WorldStrides Reviews

Before arriving in New Zealand the staff at ISA helped keep me organized with all of the documents required to go overseas for the semester. They were definitely really good at making sure things were in on time too, and they were super flexible and understanding when situations came up. There was also a resource pack provided before going abroad that was filled with helpful tips, even what streets to go to when exploring Wellington! I felt prepared because of how much information ISA provided prior to my travels.

When I first arrived to the Auckland airport there was someone from ISA waiting with a sign to direct all of the students to the right place, which made me feel very comfortable from the start. The trip started in Auckland for a “Bridging Cultures” portion. Basically, we all spent the first few days together exploring Auckland and Rotorua while adjusting to our new “home,” New Zealand. It was a great bonding experience that I truly will remember for a lifetime. After this ended we finally made our way down to Wellington, where I was studying for the semester.

Upon arriving in New Zealand we then started to get to know our University. Once we were all settled in we started having occasional “excursions” that are included in the ISA program price. Our first excursion was a seal coast safari, it was super exciting and I developed a newfound love for New Zealand fur seals! Other excursions included a sleepover at the Wellington zoo, a private tour of the weta workshop, and a visit to Matiu/Somes Island. Our ISA Resident Director (RD) is the person who set all of these excursions up and went on them with us, she was also the person we could go to if we needed anything. ISA also provided us with a 24 hour free emergency line, that I thankfully never had to use (but it’s good to know it was an option). They definitely offered a lot of support while we were there and were really understanding with culture shock and all of that good stuff (they even educated us on how to deal with it).

When we were all getting ready to depart we had a nice goodbye dinner purchased by ISA and it was a good chance to see everyone together one last time before heading home. Our RD also made sure she knew everyones travel plans to be sure she knew when we were supposed to be leaving and going home.

After arriving back home I have received emails from ISA checking up on how everything was and informing me on more opportunities they offer for going abroad for things such as internships and service-learning. My RD also sent me a nice email saying goodbye and that she’s always here if I need anything. ISA has also kept me up-to-date on my transcript and when it should arrive at my home University and they provided us with alumni resources which include ways to develop a professional profile for my study abroad experience.

I could ramble on for pages and pages about all the amazing experiences I had while abroad! One of my favorite stories is meeting my Australian friend Scott. We shared all of our classes together and he told me all the fun and cool things I should be doing while in the Gold Coast. He really gave me a better idea of their culture and knew what things I should do beyond what most tourists are looking for. We still talk sometimes and I'm so thankful to have met him!

My semester spent at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) through TEAN was the most exciting adventure. Living off campus in a beautiful apartment near the beach was something I thought I would never experience. I learned to surf on the famous Bondi Beach and played with koalas and kangaroos. Not only did I experience these new adventures, I learned to live like a local in the small beach suburb and also leaned to maneuver my way around the city as well. TEAN is an amazing program and they go above and beyond to make Australia feel like home and to make sure you get the most out of your time abroad. One semester went by so quickly and I would do anything to do it again!

I don’t think I could have made a better decision than to study abroad at the University of Melbourne through The Education Abroad Network. The TEAN program surpassed my expectations in every way and facilitated the best six months of my life. In Melbourne, there was always something to do. If I wasn't spending the day hiking and exploring the bush in the Dandenong Ranges or Mornington Peninsula, you could find me down alleyways looking for the tastiest food, the best coffee, or new and upcoming artists in the heart of Melbourne's CBD.

I am a HUGE foodie, which is probably why I loved Melbourne as much as I did. Melbourne is the food, coffee, and music capitol of Australia and for a good reason. On a Saturday morning, the whole CBD smells of brunch, as delicious smells waft from every direction. I probably spent most of my money on exploring new restaurants and eateries, while becoming a regular at a few. I followed a few food bloggers from Melbourne and found myself exploring further and further out into the different suburbs of Melbourne, literally eating my way through the city.

We lived in the heart of Melbourne right on the edge of the CBD (central business district, aka downtown). I never knew how much I enjoyed city life until my study abroad experience and I didn’t want to leave! Living in the CBD meant that we were never more than a short walk or tram ride from wherever we wanted to go. With music festivals, farmers markets, coffee classes, and adventure clubs, Melbourne was never short on excitement. The city itself had an awesome vibe that thrived on street art, performers, and the diverse communities that make up the surrounding suburbs. If you have been to Portland, Oregon, that would give you a taste of what Melbourne has to offer.

Through the program and on recommendations from my Resident Director in Melbourne, I traveled to Thailand, Indonesia, and New Zealand, and ate my way through many cities along the way. On the TEAN Trip to Thailand, we took a cooking class in Chiang Mai and I fell head over heals in love with Thai curry and have since tried to perfect my favorite, Red Curry. While in Indonesia, I was able to travel with some of my friends from TEAN and we experienced traditional home cooked Indonesian food and took an Indonesian cooking class with the cutest lady around. Studying Abroad in Australia has allowed me to expand my palate as well as my appreciation of where great food comes from.

Along with the Spring Break trips to Thailand and New Zealand (which both are beyond amazing), TEAN does a great job at ensuring that each student has the best study abroad experience possible. TEAN provides students with Resident directors in their chosen cities that make the experience of studying abroad even more amazing!

