One big adventure! Past Review
By Michael F (Accounting, Truman State University) - abroad from 08/30/2015 to 12/12/2015 with
Truman State University: Guangdong - CHN 550 - EFL Internship: Teaching Conversational English as a Foreign Language in
Yes it was incredibly worthwhile to see how a the southern part of China functions and works to be able to compare it to my previous experiences in the bigger cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Intensive program that doesn't require any prior knowledge, Incredibly helpful in learning to perform under pressure |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Incredibly nice people trying to help you as much as possible, just make sure you understand that Chinese culture and practices are very different from American |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Basic rural Chinese housing. Things to be aware of that are not similar in America: no heating, limited air conditioning, open windows, hard beds, squat toilets, bathrooms outside apartment, no dryers, no oven just burner. |
| * Food: |
Amazing food, unlike anything you've ever eaten. Some foods you wish you didn't know what you were eating however. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Spectacular cultural exchange for you and the students. You will learn endless amounts of Chinese culture and edicate while there |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Chines medicine will fix most problems but if you want western medicine the closest is 5 hours away in Hong Kong or Guangzhou |
| * Safety: |
The school takes care of you and makes sure you are safe, if you don't know the language don't venture out to late at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 on food and extras per month and about $1000 on additional travel on holidays |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Hainan is a great travel destination and the buses are great ways to travel. Make sure you look on Chinese sites on American sites |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The living conditions were incredibly poor and being prepared before hand would have been nice |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
