TEAN: Study Abroad in Sydney, Australia

Traveling abroad in Australia was simply incredible! I would not have been able to experience such a wonderful place without the help of TEAN. There was never a moment where I felt unsafe or unsure. TEAN provided amazing professors, exciting excursions and was present at every step along the way to ensure we felt at ease. One of the most amazing parts about our adventure was our scuba diving excursion. Never I have felt so awe-inspired by the world than the moment when I was among the fish in the Great Barrier Reef. Thanks to TEAN, I can cross off a once in a lifetime dream that was at the top of my bucket list. I encourage everyone to consider studying abroad with the help of TEAN, you will not regret it!

When I was looking to study abroad in Australia I immediately knew I wanted to go through a program where I would be living off campus and with other new international students. I was referred to The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) by a friend who went abroad the previous year and I can truly say it was the best decision I made before leaving the states. They walked me through the steps of retaining a travel visa, enrolling in the university I would be studying at, and also had a 5 day orientation that began the minute I got off the plane in Sydney. The immediate immersion into Australian life made all of my nerves disappear and it was extremely helpful meeting new students and several of the girls I would be living with for the entire semester right away. TEAN organized two excursions throughout the semester, one to Cairns before classes began and another to Thailand (or New Zealand, but I chose to go to Thailand for the elephants) during Spring Break. Having the option to go through a guided trip of new areas was amazing and I experienced things I never would have been able to plan on my own such as a day trip to an island off of Cairns, or spending the night in a local village in Thailand. During my stay in Sydney, TEAN went above and beyond with the housing as the beach was my backyard and even helped me find an amazing internship at the start of the semester! With in-country staff always available for help, I never felt unsafe and the TEAN staff were always giving us heads up about any events taking place all across New South Wales. When I got sick in Thailand, the group leader knew exactly what to do and had everything I needed to offset the nausea and dehydration. I honestly do not know what I would have had to do had she not been there and lived in Thailand and other countries in the past where the food sickness was common due to the water. She made sure that I along with the rest of the group was still enjoying our time in the beautiful country and made me want to one day travel as much as she has. Going through TEAN opened my life up to the endless possibilities of working abroad and traveling the world. They never babied me and I knew that I had to figure out most things on my own which in turn allowed me to grow personally. This made me realize how much I can accomplish once I set my mind to something, especially when I took one last trip in the semester alone, as this was something I had never done before but know that I will probably have to do it for future jobs and events.

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.

When I arrived in the Sydney Airport, I was both excited and terrified. I stood nervously waiting for my bag on the conveyor belt and struggled to pull my enormous suitcase through the airport. When I reached the arrival section of the airport, before I could panic or worry or fear that I was truly alone, I saw three of the brightest faces of the entire bunch with colorful signs that read THE EDUCATION ABROAD NETWORK. These people embraced me in their arms and immediately went from being strangers to friends. Any sense of anxiety I had immediately went away and I felt at ease with these truly genuine people telling me exactly where I needed to go and what I needed to do. I have heard other people have very different stories when arriving in their study abroad country and I could not be more thankful I chose TEAN to go abroad with. Throughout the next five months they were always there if my roommates and I had any questions or concerns. They frequently came to check on us and brought us on an adventure every other week! Working for TEAN is my dream job because I want to create the amazing experience that they created for me.

If someone were to ask me was studying abroad worth all of the hassle, the money, and leaving your family and friends for a bit I would definitely respond: ooooohhhh yeahhhhh. It cost me a fair amount but it was totally worth every single 5 cent piece (Australia doesn't have pennies). Studying abroad will literally be the best time of your life so just do it! I really learned how to experience and appreciate other cultures and other people. I learned how to handle whatever was thrown at me, and believe me there will be a lot of crazy circumstances you will go through while abroad. I learned that everything will be alright in the end no matter how bad things may seem. I learned how to constantly live out of my comfort zone and I loved it. Most importantly, I learned how to be an Aussie!

Studying Abroad in Sydney with TEAN will provide you with endless opportunities to have fun! To begin you have an orientation with all the fellow TEAN students where you get to do super cool activities throughout Sydney and it's a great chance to become friends with everyone before school starts. TEAN offers a pre-semester excursion in Cairns that is a must do. You get to dive the Great Barrier Reef, spend the night in a rainforest, go white water rafting, skydive and many other sweet activities. Throughout the semester TEAN provides you with awesome free activities such as sporting events and kayaking in the Sydney harbor. I lived right on the Coogee beach and it was perfect!

One of my favorite memories while studying abroad was going to Cape Tribulation in the Daintree Rainforest. I went on this excursion during my second week in Australia and I am forever grateful that it was one of my first experiences with the amazing atmosphere there. While there I stayed in a small cabin immersed by the rainforest. Walking outside in the morning along the dirt path to the beach was eye opening. A bunch of us had decided to wake up around five in the morning to watch the sunrise and see if we could sea if any of the sea turtles would come to shore. Sitting on the beach watching the sunrise was one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced. The way the dark orange light began to shine through on the beach was like nothing I had ever seen before. Going to the Daintree Rainforest and being able to see such beauty was one of the trips I am most thankful to have taken while in Australia. This excursion also allowed me to see the true beauty of Australia and disconnect with the outside world. I was able to just sit and take in my surroundings and appreciate how truly lucky I was to be spending a semester in Australia.

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!