Great experience at BLCU Past Review
By John Burt (Aston University) - abroad from 11/06/2017 to 11/30/2017 with
Go Abroad China : Internship in China Program
I created life long friendships, got to see the most spectacular views and most of all I got to experience a different culture and truly appreciate what they had to offer
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had different teachers for each aspect of Chinese study: listening, speaking, reading and comprehensive Chinese. I particularly enjoyed the speaking lessons as they were about group work and small oral presentations in a class of approximately 10 people. It was fun interacting with my classmates coming from different countries, yet all trying our best to communicate in Chinese. One important tip that was surprisingly effective for me was surrounding myself with friends whose English wasn’t so good, this was good in that we were forced to communicate in Chinese and practice everything we learnt. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I had the opportunity of a lifetime and got to study abroad in BLCU in Beijing China, through Go Abroad China I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but it was an overwhelming thought with all of the options of places to go, figuring out how to make it work with my university and all the little details in between. GAC helped make the entire process smooth and enjoyable. I had an advisor the whole way through who helped me make sure I was as ready as possible for my trip abroad. Once I was there, I had the most amazing 2 months of my life. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed at a shared accommodation which was very close to BLCU |
* Food: |
Theres so much cheap food in China |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
At BLCU University Classes began soon after registration and the pace of learning was definitely not what I was used to before. Back at home, sentence structures and phrases that would take me at least a month to fully master, at BLCU University it was just a week’s task. Although in the beginning I felt a bit overwhelmed, after a while, though, things got much better and I adjusted comfortably. One thing I am still reeling about even now is the amount of homework that the Chinese teachers assigned! Now I understand why they say at least six months of serious Mandarin/ Chinese study will lead to accelerated results. The good thing about BLCU University is that they will place you in a class of people who have a similar Chinese ability to you. Learning was fun, interactive and it’s relatively simple to feel motivated if everyone around you is also determined |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
I felt really safe while completing my program |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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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 |
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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
* 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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | There are great tranlation apps |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |