Best School in the Most Beautiful Place in China Past Review
By Maria (Yale University) - abroad from 06/01/2016 to 07/31/2016 with
Chinese Language Institute / CLI: Guilin - Immersion Program
Extremely worthwhile; learned to use Chinese and not rely on English to get around. Got to discover and enjoy one of the most beautiful places in Asia and study Mandarin intensively at the same time.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall a great life experience. My Chinese went from zero to fully conversational in the space of two months. The local environment (no one in the city speaks English) and one-on-one classes were ideal to learn a lot in a short period of time. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were great. They went above and beyond to help me with everything –from issues like getting adaptors for my electric tooth brush, to helping me buy train tickets, etc. From the moment I landed to the moment I left Guilin, I felt CLI's support at all times. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Super spacious and comfortable. It was super convenient to stay at the CLI center: having classes and having lunch in the same building. Looking back, I'd probably choose a homestay instead. A lot of people said they had a great time with their Chinese family and their Chinese skills improved the fastest. |
| * Food: |
The food at CLI is great, there are a lot of local restaurants nearby too. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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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) |
Minimal costs. Guilin is super cheap. Local lunch options (mifen) starting at 4 RMB = 0.6 USD. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50 |
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 |
We were frequently encouraged to use the language. There was also a language pledge bracelet that you could wear and no one would speak to you in a language other than Chinese. Outside, almost no one in Guilin can speak English and there are very few foreigners in the city, so there's plenty of opportunities to practice Chinese at all times. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? | - |
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! |
