There is no substitute for immersing yourself completely in a language and forcing yourself to speak it every day. Past Review
By Nicola C (Economics and Asian Studies, Tulane University) for
Beijing Foreign Studies University: Beijing - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My Chinese improved more in a single semester abroad than I learned in a year and a half of study at my home university. The teachers were involved and engaging. They really try to help you succeed in every way possible. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was well-organized and included several opportunities for travel that supplemented in-class learning. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
After two months of eating only Chinese food, I would have done anything to eat a fresh salad. The food was delicious, and there is a wide variety of choices; however, finding healthy food (i.e. something low in starch that was not fried in oil) was difficult at times. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Beijing has so many places to see, so it is important to take advantage of this and go out into the city whenever you have a few spare hours. Make sure to visit the Great Wall - I did the Great Wall Marathon while I was there and it was one of the highlights of my trip. I went to Qingdao for a long weekend, and I highly recommend visiting there if you have time (the seafood was to die for). |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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? | I spent about $100 total per week. This included food, shopping, entertainment, and traveling. The cost of living in China is very low because the dollar is strong against the RMB. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
There is no substitute for immersing yourself completely in a language and forcing yourself to speak it every day. |
Other Program Information
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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? | You will get more out of this program if you are an experiential, rather than classroom, learner. If you are looking for a rigorous academic environment, this is probably not the right program for you. This program challenges you in a different way: it forces you to go out and meet people on the streets, in taxi cabs, and all over the city so that you can practice your language skills. |
