Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

To see a different world Past Review

By (Brigham Young University) - abroad from 05/01/2013 to 06/11/2013 with

Brigham Young University: Traveling - Global Leadership China Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely. My mind has been opened to the world, and I'd love to go back. To experience such a different culture was fascinating and really made me think a lot. I really matured a lot in just the six weeks I was there.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

LOVED IT. Changed my life, the way I look at the world, and where I want to go in life. The professors were great, China is awesome, and I loved the people I was with. Highly recommendable!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Nothing fancy, but did the job. A lot better than some of the hotels we stayed at... Position was great, right next to the classroom building.

* Food:

Nanjing is known for its good food. Now, if you are not willing to try something different, then it might be a different story. But if you try new things, you'll find some really good stuff.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

If I knew Chinese, it would have been better, but luckily we were able to meet some Chinese friends and could ask them questions if we wanted to.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We didn't really have any problems.

* Safety:

China is a very safe place, you just have to worry about little things, like pick-pockets. We never saw or heard of any, though.

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)

If you don't want to spend a lot, it's easy not to. I spent around $500 but bought a lot of stuff and did a lot of impulse buying.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Maybe $80, including souvenirs.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get a few big souvenirs, not a ton of little ones. You'll appreciate it much more in 30 years and won't spend as much.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The culture, people, and scenery
  • The people I was with
  • The opportunities I had to grow and learn
* What could be improved?
  • Not much!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I would regret some things that I didn't do. If you probably are going to regret not doing something (or doing something for that matter), just do it. How often are you in China?

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.