TEAN: Study Abroad in Gold Coast, Australia

As a whole, studying abroad was the best choice I’ve ever made. Being exposed so many different people, opinions, places, challenges, and perspectives allowed me to grow immensely as an individual. Speaking to people from countries such as Norway, South Africa, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and (of course) Australia broadened my mental horizons about the world and challenged some prior misconceptions that I held. TEAN made this whole experience effortless as they helped with setting up phones, navigating the public transportation, arranging meet-ups for socialization, and offering suggestions about the best places to see/go in and around Gold Coast. It seems cliché to say that I met some life-long friends, but I truly believe I will stay in close contact with a group of fellow TEANers that made my experience the best that it could be.

I can't thank TEAN enough for everything they did for me! They made my studying abroad experience super simple and less painful than I thought it would be. TEAN was always quick to reply to my questions or always nice when I called with concerns! When it came to actually going abroad, I always felt safe with TEAN! The staff were so sweet and you could tell that they genuinely cared. I can't explain how much I loved orientation with all the adventures, they were some of my favorite highlights of Australia! Throughout the semester, TEAN scheduled events for us or catch up coffee meet-ups which were always comforting! Leaving Australia was bittersweet, but so was saying goodbye to all the people I met through TEAN. I would recommend TEAN to anyone who wants a great time and an unforgettable experience.

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 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.

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.

Going to Australia to study abroad was the best choice i could have ever made for myself. the school is beautiful, and the gold coast is absolutely breathtaking. Not only that, but TEAN's program is amazing. I am so happy that i decided to go through them. They were there for all of their students every step of the way. Even through the application process, they answered all of my e-mails right away, and even made sure that I was comfortable and knew that I was not alone throughout the process. Once you get there they stick by your side. They are there to talk you through any problems you may be facing. For example, if you get homesick they will be there to talk through it and comfort you. They give you amazing experiences you might not originally get without them, such as going to the great barrier reef and going to cairnes. Overall, it was the best experience of my life!

Going to Australia to study abroad was the best choice i could have ever made for myself. the school is beautiful, and the gold coast is absolutely breathtaking. Not only that, but TEAN's program is amazing. I am so happy that i decided to go through them. They were there for all of their students every step of the way. Even through the application process, they answered all of my e-mails right away, and even made sure that I was comfortable and knew that I was not alone throughout the process. Once you get there they stick by your side. They are there to talk you through any problems you may be facing. For example, if you get homesick they will be there to talk through it and comfort you. They give you amazing experiences you might not originally get without them, such as going to the great barrier reef and going to cairnes. Overall, it was the best experience of my life!

TEAN made sure we were never alone throughout the whole process from choosing a program to landing back home after the program was over. As soon as we got off the plane in Australia, we were greeted by several TEAN staff that made somewhere so far away feel like home. Every week, they would update us on events going on in the community that I would've never been able to take part in without them. Having a resource just a phone call or 5 min walk away was something that made my abroad experience exponentially better.

My living arrangements were the nicest living arrangements I will ever get in my whole life. For the four months, I lived on the 22nd floor of the 5-star hotel Peppers Broadbeach. I highly suggest you look up pictures because you surely won't be disappointed. We were a minute walk from the beach, the bus stop that could bring us across Gold Coast, a large mall with a grocery store, and countless opportunities for adventure. The location and the actual housing itself felt like a dream. I have heard nightmares of people's living arrangements while they're abroad but the only nightmare I experienced was leaving mine!

The Australian culture is extremely welcoming which made it easier to integrate into the local culture. Utilizing the advice from TEAN to join an on-campus club was one of the best pieces of advice I got throughout my experience. By interacting each week with students at the university outside of the classroom, I was able to form connections with these students that allowed me to immerse myself fully into the culture. They invited me to family outings and friend activities that allowed me to create my own family within their culture.

If I could do this a million times over, I would still choose the same program. TEAN made each individual student that came through the program feel as if they were part of a bigger family. I always felt as if I had someone to go to and rely on for anything from travel advice to a hug when I was missing home.