TEAN: Study Abroad in Christchurch, New Zealand

My experience working with staff at the TEAN program was nothing short of awesome. Everyone at this organization is so well-versed in what they do and know such specific things about each program that their ability to help students is top-notch. Studying abroad is a pretty big decision and absolutely stressful when the process first begins. However, TEAN was so helpful and answered every single question I could muster up, and managed to get me excited about this amazing experience I was about to have. I would have to say my favorite thing was having an on-sight TEAN advisor. My advisor was actually born and raised in New Zealand and attending graduate school so she was super helpful when it came to travel advice in the area, any questions I ever had about the way their universities worked there, and even just what hikes she liked or coffee shop she recommended. I haven't stopped thinking about my semester abroad since I've come home, and it's been about a year now since I started the application process. I made life-long friends, which I was honestly super nervous about at first, but it was so easy. Every single student going through TEAN that I met at orientation was so excited to be there and so adventurous and accepting; we were all in the same boat, trying to meet people and have fun, so it was so easy to make friends. My friends that I met at Lincoln University are absolutely, without a doubt, life-long friends now. Living in an international section was probably the best decision I made because I got to meet people from literally all around the world. I was traveling the incredible and beautiful country of New Zealand with American, Norweigian, Dutch, German, Swedish, and Brazilian friends. Who could have even imagines that? It was so surreal, and I wish I could relive every single second of my semester in New Zealand. I always felt like I had a safety net with in-person help from TEAN as well as over the phone and online as well. They were always there in the background which was amazing, and I was still able to explore and travel and be adventurous without being held back. Overall, I would 110% recommend this program to anyone looking to get out there and adventure a little bit; you won't regret choosing this program!!

Worthwhile is an understatement when describing my time abroad. Although it may sound cliche, I absolutely feel like I grew and changed as a person during my time abroad. I came back to the US more confident, cultured, and with a new outlook on life. Traveling through TEAN allowed me to make friends, see incredible sights, and make unforgettable memories. I wish I would have relaxed more from the start; TEAN had helped me every step of the way leading up to my departure and then some, but like most students I was still worried about meeting people and being away from home. But from the second my program started, I had the opportunity to make amazing friends and memories! If I could do it all over again, I would choose TEAN every time.

Studying abroad in New Zealand I knew was going to be a once in a lifetime experience. Studying in Christchurch in the South Island not only opened me up to an endless amount of outdoor opportunities but also allowed me to experience a wealth of beautiful geography from glaciers to fiords to numerous national parks. TEAN really helped me to become adjusted to the time zone and what New Zealand was going to be like during our week in Fiji with excellent Kiwi leaders and the most relaxing beaches in the world. TEAN orients everyone studying in New Zealand together which allowed me to make friends all over the country who I then visited during my experience, making travel a lot more accessible. As prepared as I was, really getting out into the country and experiencing the outdoors first hand allowed me to appreciate nature further and advance my outdoor education. But along with all the traveling I was able to accomplish, living in Christchurch provided me with a unique experience. Christchurch is deep in the recovery of a devastating earthquake an eye opening sight that my professors were able to incorporate into their lectures by giving real life New Zealand examples to the theories we were learning in class. It made my studying part of being abroad that much more special and close to the place to which I was learning. Living in Christchurch allowed me to hike almost every weekend and living in Ilam helped me meet people from all over the world. Studying abroad truly pushed me to try new things, meet new people, and experience numerous adventures.

My favorite experience that I would recommend to do while in New Zealand is rent an old VW kombi van, take some good friends and do a two week road trip around one of the islands over a term break. I did this and it was my absolute fondest memories that I have from my time in New Zealand.

I had a great time while I was in Christchurch. I learned so much while I was there. While I was there, I was able to work with other people who are passionate about the weather. The hands on experience that I gained is invaluable and beneficial.
I enjoyed the laid back nature and being able to communicate what I found to many people. I felt like I could accomplish a lot before I left, and I did.

TEAN is a great comprehensive and fun-loving program overall. The fun-loving attitude applies to all the TEAN staff and to the other students who choose TEAN as well. You can't go wrong with the activities and the pre-semester excursion to Fiji (for the TEAN NZ crowd) at the beginning of the program either. It was a great way to kick off a great start to a great program.
After being introduced to the magnificent TIM TAM (chocolate coated cookie goodness) by the wonderful TEAN staff at my Auckland orientation, my time in NZ just kept getting better. I met my four kiwi flat mates once I arrived in Christchurch. Once we got over our differences of what the word barbeque meant, we become pretty good friends and I had a great time learning all about kiwi culture from them. After studying hard the first half of the semester and becoming accustomed to unique vibe in Christchurch, I found myself back with some more TEAN students on the Thailand mid-semester trip. It doesn't get much better than laying on a beach or bartering for souvenirs in a market with lots of like-minded, adventurous college students while eating Thai food and then going to feed an elephant its lunch of several whole watermelon. Not only were all of those activities obviously tremendously fun, but in doing so, we learned about Thai culture as well as the sustainable eco-tourism at the elephant preserve.
TEAN, by being the study abroad program that it is, makes learning relevant to not only your traditional coursework at your home university, but they make learning relevant to yourself, to your own community, and to the rest of the world. This aspect of TEAN is what makes them such a great overall program. And, even better than that, it was just a fun overall program that made me sad to leave it behind.

Kiwis are pretty quiet, so you have to go out of your way to make friends with them. There's a big drinking/party culture, so if you're into that it's an option. I preferred to get outside and go tramping (hiking) and adventuring, so I joined my local church's tramping club. It's pretty easy to travel around New Zealand, but it can be expensive. Bookme.co.nz is a great option to get discounts on adventures like hang-gliding, kayaking, and ziplining. I would definitely recommend bringing lots of outdoor gear, since tramping is the best way to get to know people and see New Zealand's beautiful landscapes at the same time.

I learned so much while I was abroad and I am so thankful to have made the decision to go. I got to explore a really fascinating culture that on the surface didn't look too different from my own but surprised me in the subtle differences on many levels. I also was exposed to a new perspective of my own country as seen from abroad and it was eye-opening to see how other people viewed America.