Melbourne is a fantastic city and there is so much to see and do. The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) enabled me to see the best parts of the city and do the most exciting and rewarding activities in the area. Without the help of TEAN I would have been lost in the city, without the knowledge I needed in order to make the most of my time abroad. The advisers and other TEAN staff were very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to navigating the city, deciding what to do, and overall just answering any questions that came up.
Where to even begin? This was hands down the best 4 months of my life, best experience of my life. Basically just the best time of my life was from August 28th to December 20th of 2015. Everyday was something new, whether it was traveling somewhere, meeting someone, or even just trying a new food. Every day was a new experience and I loved that. I traveled all around this beautiful country and got to see some of the natural beauty this world has to offer. One of my favorite places was definitely Cairns. Cairns is really just a small town with a really beach vibe to it, so whats not to love. The thing that attracts people to Cairns though is that it is right on the great barrier reef. I got to go scuba diving on the great barrier reef which I think was my favorite thing I did while abroad. I had never been scuba diving before this, and going scuba diving on the great barrier reef for your first time is pretty unreal if you ask me. I cannot explain the feeling of exploring virtually a new world, it was absolutely incredible. The next day, I went skydiving, I jumped out of an airplane from 14 thousand feet in Australia!! I did all of this in one weekend by the way, these things I did over that weekend are things that some people go their whole lives without doing, and that was pretty much an average weekend for me there. So don't miss out, if you have the opportunity to study abroad, take advantage of that opportunity %100.
What would you improve about this program?
Cannot think of one thing to make this program any better than it already was. Maybe if it was free
Studying abroad in New Zealand I knew was going to be a once in a lifetime experience. Studying in Christchurch in the South Island not only opened me up to an endless amount of outdoor opportunities but also allowed me to experience a wealth of beautiful geography from glaciers to fiords to numerous national parks. TEAN really helped me to become adjusted to the time zone and what New Zealand was going to be like during our week in Fiji with excellent Kiwi leaders and the most relaxing beaches in the world. TEAN orients everyone studying in New Zealand together which allowed me to make friends all over the country who I then visited during my experience, making travel a lot more accessible. As prepared as I was, really getting out into the country and experiencing the outdoors first hand allowed me to appreciate nature further and advance my outdoor education. But along with all the traveling I was able to accomplish, living in Christchurch provided me with a unique experience. Christchurch is deep in the recovery of a devastating earthquake an eye opening sight that my professors were able to incorporate into their lectures by giving real life New Zealand examples to the theories we were learning in class. It made my studying part of being abroad that much more special and close to the place to which I was learning. Living in Christchurch allowed me to hike almost every weekend and living in Ilam helped me meet people from all over the world. Studying abroad truly pushed me to try new things, meet new people, and experience numerous adventures.
What would you improve about this program?
If I had to improve one thing it would be to have had more information on Christchurch as a city in recovery and the opportunities that presents.
Wellington was the most amazing host city! It was so cultured, and the perfect size to explore and navigate. It is nestled right in a harbour, and is the most unique city I have ever been to! If you have a love for coffee and cafes like I do, Wellington is the perfect place for you! Not to mention it was an ideal location for traveling the rest of the country. And I was so glad I had TEAN encouraging me to make the most of my time abroad! They were amazing at communicating with me and handled everything and anything you could ever imagine!
One of my favorite memories is a road trip my housemates and I went on to go hiking on the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk track. Everything about the weekend was great- stopping in little towns to explore, hiking around a picturesque lake with light snowfall, and really getting to know my roommates. It was a time that I can look back on as a way to remember that adventure is the best way to learn and grow. The experiences to have abroad are truly life changing and I wouldn't have changed anything I encountered during my time studying in New Zealand. Being able to travel is invaluable and college is the best time to do it! I've always believed that there is nothing better than getting college credits for traveling and learning about a new culture, and I still stand by that statement.
What would you improve about this program?
It hard to come up with improvements for TEAN. They did so well preparing me before I started me journey halfway across the world, and they maintained a connection with me throughout my time abroad. I'm so happy that I chose them to be my guides throughout this whole process.
Studying abroad in Dublin was the best decision of my life. Deciding to study in Dublin wasn't an extensive decision- it was just something I knew I wanted to do. I didn't have "Irish" family (something you immediately learn to not say once you land in Ireland) and I'd never been to the country before- I just knew I wanted to go to Dublin. It felt right.
I knew my decision was right when I stepped off the plane in Dublin airport. The city is amazing and has an energy that can't be duplicated. The people are lovely, the city is beautiful, and has this strong sense of identity like no where else I've ever seen.
My favorite part of Dublin is the plethora of things to do, no matter you interest. A city based in such rich history- literary, sport, and historical history- there is so much going on in a place that has perfectly balanced old and new. Go to a book or music shop. Go to a cafe. Hungry? Go to one of the food or book markets. Want to stay outside? Go to Pheonix Park, the largest park in Europe. Want to go inside? Hit up the museums. They're everywhere, unique and interesting, and they are FREE. Go grab a pint and people watch. Go to Penneys. Just do it, even though you'll spend all your money. I met some of my best friends here, and we had some amazing, crazy adventures (30 Euro flight to the French Riviera? Okay!) but some of my favorite memories are just walking down Dame or O'Connell Street, and looking at everything- the people, the buildings, the buses. It's a beautiful city with so much to do, and everything is so accessible that it's impossible to have regrets.
