Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Going Back Home Past Review

By (Trinity University) - abroad from 09/15/2017 to 01/08/2018 with

Tunghai University: Taichung City - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I did a full immersion course in a full immersion country

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I had class three hours a day, five days a week the entire semester that I was there. The classes established a routine in which I knew what to expect from day to day and unit to unit. I was able to talk to the teachers outside of class if necessary

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

it was decent, but there seemed to be a communication gap between the Chinese Language Center and the OIEP office as the CLC wanted me to send the letter that stated I completed the semester separately from the transcript (which the OIEP sent directly to Trinity) and directly to me instead.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It was a typical Chinese dormitory with four men to the room. The beds were wooden but we were able to purchase a bedroll for a decent price and had the option to purchase a thicker mattress if we wished. I did not to simply save money

* Food:

food was easy to find, super cheap and tasty

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt well integrated with Taiwan as I have lived there twice before, so I understood, and still understand the culture quite well

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not need to see a doctor or go to the hospital, so I cannot say with certainty what it was like

* Safety:

Taiwan is pretty safe as a country, one just needs to keep in mind the usual things when going to a new place

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

I would choose the same program because it is a direct exchange partner with Trinity, which reduces the hassle of transferring credits. I would also do it again because I enjoyed it

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 was easy because I was able to eat cheaply for about 6 dollars a day, roughly 50 dollars on food give or take a little bit

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? roughly 50 dollars on food and an decent amount on travel since I did a fair amount of travelling while I was there
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? write down your food expenses for each meal of every day. That way you know how much you spend. Budget yourself on food expenses, don't spend a ton but don't starve yourself either. Try to find the cheapest and safest form of transportation to save money. Take the bus or metro instead of a taxi.

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

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? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Fourth year university Mandarin Chinese
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? Just talk a lot with people in your class but also with the people in the Buddy program, they will be the ones who really want to talk with you and will happily show you around. Also, spend at least an hour a day studying the characters you learn

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
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?
  • It was fairly straightforward and there were many options of doing outside activities with the Chinese Language Center and the college at large
  • It was in Taiwan
* What could be improved?
  • sending the transcript from OIEP and sending an additional letter from the CLC to me but not sending them together in the same package - send them together
  • inform us beforehand that classes begin a week after the placement test before students arrive
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I did not need to bring as much stuff that I did. Bring one to two weeks of clothes, you don't really need more since you can just wash and dry your clothes by hand to save money. Bring toilet paper with you when you travel. You can buy bigger toiletry items there to not waste space and weight in your suitcase.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!