WorldStrides Reviews

My typical day during the week involved waking up, getting ready, grabbing my umbrella and boots and walking to the metro in the rain. Then a 30 minute ride followed by a 10 minute walk in the rain to class. The class rooms were freezing but the professors were wonderful. The classes were not hard, but the Language immersion classes were all in Spanish and with mostly American students. The business side had more of a mixture of international students and were taught in English. At 130 I would hope back on the metro, go home eat lunch with my host family and take a siesta till 4, go for a run on the pathway next to the beach, come back finish some homework and hangout till dinner with was at 930-10 when my host mom got home. We would eat all together watching El Hormie Guero on TV and then go to bed. On the weekends I went on trips all over Europe, I visited 15 different cities. There was a 2 week spring break so we got to go to Morocco and I visited family in Germany, but other students went all the way to Jerusalem and Egypt. I hung out in the ISA office a lot too which was literally the building next to the school. If I wasn't out traveling we went out on the town, there is a great night life scene where people start partying at 2 in the morning and then go home at 7. We also went to the beach a lot and had surfing lessons with a discount for the Unviersidad de Deusto. It rained a lot in Bilbao in the spring, and it was cold. It had similar weather to Seattle but colder and very little sunshine. That was my biggest disappointment, but the public transit was amazing, and my host family was so gracious and loving. I would definitely go back.

There is nothing bad to say about The Education Abroad Network and studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. It was the most incredible 5 months of my life and I would not change a single second of it. Everything flowed smoothly thanks to the Education Abroad Network and I could not have done it without them. Thanks to them my experience abroad ran smoothly and whenever I needed help they were always available. There is NO other program to go through, they are the best!

Studying abroad in the Gold Coast was the best decision I’ve ever made. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with better people. I believe that a key reason I had such an amazing time overseas was because I chose to study abroad with The Education Abroad Network (TEAN). The helpful and friendly staff assisted me up to and through my journey of Australia.

While in Australia I attended Griffith University and lived in the Meriton Apartment of Broadbeach. Tean provided me with top of the line housing and the Meriton featured a beautiful pool, hot tub and was less than a minute walk from the beach. To really understand how amazing my trip was I want to explain what a typical week would be like when studying in the Gold Coast.

Typically I would wake up on Mondays and take a short ride over to campus to culture myself with a few classes. Being on campus was always a good time as something was always going on. It could be on campus trivia, or a pool party at the Village either way there was something to do. By mid day I would head home to hit the pool and catch some sun or walk down to the beach to lay around for the rest of the afternoon. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were a lot like Mondays but on days with more free time I had the option to take the bus to some of the amazing water parks that are featured on the gold coast.

If lying out by the beach or heading to the water parks isn’t your thing than you could walk around in Surfers Paradise and hit up all the luxury shopping outlets. This area also offers unique dining options if you want to get a bite to eat. One of my favorite things was when the sun went down and it was time to go out. Night life on the Gold Coast is known around Australia as some of the best. You could take it easy and have a few drinks while enjoying a footy game or pick up the tempo and check out the clubs in the area. There is always something to do!

I saw these are things I would do on a typical week but I want you to know that every week was different. One week you may find yourself traveling to Byron Bay to visit the most easterly point of Australia or to Cairns to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. Either way you will have an amazing time in Australia and with the help of TEAN and their staff it will truly be something you will never forget.

From the get-go, TEAN made the 'getting there' process completely fool-proof. I was in constant contact with them finding out all the steps I needed to complete, and they basically handled everything for me in terms of sorting things out with Lincoln. The staff could not have been any better, were always friendly and helpful, and answered any and all questions I had.

The pre-semester trip to Fiji was truly a once in a lifetime experience, and the memories and friends I made there with the other TEANers will last me a lifetime. From snorkeling to hiking to the local village, all I have to do is think about it and i'm right back on the island with all my friends.

Orientation in Auckland was incredible, and we were able to not only develop our relationships with eachother, but also with the TEAN staff that accompanied us. This lasted througough the entire semester, and if we ever needed anything, we had only to call up one of the TEAN staff in NZ.

Licoln is a small ag school, very comparable to my home college, and I loved it. It isn't in the heart of a city, but rather just outside of Christchurch with one pub in town (the Famous Grouse is a must for some weekend drinking with mates!) and a short bus ride to Riccarton for shopping and the cinema. Or grab a bus into the city and spend a day wandering around, then go out to the pubs at night!

Farm Road flats were self-catered in a small community on campus, and I have no regrets about living there. It was a wonderful mix of international students from all over the world with heaps of kiwis as well, and everyone got along great. It was the convenience of living on campus with the independence of being on your own, and the grocery store was just a 15 minute walk from the flats for added ease. Classes were great, I loved all my professors and the library is incredible. Professors are willing to help with anything, and very personable. The study abroad offices were always helpful, and the international happy hours were always a fun time and a great way to meet some other international students!

If you're a city person looking for bars every night and big parties, Lincoln might not be the place for you, but if you are agricultural minded, or looking for a more low-key study abroad experience getting to know people and truly immersing yourself in a community in NZ, this could be the perfect fit. I would recommend TEAN every time to get you here, or to another uni in NZ, as they have so many to choose from and the pre-semester trips are always included!!

The Education Abroad Network helped me incredibly in the transition of studying abroad. They were always available to answer my questions and were always very clear, honest and precise in their answers. They provided limitless opportunities and knowledge about Australia, the culture and how to get the best experience out of my semester abroad. I would recommend this program to anyone studying in any area that TEAN hosts. There is honestly nothing that I would change about the program!

