Study Study Study Past Review

By (english, east asian studies, Trinity University) - abroad from 06/16/2016 to 08/12/2016 with

CET Harbin

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I really just studied--the downside of this program is that I really didn't have much free time.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program was incredibly intense, and my Chinese improved to reflect this. The teachers were outstanding and the program really worked to meet my individual needs.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They really worked hard to not only tailor the experience to the student, but also to keep in touch and remain available.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorms were close to classes, but definitely old. Not the nicest room, but adequate.

* Food:

There's a ton of places to eat, ranging from super cheap to expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My Chinese going in wasn't too great; I couldn't really converse and it showed. This made mingling with the locals a lot harder than it was for most of my peers. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved, you just have to be able to take them.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Not really relevant; I did get sick once but it was just a 24 hour bug and my teachers were pretty understanding.

* Safety:

I never once felt that my safety was threatened (despite walking home alone at like 11pm)--that's more than I can say for the states.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

My Chinese improved dramatically and I think the teachers and program administration had a large part in that.

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)

Getting there's pricey (because plane tickets), but once you're there everything (especially food) is really cheap.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

There was a really strict language pledge.

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? I had taken four semesters of college level Chinese
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Improved my skills
  • Awesome amazing teachers
  • Locals are crazy friendly
* What could be improved?
  • More free time would be nice
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I just wish I had realized exactly where my Chinese level was before I arrived. When I went in, I didn't realize quite how bad my Chinese was so arriving was a bit of a shock.

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 Linguist
You 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!