Unforgettable. Stunning. Fantastic. It went by too fast. Past Review
By Catarina G (East Asian Studies/Communication, Trinity University) - abroad from 01/14/2012 to 05/04/2012 with
Beijing Foreign Studies University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Was it worthwhile? Ridiculous. It was worth every last second. I learned how feel comfortable chatting in Chinese with complete strangers, bargain like no other, and to take things in stride, both the surprising, shocking, and extraordinary, and take none of it for granted.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Definitely a lot of work (homework plus quizzes every day, and that's just for Chinese) but doable. The teachers, tutors, classmates, and host parents are always willing to help out too. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a host family about 15 minutes by bus from school. I got my own room and bathroom to myself. I stayed in the dorms for the first few days, and they were pretty cozy, even large by Chinese standards. Any other abnormalities you tend to shrug off and accept it as part of the experience. |
| * Food: |
Oh. Oh, the food. So cheap. So good. My host parents gave me breakfast (a hard boiled egg, soy bean milk, and the largest oranges I've ever eaten) and dinner (lots of fresh fish and vegetables - they were vegetarian, and they never made the same dinner more than twice). Lunch was usually on campus and varied from the Chinese fast food version of a taco to a sit-down meal at the Japanese restaurant. Food is never hard to find and I never got sick from it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Being half Chinese, I think it was easier for me than for others. Once I got used to how things worked, I followed the crowd and felt like a local. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
As long as you're not the buffoon who decides to go walking down alleyways at night, Beijing's pretty safe. There were times when I had to catch a cab, or the very last bus late at night, then walk a little ways into my apartment complex, but there were security guards and I never had to walk very far. Act like you know where you're going, even if you don't. Beijingers have a very different concept of personal space, so expect to have none. At all. So don't keep things in your pockets or hanging out of your bag to tempt pickpockets. |
| 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) |
I usually took out 500 RMB (80 USD) for every two weeks. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | A quick way to run out of money is to buy comfort food (chocolate, cookies, etc) from the little convenience stores on campus all the time. Cafes are relatively pricey too. 30 RMB per cappuccino, which is only 4 USD but could buy you a whole meal and then some. |
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 |
A language pledge was heavily enforced on campus and even during the two week trip. It's a language intensive program and you're there to learn Chinese, not goof off, so speak the language. Those who didn't were given warnings and then grade deductions for repeat offenders, but it wasn't as hard as you would think. Much can be accomplished with charades and you get very creative very fast with the vocabulary that you know. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3301 Third Year Chinese I (2 years and 1 semester) |
| 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? | Talk with your Chinese teachers outside of class and try not to use English at all in class. If there's a tutoring system at your school, take full advantage of it. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | 0 |
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? | Those intensely puffy winter coats look funny, but by all that is good, they are WARM. I wish I bought one before going. That, and a hat and thick scarf. Also, Beijing in the winter WILL ruin your shoes. My favorite pair of boots need serious repair now. Beijing is evolving continuously, changing from day to day. The most up to date travel guide in the store isn't really up to date. I wish I knew about the thebeijinger.com before going. It's the website for foreigners on all things Beijing and a life saver. I should have journaled more. Looking through my journal, I come across so many memories that I had forgotten about. |
