Interning in Shanghai through TEAN Past Review

By (University of Rhode Island) - abroad from 06/23/2018 to 08/19/2018 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Shanghai Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
From my experience abroad, I developed a love for China and their culture and language. It also gave me a newfound appreciation for my own amazing country and all of the small things in it that I take for granted (forks!)

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Due to engineering having a strict curriculum sheet with little flexibility for transfer credits, I was worried I’d never get to study abroad. When I went to the career fair and met with a TEAN representative, they offered me a unique solution. Since I knew my major would be difficult to get the appropriate transfer credits for, they recommended that I do their summer internship abroad program. Since internships are critical for gaining the practical experience needed for a job, and since I’ve always wanted to be part of an abroad program, this was the perfect fit for me! When you apply to internships through TEAN, there is a drop down menu to pick the field you’d like to intern in. I chose Computer Science, and they helped me to find an internship at a startup blockchain/FinTech company where I felt like I was genuinely contributing and learning every single day.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

On-site administration was incredible. We were immediately brought to get Chinese SIM cards (included in the program fee), which was a nice way to guarantee a working phone in a foreign country. They make you feel at home, and even walked me to work the first two days to make sure I knew how to get there.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My living arrangements were nice, and the room I stayed in was decently sized and included a fridge, bathroom, and shower. Additionally, the staff there was so friendly

* Food:

The native food is really good and cheap, and because Shanghai is very modernized, there are ample places to chose American food from as well (although this will be more expensive)

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Chinese are extremely welcoming, and very appreciative of foreigners making an effort to know a handful of Chinese words (such as hello, please, and thank you).

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I have always felt so safe in Shanghai. There is abundant security, bag checks before getting on public transportation, and strict security laws in general

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

I am never one to write reviews, but feel that my experience was so incredible and I want to share it. In addition to wanting an abroad experience, I wanted to be challenged academically and was worried that I wouldn't be able to find a balance of work and fun. However, they found a perfect technical internship for me, and I had the entire weekend to meet up with my friends and explore the city. I'm so happy with the program overall!

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $170

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • N/A
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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?
  • Experiencing the unique culture of China
  • The people I met while abroad
  • Everything!
* What could be improved?
  • cost (but there are scholarships!)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? All of my expectations were exceeded :)