Fast-paced and eye-opening Past Review
By A student (IGS/ECON/EAS, Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/13/2013 to 06/07/2013 with
IFSA/Alliance: Shanghai - International Business in China
My language skills improved dramatically and I discovered I do really want to live abroad.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The Chinese classes were excellent, but the economics classes lacked some direction and the lack of pre-requisites made it so some students had trouble keeping up. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
We were living in Shanghai during the height of the H7N9 panic and our program took excellent care of us, kept us updated as to the risks and proper preventative measures. |
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| 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) |
Shanghai is expensive, but I still got along fine on about $80 a week (including all meals, activities, and transport) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Always ask for the student discounts. Most places in China charge half price for everything for students, from movies, to drinks and cultural activities. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Chinese 30a |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Practice writing characters! And practices speaking and listening, Chinese people speak very quickly. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | You do have to study every single day to keep up with the language classes. |
