Chinese Language and Internship Program Past Review
By KP (History, Asian Studies, Rice University) for
Beijing Foreign Studies University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2008 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I feel like I had a great overal education experience because my language skills improved greatly, as well as my knowledge of China's history and culture. Plus, my internship gave me hands on experience in the work setting as well as an opportunity to meet people outside of my program. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the most part, everything was organized well and it was easy to get things done with our knowledgeable administrative team. Occasionally, there was a mix up where a trip was overbooked, but for the most part, everything went well. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had my own room and bathroom in a nice apartment. The apartment was very close to my university, and I felt that it was very safe. Really, more than I could ask for. <br /><br /> |
| * Food: |
The food around campus was cheap and tasty. My host family cooked great meals for me! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Beijing is a very safe city. I had no problems getting from place to place, and I did not feel any less safe travelling alone as opposed to with a group. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | China is relatively inexpensive, so I probably spent about $15 or 20 in a very busy week. I spent slightly over a dollar a day on food. Going out on weekends is usually more expensive. Use skpye to call home, no charge and internet access is readily available. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bank of America and China Construction Bank have a partnership, no ATM fees. Consider switching banks because you will be using the ATM a lot. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I started out with no confidence in my Chinese and I left with a much better grasp of the language. Maybe more important than that, I felt comfortable in my daily interactions with Chinese speakers. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Jump in, you will enjoy yourself. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of the Qing Dynasty |
| Course Department: | History 330 |
| Instructor: | Jeremiah Jenne |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course covered the Qing Dynasty very thoroughly. I found it to be very interesting and the discussions lively. It provided a great insight into China through its history. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | The credit transfered flawlessly. |
