Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Beijing: a Completely Unforgettable Experience Past Review

By (English Literature (British and Commonwealth)., Trinity University) - abroad from 01/14/2012 to 05/04/2012 with

Beijing Foreign Studies University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Going abroad, immersing yourself in a new culture and language, getting out of your comfort zone--all of these things are always worthwhile. But this program in particular is awesome. If you are serious about learning Chinese, then IES Beijing needs to be on your shortlist.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Although the workload was similar to that of my home school, I wasn't very used to having quizzes and homework due every morning. However, the workload is manageable--just don't expect a blowoff semester.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everyone--the administration, teachers, and the RAs were all really great and so helpful if you had any questions.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the dorms and although they're relatively small according to American standards, I found them to be really comfortable. Each dorm has A/C and we each get one Chinese roommate. The "commute" to school was literally one flight of stairs so I was (almost) never late to class.

* Food:

YES. GO EAT. Everything is tasty and affordable. However, if you are a vegetarian or have food allergies, I would be extra careful as sometimes the waiters don't understand that no meat means absolutely no meat.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The two-week trip was amazing and opened up China in a way I would have never been able to experience otherwise. My group traveled around northern Yunnan. Another group went south and the some of those on the CI program even got to go to Tibet.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I absolutely feel safer walking around Beijing than my hometown. Just practice common sense and you will be fine.

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)

China is very affordable--even for a college student. Oftentimes I could buy lunch for about 10 kuai (less than 2 dollars).

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No

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? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 3 semesters
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? Try to completely immerse yourself in the language. You may not always know what's going on at first but you pick up more and more every day.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?
  • the IES and BFSU students
  • academics
* What could be improved?
  • the timing of the long trip
  • after deciding to attend IES, more information regarding the program needs to be distributed much sooner
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You know beforehand that living abroad won't be easy but it never quite hits you until you're actually there. However, all of the struggles I had with language and culture shock actually gave more depth to my experience. For example, I don't think I ever walked away so happy after having my first conversation in Chinese outside of the classroom--even if it did take place in a grocery store.