Capacity Past Review
By Mike K (University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh) - abroad from 05/02/2015 to 05/16/2015 with
University of Pittsburgh: China Plus3 Study Abroad Program, Hosted by the Asia Institute
I learned how developed and impressive the Chinese culture is. They perform most everything to capacity, and then some. The scale of everything over there is beyond my imagination. I also learned the power of language, especially one spoken almost exclusively in a country of over 1 billion people.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics of the trips were not very intense, but the cultural education and experience is one that is truly priceless. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Asia Institute were great hosts to us. Incredibly kind, welcoming and knowledgable about the areas in which we were in. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Meals organized by the Asia Institute were mostly good, however the overall quality of food in China was certainly a small step down from that in America. Difference, but certainly not worth complaining, as experiencing sharing a meal in a different country was very enjoyable. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt as if I knew the cities decently well from the routes we took in them, but when I looked at a large scale map, I realized that I was a very small speck amongst an enormous metropolis. Nonetheless, we developed some favorite spots to go to in Beijing, my personal favorite city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I packed a rather extensive bag of medical supplies, and almost all of my minute ailments were taken care of. I believe that if I needed anything, I could stop by 7/11 or another chain store like that to find something to help me out. |
| * Safety: |
Always travel in a group, and if you feel a situation is becoming truly dangerous and uncomfortable, make every effort to leave. |
| 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) |
Things are not as expensive in China as they are in America generally speaking, but the temptation of giving in to your tourist instinct can be difficult to control. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 300 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save up as much as possible, and MAKE SURE you bring a Visa credit card. It is accepted everywhere cards are accepted, and can obviously be paid back later. |
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 |
I tried my best at using some of the local language, mostly through the app called "Pleco." The effectiveness varied based on who I was talking to. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Learn keywords to satisfy whatever need you have. Most useful with taxi drivers and restaurants. |
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? | That Discover cards are not accepted in China. |
