TEAN: Study Abroad in Gold Coast, Australia

I had never traveled before my semester abroad in Australia, 10,000 miles away from home. The TEAN staff not only prepped me and kept in touch the entire time I was going through the application process but once I was admitted and organizing everything as well. They have a step by step process to ease the stress on the student that works wonders. After getting to my location the TEAN staff on the ground was amazingly fun and helpful. We had a lot of freedom, but there was also structure and support if we needed it. I cannot believe how lucky I was to have chosen easily the best program for study abroad in Australia. I made a lot of American friends at my university who were in different programs and they were all envious of all the things TEAN provided us with such as the week long orientation full of once in a lifetime activities. I would not change a thing about my experience through TEAN.

From the moment I touched down in my destination city, this program was everything I could've dreamed of. TEAN staff made sure everything was taken care of, whether it was rides to the airport or making sure we knew where the grocery store was. I may be a little biased, but I think the Gold Coast is one of the friendliest cities in Australia. The beaches are something from a travel blog, there's always something exciting going on, with mountains and a rainforest and beaches all within an hour's drive, you really couldn't ask for more. TEAN helps to make sure you're taking full advantage of it all as well- within the first two months, they'd already set us up with a surf lesson (turns out I wasn't born a pro surfer, but it was still a blast), taken us to scuba dive on the great barrier reef, visited a wildlife sanctuary to pet kangaroos, and taken us to a rugby game to learn about the local sports. I can honestly say the time I spent on the Gold Coast was truly golden, and I would do it all over in a heartbeat.

Considering studying abroad? My advice is to just do it. Forget about the doubts and how much it costs; do what you can to make it work. Why? Because it will be the time of your life. Studying abroad through TEAN provides you with so many experiences in the country you will call home for the next four months. I've never met anyone who says they regret studying abroad. As matter of fact, I've only heard positive things. Being a TEAN alumni now after my time in Australia, I can honestly tell you that it's an unforgettable experience. You will love every second of it. You will see beautiful places, meet wonderful people, and become knowledgable of a whole new world. Not only do you learn so much about Australia, but you discover so much about yourself.

There's nothing like the Gold Coast especially when you go through TEAN. My time in Australia was an adventure of a lifetime. I began my trip where my orientation was, which was Sydney. When I found that out I was so excited. If there's one place to go in Australia, it has to be Sydney. During my time there, we toured the Opera House, got to walk through the beautiful Botanical Gardens, hike the famous Sydney Habour Bridge, and ate at the most delicious restaurants in the city. From there I headed to my home for the next four months, the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is a buzzing city, home to Surfer's Paradise. There is an endless amount to do here. From learning how to surf, to exploring the inlands, to shopping at the best boutiques and markets in the country, to swimming the most amazing beaches, to cuddling with koalas and kangaroos, to many many more adventures of a lifetime and I had the opportunity to have lived in the center of all of this through TEAN's beach housing. Living here was basically a dream come true. I was only a 20 minute bus ride away from my school, Bond University, and also Burleigh, which ended up being one of the my beautiful places I've ever been to! Picking The Education Abroad Network as my program to study abroad through was one of the best decisions I've ever made in life, and I would do it all over again in a heart beat !

Bond University is an amazing school that seems to be primarily known for business, but it offers so much more. Not only does it offer a whole host of different degree programs, but Bond also offers a great network for its students in regards to academic support, extracurricular activities, internship opportunities, and many other aspects that make it such a fantastic school. The courses were challenging, but the professors were more than competent and really showed genuine interest in making sure that their students succeeded.

I wanted to have as much money to travel as possible, so I spent as little as I could on food while studying abroad in Australia. Most mornings I would eat oatmeal, most lunches I would eat PB&J's or leftovers, and for dinner I would often eat rice, chicken, and vegetables. Of course I switched it up often and tried cooking new things, but I found this to be a relatively healthy and cost-effective way to eat without spending too much time or money grocery shopping.

I learned a great deal about the subjects that I took courses in and Australia as a whole from my experiences abroad, but most importantly I began to learn more about myself. Away from my parents for an extended period of time, I made decisions independently of anyone else, and the decisions that I made helped me to figure out who I am as a person. The incredible beauty of Australia and all of the memories that I made there made this trip absolutely worthwhile, and something that I will always cherish and look back happily at.

Everyday I become more upset that I didn't extend my trip. My time with TEAN in Australia were the greatest 16 weeks of my life. The program was always there whenever I had questions about school, a trip, or anything else for that matter. One of the best parts of the program was the Australian orientation. We were able to spend a week full of culture, food, and walking in Sydney with an actual Australian tour guide. We got acclimated with our surroundings and our new friends.

Another great plus of TEAN is that they offer a post trip (I think to ease you back into real life) to Fiji. Let me tell you, it was the most relaxing week of my life. 12/10 would recommend.

Whether you're traveling to Australia to explore the Great Barrier Reef, learn how to surf, hug a koala, or any of the other amazing experiences that Australia has to offer, the Gold Coast is one of the most gorgeous places to live. A quick flight away from Cairns, Melbourne, and Sydney, you will have no problem traveling to some of your most dreamed of destinations. The Gold Coast is home to Surfer's Paradise, a modern shopping area and beach town by day, and a clubbing scene at night. A quick bus ride from Bond University will bring you here, unless you live off campus in Broadbeach, which will put you at walking distance to Surfer's Paradise. You can also take a short bus ride from both Bond and Broadbeach to Burleigh, which has a breathtaking beach along with a hiking area that offers some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen (Burleigh Heads Lookout). Another amazing and gorgeous place to check out is Coolangatta, which is about a 45 minute bus ride from Broadbeach, but totally worth it. Whatever you are looking for on your adventure to Australia, you will be sure to find it in the Gold Coast!

Choosing to fly to the opposite side of the world and into a different hemisphere is a decision that takes a lot of trust. That trust was something I had achieved right away for The Education Abroad Network, also known as TEAN. TEAN is an affiliated program that works closely with my home University which gave me the experience to fly out to the Gold Coast. After the paper work and acceptance into the program some assume that TEAN would not be as present in the abroad experience. However, that is quite the opposite! TEAN sets up excursions, orientations, adventures, cruise dinners and local meet ups all the time. As an abroad network they truly take the time to make sure their students are put first and are in the best hands. They provide their students with endless resources and ideas to further engage in an incredible experience.

Living on the beach for four months was quite literally a dream and one I would replay over and over again. Thanks to TEAN I was able to travel abroad and grow as a person!