BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE!!! Past Review

By (Management, Nichols College) - abroad from 08/25/2014 to 12/15/2013 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Bond University

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My communication skills have gotten extremely better since I went abroad. I went there knowing one student and can say I have met and interacted with 100s of new people. I have learned to keep an open mind to things that are different. I have done things I never thought were possible and have conquered many of my fears.

Review Photos

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Bond University Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Bond University Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Bond University Photo The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Bond University Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took 4 classes during my abroad experience. 3 of them were towards my major and 1 of them was an elective. I would recommend other students to save their electives for while they are studying abroad. While you are here you will want to travel and spend as much time as you can with your new friends and on the beach. With that being said I would recommend students not to take all their core classes for their major as they aren't going to want to spend their whole time studying. I felt that the grading here was harder than it normally is back home which is another reason to take advantage of your electives while studying abroad.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The teachers at Bond University are extremely helpful and understanding to all study abroad students. They all understood we all wanted to travel while being in Australia and were very lenient in moving papers or tests to help fit our schedule. If you let them know in advance they would do all they could do to accommodate for your travels and help keep you up to speed on the classes you missed.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

When I signed up for the beach housing I was expecting the housing to be nice, but I wasn't expecting them to be as nice as they were. I absolutely loved the Meriton that we stayed in and they treated us like royalty. They supplied us with everything we needed to live comfortably including sheets, glasses, plates, silverware, laundry, etc. The Meriton had a great indoor and outdoor pool and hot tub, a fitness center, a game room, and a very friendly staff that was always available for you. To top it off every week we had a crew come in to clean our room. When TEAN matched me up with my roommates they did a terrific job. I couldn't have done it better myself. I absolutely loved who I roomed with and we have made great friendships I will cherish forever.

* Food:

I didn't have a meal plan due to the fact I lived off of campus. We had 2 grocery stores in walking distance from the Meriton with good prices that we took full advantage of. One of the grocery stores will actually deliver you your food right to your door for when you and your roommates want to make a big grocery purchase and may be too lazy to go to the store to actually fill a cart and walk it back. One of my roommates was an awesome chef and we cooked almost every night having "family" meals with the roommates. I learned how to cook so many more easy and healthy meals during my time abroad.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

During my time in the Gold Coast I made so many new friends of all different backgrounds. If your an outgoing person and not afraid to meet new people you will do just fine. At Bond there is a big population of study abroad students so everyone is in the same boat. Even if your not that outgoing many people will reach out to you and you still will make many new friends. Everyone in Australia is very friendly and you will meet many new people just going out and walking around.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I only had one weekend where I got sick. During my trip to Byron Bay I caught strep throat and had to go to a doctor. There is a doctor on campus and there was also one right in the mall outside of the Meriton. I went there and the doctor gave my medicine and I was fine the following day. The school provided us with over sea health care so I was able to get better really quickly and at a relatively low cost to me.

* Safety:

Not once did I feel unsafe during my experience. You always feel safe at school, and even when your out late at night you never feel threatened. I discovered that many Australians are great friendly people who are always willing to help you, especially when your a tourist.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I went there very prepared because I was warned about the cost of living there. It was very expensive to live there but definitely worth every penny.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I probably went through an average of $200-$250 a week for a basic school week. When I traveled I would usually spend a few hundred more on hostiles and flights.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan all of your trips early to get cheap flights and hostiles. Also learn to cook because you can save a lot of money by making your own dinner and not going out every night. For those of you drinking get used to boxed wine (GOON) because that's your cheapest approach.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Beautiful weather all the time
  • Living arrangement (Roomates, Meriton, Goldcoast)
  • Exploring the whole east coast of Australia
* What could be improved?
  • Wish prices were cheaper
  • Easier grading
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I did the FIJI trip that TEAN offers and set aside more money to travel to either New Zealand, Tailand, or the Outback. They all seemed like awesome trips.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.