being so friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to help in virtually any way possible. Orientation was in perfect place to introduce us to the country and TEAN's involvement continued to be useful past that first week.

Choosing TEAN Gold Coast was the best decision I could have made! The staff was amazing and so helpful. Orientation in Cairns was so much fun and I was able to scuba dive for the first time, on the Great Barrier Reef. For the better part of the semester, I lived in an 18th floor apartment just a block from the beach. Every morning I woke up and couldn't believe my eyes. I even rented a surfboard from Stuart's for the semester, though by end May, it was a bit too cold without a wetsuit. My business classes at Griffith University were challenging, but a flexible schedule allowed me plenty of time to travel. I also went on TEAN's Thailand excursion over mid-semester break. Krabi and the Islands of Thailand, were my absolutely favorite places of all. The trip was jam-packed with activities, from cooking lessons at a Thai cooking school, to bathing elephants at a Chiang Mai elephant sanctuary. The trip was worth every penny. I did end up with a stomach bug on the return home, and ended up in a Sydney hospital for a few days. TEAN staff were my guardian angels during my hospital stay, and made sure to check on me and update my mom. Overall, I was touched by TEAN's care for their students and still dream of moving back to the Gold Coast of Australia someday.

TEAN is full of incredible people who all want to help you with your studies abroad. They guided me in every step of the way from signing up for the program to getting me back home. Not only was it great support but was full of cheerfulness that furthered the enjoyment of my time in New Zealand. They made the transition to a foreign country stress-free and fun. When you arrive in New Zealand, they are prepared to meet you and bring you to where you need to go. Furthermore, they provided us with sleeping accommodations that were very nice. We had the chance to go on a tour of Milford Sound and see something so beautiful. Another aspect that was really really awesome was the chance to learn more about the culture that exists in the country. This allowed me to be prepared and feel confident when it came to interacting with other people in the country. If you are choosing a program, TEAN is the best possible one, hands down.