Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Once In A Lifetime Study Abroad Trip to China Past Review

By (Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership, Quinnipiac University) - abroad from 05/19/2014 to 07/05/2014 with

Quinnipiac University: China - MBA Doing Business in China, Hosted by the Asia Institute

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained further cultural and international insight as a result of my two-week study abroad trip to China. Granted, I had traveled abroad previously, the trip to China opened my eyes further to new experiences, people, tastes, and cultures that created lasting memories.

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.

Our trip to China was an amazing, unforgettable experience. We were challenged with academic coursework along with the business and cultural visits in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. Our guides provided every level of assistance possible.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Our guides from the Asia Institute were beyond helpful in helping to support us students throughout the length of our stay in China.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our hotel arrangements were second to none for a study abroad trip like this and made us feel comfortable at each city.

* Food:

The exposure to authentic Chinese food that we had was delicious and expanded our tastes.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

A an avid worl traveler, my social and cultural experience in China was great. In addition to the school-related parts of the itinerary, we had the opportunity to travel within and experience each city with the class.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No healthcare-related issues.

* Safety:

I felt 100% safe in each city given prior international exposure.

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

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)

It would not be difficult to live on a student's budget if spending wisely and limiting one's daily budget.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? For a two-week trip, I would recommend to budget about $500 spending money on the low-end up to $1,000 on the high-end to spend during the trip to China.

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

We were provided basic Chinese phrases to use during our trip which came in handy.

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? Beginner
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* 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?
  • Exposure to new cities
  • Food
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • More free time to travel individually
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew to bring toys for orphans at an orphanage that we visited.

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 Urbanite
A 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.