TEAN: Study Abroad in Auckland, New Zealand

My time in Auckland was sureal and it's something I will never forget. TEAN was very helpful in finding accommodations, and my RA was easy to talk to whenever I needed help. She planned fun excursions, and most of these excursions ended up being my favorite things during the entire semester. We went to Queenstown for orientation, and Cathedral Cove as the semester started to close. We also had lunch dates, coffee catch-ups, and comedy nights. My RA was also very straight forward in this being "an edu-cation experience as much as it is a va-cation experience" and that stuck with me. I may have focused more on my academics than having fun, but the classes I took genually interest me, so I was having fun while studying. Overall, this was a great experience, and I could not have done it without TEAN!

New Zealand honestly exceeded my expectations. The country in itself is BEAUTIFUL. Auckland is obviously more of a city, but it's on the water and has lots of parks so you still feel close to nature! Getting to other parts of the country is really simple, with plenty of cheap flights and busses.
I really enjoyed the housing accommodation, living apartment style with two other flatmates. The University of Auckland campus is nice as well, very blended into the city but still with a campus feel.
Auckland has a lot of good food with a wide variety. I really enjoyed how easily we could walk downtown and find new cafes and restaurants!

Studying abroad in Auckland allowed me to explore a new city and have easy access to nature and neighboring countries. My program allowed me to meet amazing people and my housing was great. I had the opportunity to live with two girls from New Zealand and form friendships with people from Auckland, other cities within New Zealand, and even with people from other countries. I got to experience life on the other side of the world and could have not imagined a better experience. I would highly recommend studying abroad in Auckland, New Zealand!

Studying at AUT was such a blast! This was my first time leaving the United States and I felt very welcomed when I arrived. The housing was much nicer than usually provided for students in the US, and the staff in the residence hall were in touch with young adult issues and actually served as useful resources rather than just authority. Studying at AUT let me get a close look at the city of Auckland since we lived very close to Queen Street and the Viaduct, but also allowed me to explore a large portion of the nature outside Auckland and throughout the country. I quickly made friends with other students studying abroad and students native to NZ who I traveled with and explored Auckland with. I rarely felt homesick while studying abroad at AUT and had only the best experience in almost every way. Highly recommend!

I highly recommend every student pull every string possible to study abroad. My personal bias is to do so in New Zealand. I fell in love with the country of New Zealand and grew more this past semester than I have in my entire college career. Studying abroad gives one the opportunity to be exposed to many new phenomenons of life. Studying abroad pushed me out of my comfort zone forcing much growth in my personal confidence while providing me the opportunity to begin exploration of my role in the greater scheme of the world. While quite intimidating, this exploration was freeing and exciting allowing me to realize that one could spend lifetimes exploring. Studying through TEAN gave me the privilege to explore on my own while having the comfort of having the support of an onsite staff and a community of other students in the same position. Our onsite director was so excited to share the Kiwi culture with us, from dinners to Rugby games she was more than willing to provide suggestions for various activities. Additionally, due to the size of my field of study, I was able to make local friends that I am confident that I will stay in touch with for years to come. Every student should take the opportunity to study abroad.

And of course if for nothing else, go for the Lord of The Rings sites.

I spent much time deciding where I wanted to study abroad, but once I decided on New Zealand I continued to spend many more hours trying to determine which city would be the best fit for me. I ultimately felt Auckland would be the place to explore and it sure was! I would not describe myself as a city person, but that is why I chose this diverse hotspot because I had been aching for something out of my comfort zone. Auckland served as a lively social scene with many activities and events happening weekly, which are only minutes away from the Auckland University of Technology where I took my classes. The Education Abroad Network, my program of choice, had Auckland-based staff who kept me informed about all that the country has to offer from Auckland to Queenstown in the South Island. I think the most beautiful part of going abroad is the new people you will be able to meet upon your journey whether they are Americans, New Zealanders, or international students! Building relationships in Auckland was the best. I explored the country on the weekends and in my mid-semester break with these new friends! You can too! So my advice to you is if you are already making the effort to study abroad, don't be afraid to meet new people and Auckland is a great place to start!

My experience studying abroad with TEAN was life-changing (as cliche as that sounds, but it’s true). I cannot stress enough how many times I left my comfort zone and how many friends I made that I truly believe I will keep in touch with (especially those from TEAN and the orientation in Queenstown). My experience allowed me to take classes that satisfied my intellectual interests rather than solely requirements and helped me realize and redefine my career goals. I was also privileged to be supported and guided by friendly, insightful and experienced TEAN staff, who led exciting excursions such as a trip to Rangitoto Island. When reflecting, I am extremely glad I chose this program. I’ll always fondly remember my semester abroad in New Zealand and draw on the lessons I learned about myself there.

I had an amazing time abroad with TEAN, and I can't imagine going with any other company. They made everything so easy and supported me the entire way from when I was still applying to while I was over there! They set up awesome excursions in the beginning of the study abroad experience to get to know other students studying in the same country and city to make friends, and also had excursions throughout the semester to catch up and check in with us while having a great time (from hiking a dormant volcano to going to a rugby match!). I also can't say enough good things about the people I met as a part of TEAN, from the staff who was abroad with us, to the other students who are now lifelong friends! They made my study abroad experience everything I could have imagined and more, and I can't believe that it's over. Can I go again?!!!!