The Best Part of My Undergraduate Education

I didn't want to graduate college without studying abroad, I am so glad I chose TEAN as my program because they made everything very easy and fun. The 5 day Queenstown orientation was packed with awesome activities and adventures, like the scenic Milford Sound tour and bungee jumping! The orientation was a great way to get to know everyone else one the program and made my first few weeks in Dunedin much more fun and comforting because I had already made some friends. One of my favorite aspects of TEAN is their optional mid-semester break excursions. I traveled to Thailand for 9 days which was somewhere I had never really thought of going before and had the best time of my life!
Studying in New Zealand made me really appreciate the Earth and understand the negative impact we have on its environment. I love TEAN because they are environmentally conscious and promote ways to benefit the environment through recycling and other energy-saving facts.
I was really happy I chose Dunedin to study and live in. Dunedin is perfect for college students! The city and campus are filled with historic and beautiful buildings, but have modern touches added throughout. There are so many coffee shops, thrift stores, art displays, and gardens to explore! I also loved how it didn't take too long to travel outside the city and experience nature, whether it was hiking the local trails or driving a few hours to different national parks.
The living situation in Dunedin is slightly different from most other places. Students live in "flats", which are apartment-style buildings or quaint little houses. This is so unique because everyone's flat looks different! Most flats house 4-6 students. I lived with 5 other girls: 2 were Canadian, 1 was American, and 2 were from New Zealand!! I loved living with international students (especially Kiwis) because I learned so much about their culture and differences in language. It was also an amazing way to connect with other international students, so I wasn't always surrounded by Americans.
The Education Abroad Network provided everything I was looking for in my study abroad experience, and more! I absolutely loved every minute and would do it all over again if I could.