TEAN: Study Abroad in Gold Coast, Australia

Studying abroad with The Educational Abroad Network was one of the best choices I have made. Whether the most important thing to you is safety, cost, fun, one-on-one availability, or an overall experience, TEAN can help make your experience one to remember. Studying abroad in Australia was the first time I left the country. It was scary, but the Education Abroad Network was there every step of the way holding my hand. They were there for me during the whole semester which let me really live abroad and do the things that were important to me like climbing Mount Warning, visiting the Great Barrier reef, and getting to know the culture. There will be great times studying abroad, and there will be scary times, but TEAN is a great provider to have with you through the process.

Living in the Gold Coast was amazing. TEAN put us in a suburb called Broadbeach which was in an extremely convenient location. The Gold Coast has so much to do: kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, shopping, surfing, hiking through rain forests, rock climbing, music festivals, an incredible bar scene, restaurants, endless amounts of markets, a new beach to explore each day, and so much more. With so much activity nearby, it was easy to meet locals and integrate yourself in the culture.

I studied at Griffith University which was amazing. It was an easy bus ride from the apartment TEAN placed me in. It was a beautiful campus with interesting classes and helpful professors.

I learned so much about a new culture, went on endless amounts of adventures, met so many amazing new people, and saw some of the most beautiful places in the world. I loved the Gold Coast and studying abroad through TEAN. They were extremely helpful, before, during, and after my study abroad experience.

This experience is one that has changed my life forever. Surely in the future I will return to live in Australia, the country where I experienced some of the most incredible moments of my life and made some of the most unforgettable friends.

Studying at Griffith University on the Gold Coast was the best decision I've ever made! The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) was amazing with orientation in Sydney and with the spring break trips, I went on the Thailand excursion and it was amazing! Griffith was a great school with a beautiful campus. I was able to join the women's soccer team and play with all Australian and European international students. This was such a great experience for me because I was able to make real friends outside the group of Americans I came with. The school provides great ways to truly integrate with Australian students through classes, trips, and clubs. Also the housing was incredible, we lived in a hotel that was a suite style set up just a street over from the beach! The view we had was beautiful and the beach was so nice. Also we lived in close walking distance to bus stops, shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs so it was an ideal location. If anyone is considering studying at Griffith I would tell them to go for it because it was the best time of my life!

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) is the best and most helpful program to guide a student going abroad. They guide you through every step of the way, and make it extremely fun while doing it! Between preparation, orientation, and living through the culture change, TEAN helps every student feel at home while experiencing the adventure of their life.

My experience in Australia was one that I will never forget. I was able to travel up and down the east coast, skydiving in Byron Bay, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, wine and cheese tasting in Tasmania and bungy jumping in New Zealand. I made lifelong friends during my travels on the weekends, and met with students in my classes for projects during the week. I lived in the Griffith University Village where I had great roommates and was able to meet people from all around the globe. I was able to do this by going to local yoga classes, meeting people through various social events and really immersing myself into the culture. The food was also really great, from the famous meat pies to kangaroo dishes; I was able to try all of the authentic and local foods around town. I never had a problem with money while abroad because I set up an extensive weekly budget that kept me on track for the semester. I would absolutely recommend studying abroad to any student but it opens you up to so many possibilities and allows you to experience another culture.

I consider myself a very lucky individual for having been fortunate enough to have traveled to so many places by the age of 20. Despite my travels, no trip has ever even come close to my study abroad experience at the Gold Coast. From sun-up until way past sun-down I made sure to see and do as much as I possibly could - and I did. Starting with sunrise runs along the beach along with surf sessions before (and after) morning classes, we'd then go to join our international peers at class for a few hours. On the way home, we'd stop in Surfer's for the best kebabs around and continue to walk back home along the beach. After some grocery shopping, we'd bus it to Coolangatta for the best spot to catch a sunset on the Coast. On Saturday nights we made sure to hit the international street market in Miami. On weeknights, we would hop on the boat cruise throughout the canals for the sunset. Events we attended included rugby games, professional surf competitions, Aboriginal performances/guided tours, hikes to Springbrook, festivals, the Neon run, markets, concerts, and more. In just a few short months, we managed to experience all along the Gold Coast, (sky diving in) Byron Bay, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Whitsunday Islands, (Scuba Diving) the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Ocean Road, and even trekked to New Zealand and Thailand - because when you are already on the other side of the world, why not? The beauty these places offer will never be done justice either by words or even pictures. So, what did I gain from this all? To start: memories for a lifetime; friends who became a second family; the ability to adapt to another society's lifestyle including academic expectations as well as social expectations; an understanding that even a culture that speaks the same language is very different from American culture; membership into a global community - Australians, Americans, Europeans, Africans, etc. alike; and a whole new perspective on not only my home country, but the world and life itself. The Australian motto "No worries" I have taken and applied to my life style back home in America and it has made a world of difference in regards to my quality of life. In addition to a less stressed, happier outlook on life, the greatest two lessons I learned from traveling to the ends of the earth (initially) alone are: 1) I occupy such a small part of the world - a wonderfully humble thing 2) Living on my own, I not only solved all issues that arose (i.e. sicknesses, flight cancellations, etc.) but also made sure to take advantage of every second abroad, which made me realize that I can do anything - any boundaries that I initially placed upon myself no longer exist. I like to illustrate a before and after of what this experience has done for me with the dialogue (Pre-Study Abroad): "What if I fall?" (Post-Study Abroad): "Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?".

I have never felt so at home thousands of miles away from my friends and family. My study abroad experience was the most unforgettable time in my life. How often do you get to live in an apartment on the beach in Australia? The experience doesn't come by everyday. Luckily with TEAN I was able to make this dream a reality.