Rewarding beyond assumption and memorable beyond preconception Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/12/2019 to 06/03/2019 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Beijing
It was worthwhile. I learned accountability, and the importance of the quality of resources someone has access to. Because my professors provided ample resources, I was able to determine solutions to challenges independently. I also was able to do so faster than if I had relied on my own understanding.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Given my preconceived notions of academics in China, I expected to have a rigorous academic experience without room for enjoyment. In actuality, the rigor of the course was coupled with interesting topics and exciting assignments. What I gained from the rigorous course-load outweighed the stress I was under. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Middlebury Admins did a great job of contextualizing each aspect of our experience, which in turn made transitioning in to the different elements of life in Beijing easier. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I liked that there were cleaners to help tidy up the room (in times of high stress, I was relieved to find my room cleaned). My roommate was great! He is a good friend of mine still. The room pairing application was effective in pairing me with someone who shares my interests. |
| * Food: |
The food in China was great! As I changed my perspective and became more open-minded, I tried more foods and found new favorites. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I had a great opportunity to integrate with the Chinese students around me through sports, but I realized how easy it was to isolate myself and communicate with other students on campus. Going to different restaurants and different extracurricular activities made it easy to meet new Chinese people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick once, drank a lot of hot water and took medicine I brought from home. I didn’t have an experience at a Chinese hospital, but given my peers’ experiences, I am still weary of what would happen if I were sent to a Chinese hospital. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe while in the city because I abided by the rules given to me. I didn’t feel discriminated against, but I’d just still warn students to take caution in any foreign place. No matter how comfortable you feel, you aren’t fully accustomed to the area. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Being in Beijing gave me aspects of my hometown and city New York, which made me more comfortable. The Professors and Administration in the Beijing program were phenomenal, intelligent, and encouraged fun. |
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) |
I was able to afford life but at times I found myself running out of money if I overspent in a week. Students should be provided with small monthly stipends for cafeteria food. Towards the end, we had to rely on friends to eat when filling the school card with money wasn’t feasable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 600 kuai |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Invest in dining hall food and avoid spending too much on the weekends if you know more money wont come for some time. |
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 |
Use of the language was encouraged and stressed. Quickly the narrative was to use the language, as it would increase levels of comfort while in China. I am grateful for the requirement to use the language. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 400 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make friends who love there and spend time conversing with them and getting to know them. Over time, your proficiency increases as you become closer friends. |
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? | I was I knew I was going to have such a great time |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Classical Chinese |
| Course Department: | Chinese |
| Instructor: | Qian Bo |
| Instruction Language: | Chinese |
| Comments: | The course was challenging and made me think outside of my normal framework. With that said, at times of acute stress, I still felt prepared to participate and do well on assessment. This is due to Qian Laoshi’s teaching style. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I have since asked to transfer the credits and am waiting for feedback and approval to do so. |