Studying through The Education Abroad Network was a great decision as it streamlined and organized the process, while ensuring that my study abroad experience was nothing less than amazing! Studying Abroad taught me to embrace new cultures, seize opportunities, and inflamed my desire to travel the world. The Education Abroad Network program provided me with incredible opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else!

Before this summer, I didn't think that I would be able to study abroad due to an extremely heavy class schedule. However, researching differet programs, I was able to find that TEAN's Public Health in Southeast Asia course corresponded to both my schedule and interests. TEAN was extremely helpful with all sorts of pre-trip planning (e.g. flights, Visas, and credit transfer). Once we arrived in Thailand, we were greeted by three TEAN representatives, who lived in Chiang Mai. All logistical items were handled before we even got there, so our transition was very smooth. The TEAN orientation took us all around the city and taught us key phrases and mannerisms to help integrate into the culture. Our housing was spectacular, probably better than at my home university. We lived at Uniloft, which is a hybrid dorm/apartment student-living complex that is only a 5 minute walk from the university's back gate. The complex has a great location and awesome amenities; there's 2 swimming pools, study rooms, multiple ATMs, gym, laundry service, and a 7-11. There's so many bars, restaurants, and cafes nearby (even a cat cafe!). I was really happy with how the program encouraged us to get a more authentic experience. By rooming with Thai students, we were able to learn about their favorite places to eat, local nightlife, resources on campus, how to stay polite in social interactions, and fun places to hangout. I had a great time touring the country with my roommate and was honored when he took me to his hometown to meet his family. The program really shows you the breadth of Thai society and culture. In class, we studied topics ranging from history to Buddhism, which were able to apply by visiting local temples, landmarks, and NGOs. By far, my favorite part was the Thai village home-stay. By living in a village for several days, we saw a totally different side of Thailand, the hardworking life of the rural populations.

I am so happy I chose to step out of my comfort zone and study abroad in Thailand with TEAN. The day I started my application the TEAN staff got a notification and a staff member called me right away to see if I had any questions. From then on they were so helpful answering all of my phone calls and emails and made me feel prepared for my 5 months abroad. TEAN makes sure that students get a genuine feel for the culture of Thailand, so that includes living with a Thai roommate and doing a village home-stay for a week. Living in the village was one of the highlights of my time abroad. The Thai people made us all feel so welcome and although the language barrier was tough it was amazing how we could communicate in other ways and learn about each other. Living with a Thai roomie was also really cool, they would show us the good places to get Thai food and they organized activities for us to do every month. TEAN sets up a dinner every month to check in on the students and see how we're adjusting, as well as monthly excursions and a weekend trip to Krabi which was another highlight of my time abroad. My 5 months in Southeast Asia were the happiest months of my life, I made lifelong friends with other TEAN students and have memories that I will truly cherish forever.

Modesty. Above all, modesty is what I've found on the campus and within the community of Victoria and Wellington. When you have this characteristic of individuals, it charges a wave of kindness and concern throughout businesses and authoritative figures. I've loved every minute here. The lack of sun is compromised by all the smiling faces.

TEAN is a great comprehensive and fun-loving program overall. The fun-loving attitude applies to all the TEAN staff and to the other students who choose TEAN as well. You can't go wrong with the activities and the pre-semester excursion to Fiji (for the TEAN NZ crowd) at the beginning of the program either. It was a great way to kick off a great start to a great program.
After being introduced to the magnificent TIM TAM (chocolate coated cookie goodness) by the wonderful TEAN staff at my Auckland orientation, my time in NZ just kept getting better. I met my four kiwi flat mates once I arrived in Christchurch. Once we got over our differences of what the word barbeque meant, we become pretty good friends and I had a great time learning all about kiwi culture from them. After studying hard the first half of the semester and becoming accustomed to unique vibe in Christchurch, I found myself back with some more TEAN students on the Thailand mid-semester trip. It doesn't get much better than laying on a beach or bartering for souvenirs in a market with lots of like-minded, adventurous college students while eating Thai food and then going to feed an elephant its lunch of several whole watermelon. Not only were all of those activities obviously tremendously fun, but in doing so, we learned about Thai culture as well as the sustainable eco-tourism at the elephant preserve.
TEAN, by being the study abroad program that it is, makes learning relevant to not only your traditional coursework at your home university, but they make learning relevant to yourself, to your own community, and to the rest of the world. This aspect of TEAN is what makes them such a great overall program. And, even better than that, it was just a fun overall program that made me sad to leave it behind.

All my best friends went to Europe and a lot of them questioned why I chose New Zealand. However, two seconds in Fiji and I knew I had made the right choice. 73 college students on an island all about to spend the next six months together there really is no easier way to make friends! None of which would have been possible without TEAN. Prior to even stepping foot in New Zealand The Education Abroad Network reassures you 100% that they will be there to help you as much as you need it throughout your semester. Even someone who considers them self as independent it would reassuring to know that 10,000 miles away from home there was help if I needed it.

During my time abroad I became a more independent and confident person. I believe that going to Australia on my own was a huge factor in this. It forced me to really put myself out there in meeting new people and being adventurous. The entire experience abroad was absolutely worthwhile and I would recommend doing it through the Education Abroad Network to anyone. They made the entire process simple and painless. Living in Australia for 5 months was truly life changing. I am so thankful I took advantage of the oppourtunity to do it during my college education!