WorldStrides Reviews

Hands down best experience of my life. TEAN had everyone who went through the network meet in cairns where I met people from the states that will then be dispersed all over Australia! This made it SO easy to travel everywhere because you had a tourguide and a place to stay where ever you went! throughout the entire abroad experience TEAN made it so easy and so enjoyable constantly giving me opportunities to explore! I truly miss Australia and the people I met there everyday.

Studying abroad in Melbourne was the most amazing experience. I have grown to be extremely independent and full of confidence. I have explored the Australian culture and grown a great love for it. University of Melbourne is a beautiful and prestigious University. I felt extremely lucky to have the opportunity to study there. I would choose Australia and Melbourne over and over again. I would recommend this program to every person out there. I wouldn't change a thing about my experience.

I never thought it would be so hard to leave. Australia was without a shadow of a doubt the best experience that I've ever had. Whether it was my time swimming with a sea turtle at the Great Barrier Reef, learning to surf at Bondi Beach, or getting to know people from all over the world, TEAN made this trip the best it could possibly be. As I look back on my time in Australia, the only thing that I regret is that I actually left. One of the best parts about the trip was that I got a really good idea for what I wanted to do after graduation. I'm studying journalism and communications, and as the semester wore on I was really enjoying not taking my journalism classes, so I realized that wasn't for me. On the other hand, one of my favorite classes, Media, Society, and Politics, really drove home a point that I had been thinking about. Back at my home university I had taken several classes talking about social media, which I had really enjoyed! However, MSP really showed me how deep and how interesting this topic was, and as a result I'm pursuing a job in social media post graduation. I wouldn't have had that experience without studying abroad.

New Zealand really gave me the study abroad experience of a lifetime! Every weekend I was off on a new adventure with friends from home and within my program. In just 5 months I was able to travel to 23 different cities within the country, some even more than once because I couldn't stay away (Queenstown, Wanaka, and Wellington). From the very first day, while I was a bit homesick, I was able to take my mind off of it by getting out of my comfort zone, going on hikes, skydiving, bungee jumping, skiing and so much more! The bonds I formed with my roommates, and the friendships I made with classmates and other local students and neighbors is something that I will cherish forever. Be prepared for spontaneous road trips and fantastic views and lots of sheep and lambs, which are the absolute cutest things I have ever seen. Don't for one second hesitate about doing something, because you never know when you will have the chance to do it again. Dunedin itself is a classic college town, full of students and faculty, and with downtown only a 10 minute walk down a street lined with restaurants, cafes, and shops, the social scene is out of this world. Personally, there were so many things to explore, I feel like I didn't have enough time! Always remember to sit back and take in the moment, though, because time moves fast. My study abroad time in New Zealand may be complete, but I am determined to go back some day!

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!

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 participated at Konkuk University and it was amazing! First of all, the korean people make you feel welcome (which I think is one of the most important reasons to travel to a place). They are really kind and helped me a lot even though I didn't understand Korean much. Second, Konkuk University is one of the hub places for young people to hang out, because of the food, shops and things to do. Third, the food was amazing. I didn't know I liked spicy food that much but Korean food is just awesome. Fourth, the classes I attended really helped me understand the Korean culture much better. However, it was hard for me to get a decent mobile plan. I chose Pocket Wifi Korea and had a great time with the pocket wifi system. I'm not sure what other data plans people use but I feel this is a great choice!