I could not have asked for a better semester in Australia. TEAN was well-organized and made choosing classes, finding housing, and planning excursions quick and easy.

The TEAN staff is great. They are helpful and responsive to any questions or concerns. The TEAN Resident Directors hold a few coffee breaks throughout the semester where students can go chat with the Resident Director and other students. I enjoyed these meetings because we were able to get to know the TEAN staff and hear many of their interesting stories.

The organized TEAN excursions were the highlights of my semester. I was lucky to be able to go on both the pre semester trip to Cairns and the spring break trip to Thailand. I had an unbelievable experience on both of these trips because they were jam packed with awesome activities and created opportunities for program students to get to know each other. TEAN did an amazing job of planning activities that were interesting to students. Between Cairns and Thailand, some of my favorite activities were snorkeling, scuba diving, bungy jumping, white water rafting, hiking, riding elephants, and hugging tigers- not to mention exploring the culture of different cities.

I just want to start off by saying I am so incredibly happy that I chose TEAN as my program for study abroad. It can seem like a daunting and scary experience, but TEAN made it so incredibly easy before I left, while I was abroad, and coming home. They really take care of all questions or concerns you or your family could have about study abroad.

I started my study abroad experience with a TEAN orientation in Sydney. TEAN set up a ton of fun activities such as a Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb and going to a wildlife preserve to pet kangaroos and kolas. It was nice to meet other people from the program and get they provided you advice to get you more adjusted to Australian culture.

When I arrived in Melbourne for the rest of my study abroad, I was extremely happy with housing TEAN provided. It was right in the heart of the city near bars, restaurants, museums, and anything else you could want. It was also close to Melbourne University where I would be taking my classes. The accommodations exceeded my expectations.

University teaching style is different in Australia compared to the United States. But overall, it wasn't a hard transition and I got used to the schooling quite quickly. All my professors were approachable if I had any questions. It's fun to go to an actual Australian university and interact with other Australians my age. It can be easy to get distracted while studying abroad, but it's important to remember that you are STUDYING there and to remain on top of coursework.

Melbourne is a vibrant city with so much going on! In each city, TEAN provides a resident director. He or she tells you about events coming up in the city and is also there to answer any questions. Mine was such a great resource and it was nice knowing you had someone to turn to if you had any problems. TEAN also sets up events, such as footy games or music concerts, so you get to experience the Australian culture. I loved all of these activities and made me fall even more in love with Melbourne. The social scene is great and I felt like there was always something to do. Australians are incredibly friendly and nice so it was easy becoming immersed in the culture. Melbourne is also such a safe city! I never felt unsafe and found that really comforting.

I would definitely create a budget before going abroad. Australia is expensive and even though you may know this it doesn't actually hit you until you are there. So be smart money-wise and try to stick to your budget.

I wish I could re-live my study abroad experience. It was 100% worthwhile and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I definitely would recommend TEAN to anybody interested in studying abroad! It's a once in a lifetime experience and TEAN helped make it so amazing.

My whole study abroad experience with TEAN was outstanding. TEAN took care of everything from my flights and housing all the way down to getting my transcript to my home university.

My journey abroad started with the TEAN orientation in Sydney which was so incredibly awesome and informative. We partook in a harbor cruise, climbing the iconic Sydney bridge, an amazing race, a costal walk, and so much more! There was never a dull moment and at the end of orientation in Sydney I felt as if I knew the city very well. In addition I was able to meet other students who were studying at other universities throughout Australia, this came in handy while traveling.

When I arrived at the Gold Coast I instantly fell in love. Our apartment was beautiful and a block from the beach, the location couldn't have been more perfect! Right off of the beach there's public barbecues where me and friends spent spent many nights grilling dinner and playing games. Broadbeach has all you can ask for; plenty of restaurants, shopping, a grocery store, and great nightlife. Surfers Paradise is a few bus stops away and has everything Broadbeach has to offer but on a larger scale.

To get to Griffith I would take the bus everyday which I got used to quickly. The bus system on the Gold Coast could get you to many places and you are forced to learn how to use it. I even taught some of my Australian mates how convenient the bus system could be! Currently there is a rail system under construction on the Gold Coast which will improve the public transit even more!

I strongly recommend both TEAN and the Gold Coast, I could not have had a more amazing experience abroad and can't wait till I can travel back!

Seriously, the headline says it all. When people ask me how my study abroad experience in Thailand was, I reply, "Life changing." It seems simple, but it goes so much deeper than that. The sole purpose of my reason for studying abroad was to experience an entirely different culture, and through the TEAN Thailand program, I was able to do that to the utmost degree. TEAN provides countless opportunities for their students to immerse themselves in local culture. Some of them being: having a local Thai person on staff to help you out when you need it and to give you tips on navigating the city, being paired with a Thai roommate who attends the same university, and providing an opportunity to spend 4 days with a host family in a Northern Thai village at the start of the program. The TEAN Thailand program opened up my eyes, heart, and mind to an entirely foreign part of the world and sparked a serious interest in international affairs as well as international education. This program helped turn my dreams into reality and has thus inspired me to do the same for future participants of the program. I would recommend it to anyone.

Studying abroad in Australia was the best decision I have ever made! Newcastle was absolutely gorgeous and it was a short run to the beach! The weather was beautiful and the people were extremely friendly. The academics were very challenging and hands on. I learned so much and we worked as if we were professionals in our field already. Newcastle is only a three hour train ride to Sydney and I found myself going there at least once a week! (sometimes more) There are so many activities to get involved in and so many things to do. Living in Australia definitely changed my life!