I ate a lot of rice and I don't regret it! Past Review
By Jessica Cai (Pomona College) - abroad from 08/29/2018 to 12/14/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Kunming
Valuable friendships, global perspective on certain issues, more confidence in my Chinese.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Authentic Chinese food! Cheap and delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You live right next to the college campus, which is about a 10 minute bus ride from downtown/shopping area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Chinese doctors have their own way of doing things, so sometimes it's useless to go to the school's doctor. |
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40-60 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you don't like Chinese food or are a vegan/vegetarian, you will probably be spending more money on food each week. I know some peers who spent at least $20 on food every day because they were not a fan of Yunnan food. |
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 |
Language pledge throughout the entirety of the program! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | Advanced Chinese 111B |
| 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? | watch some Chinese shows! |
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? | It does get chilly, so even though it's known as the city that's "Spring all year round," bring a jacket or two! |
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. |