Dublin is my favorite city in the world. Within days, it felt like home- partially due to my willingness to let it, but mostly due to the friendliness, style, and diversity of the city. If I could do the whole semester over again, I would- not to make any changes, but so I could relive it again! I miss this place and the people I met their every day. Slainte!
What would you improve about this program?
I would have liked more things to do on the overnights- ex rather spend the whole day in Galway City, the option to go to Connemara or the Aran Islands. Just because it was hard to get back out there!
Some of my favorite memories from my time abroad were the morning sunrises that we had in every city that we went to. As we traveled across Australia, through New Zealand, and Fiji, we made sure that we watched a sunrise in every place. We forced ourselves to stay up all night long to see the sunrise but they were all filled with great times, company, and plenty of laughs along the way. They were great adventures that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Another memory I have is skydiving for the first time with a group from the program. We were all incredibly nervous before take-off but I remember once we saw the views of Cairns we forgot that we were about to jump. Naturally we all freaked out after the first person jumped however but once we all landed on the ground it was such a rush that we will never forget, and it was something we were glad to experience together.
Having the opportunity to study abroad was something that I have always dreamed of. I wasn't ever 100% sure where I wanted to go, however once I went to talk to my advisor and heard about the TEAN program in Sydney I was immediately sold! I had never heard a single bad thing about the program or the place, so I figured, why not?! Upon my arrival to Sydney, everything from our housing to our bridge climb was planned for us. After 5 months in Sydney I never wanted to leave and am already planning my next trip back! I met some of the most amazing people, ate some of the best food and saw some of the most famous sites around the world. I had the chance to travel to Bali, New Zealand, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Byron Bay and Melbourne...aka places I thought I could only dream of traveling to as a 20 year old American girl. I made memories that will last a life time, and even after 3 months home, I still get all giddy just talking about my experiences. I've probably told every person that has asked me about it (regardless of their age) that they need to study abroad and/or just go to Australia.
Getting out of town was very easy and pretty affordable. On any given Thursday night, I might have not had any plans to travel but by the time mid day on Friday rolled around, somebody would have come up with a plan to go out of town for the weekend. One example of a shotgun trip like this was my trip that I took from Dunedin to Auckland. In a matter of days, I found a group of people to rent cars, buy plane tickets, and find places to sleep throughout the country as we drove and flew around both islands of New Zealand.
Over the course of the semester, I was able to make connections and network with people all across the country so that on this 1100km drive, we would have friends to stay with the entire time. On this weeklong trip, we made stops in Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorura, and finally Auckland. I personally hold this trip with such high regard because it had a perfect combination of city life as well as the experience of being in some of the purest natural settings that the world has to offer.
Usually when I have to go for a long drive, I feel rushed to get to my final destination in a timely fashion. I found that when I would travel around New Zealand, I wouldn't feel this urge to rush and would instead take my time to take in the scenery and see the sights.
So when you go to New Zealand, make sure to take your time, don't do too much planning, and make all the stops to ensure that you don't miss a thing.
Sometime around February or March my friend brought up the brilliant idea of going abroad. It was my junior year and I thought, "I have nothing to lose." Why not end my college career with a bang?
The past six months has been more than exploring a country and going to uni. Through TEAN they prepared an orientation that brought the students together and gave us a vast amount of knowledge about New Zealand, all while having fun in Fiji, to seeing a Māori cultural dance and white water rafting in Rotorua. TEAN kept coming through and during the semester our TEAN advisor at our university would still have several meet-ups and awesome excursions in our surprise.
New Zealand in general... is an incredible experience. Towards the end of my time there, I had found another place I could call home. My intentions to "go here" and "try that" didn't need an Instagram post every time. All I need was the memory of that moment. At the end, my time abroad was about growing the drive the see what the rest of the world has to offer.
I would give anything for the opportunity to relive my abroad experiences. The people I met, the food I tried, the places I've seen, and the friends I've made were some of the best parts of living overseas. When I look back to everything I did, I have no idea how I did it all. From skydiving 14,000 feet high over the Gold Coast of Australia, to being hugged by the trunk of an elephant in the villages of Bali, to swimming side by side with an actual sea turtle along the Great Barrier Reef, the amount of things I have crossed off my bucket list is amazing. TEAN provides the ability for you to explore yourself and the world while remaining a student. One of the favorite days was when me and my friends took a boat from the harbor of Whitsundays out to Whitehaven beach (the 8th best beach in the world for it's 98% silica sand). We were all in such awe from what was right before us that we jumped in the water taking pictures and splashing each other like we were 10 years old again, haha.
What would you improve about this program?
I had so much fun abroad that it's hard to think of anything negative... If there was anything I struggled with it was definitely managing my own money. It would be nice if in the beginning there was some type of outline of how much students at your abroad university spent in the past on different daily expenses. That way they could include expenses on night life, shopping, and travel rather than just food and transportation.
