Ive had the time of my life... Past Review
By Yashera M (International Relations and Affairs., The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 08/27/2013 to 12/16/2013 with
CET Beijing
It was definitely worthwhile. I not only got a chance to immerse myself completely in a new culture, but I also learned a lot about how a society different from our thinks.
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. |
It is truly an intensive program. It was very vigorous and demanding. That being said, you only focus on Chinese. You have a ton of resources in your hands to help you navigate, and you only focus on one subject. It is hard but doable. I was doing about 3-4 hours of homework, which is what I normally did for various courses in the US. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration is very helpful and kind. They are not intimidating, and are always happy to help you or recommend where to go/what to do. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms are comparable to American dorms. I never felt like I had no space or uncomfortable. The beds are a bit hard and the bathrooms smell (because the students need to use trash cans for the toilet paper, can't flush), but it was clean and nothing was broken. |
| * Food: |
They do provide you with lunch everyday. Unfortunately, the lunch is repetitive and not of that great quality. It was sometimes cold or lacking of taste, but not any worse than cafeteria food in the States |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You have every opportunity to integrate yourself in to the Chinese society. It really is up to you. The administrators do a good job in trying to get you comfortable with the area within the first few weeks, but it is up to you to go out exploring. Don't be afraid of to go out on your own! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not use the healthcare system in China, but I was sick for a while due to the weather/air quality. I would recommend bringing all the medicine you would normally use while you have cold or allergies in the US. Also, stomach medicine is a must! |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe while I was in Beijing. It really is a safe city, but also use common sense. There was petty theft, so keep your valuables protected while you go out. Try to go out in groups at while going to bars. When going out o your own, remember you are a foreigner, so beware of scams. |
| 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) |
Honestly, China is very affordable. I spent 20 dollars on groceries a week and $7 on subway travel (that lasted me two weeks). The rest was spent on going out to eat and going out on the weekends. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Ride the subway, while the the cabs are cheap, the bus is much cheaper |
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 |
24hr language pledge! stick to it and you won't regret it. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | 412 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't be afraid to talk. While you may not break the language pledge, not talking is not going to help you improve as fast as the other students. |
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? | Bring a lot of medicine! Pack lightly, you can get clothes there, talk with everyone there, and go out! |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
