IES Beijing Will Blow Your Mind Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

IES Beijing has an incredibly well-balanced academic experience. The biggest focus was language acquisition, but every student also takes two other English-language area studies courses. I felt that in all of my courses I had the opportunity to understand China on a personal level. Chinese has two words for 'understand': liaojie and lijie. Liaojie is simple understanding, but lijie is understanding why. My Mandarin, government, and sociology courses afforded me an understanding in the latter sense.

On-site administration of your program

Brian Eyler is the program director, and he simply does an excellent job. I was particularly satisfied with his leadership and job in terms of orientation and the planning of all the educational trips.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

As a host student, everything was provided for me. Beijing is also an extremely safe city over all. I love my host family and still keep in touch with them!

If you live in the dorm, food is generally at local restaurants. If you live in a homestay, you generally eat at home. Both are good experiences - my homestay family meals were delicious, and there is a great diversity in restaurants in the neighborhood around the program (Weigongcun). Especially memorable is the chuanr stand (meat on a stick) right outside the program building. It is a favorite hangout on warms nights in Beijing.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The trips were the best part of the program, especially the two-week long trip. On that trip, I and eight others plus a couple of Chinese teachers toured Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, and Xian. It was amazing. We tossed frisbees with Tibetan monks, line-danced with Kazakhs near the border with Russia, and seen some amazing natural scenery.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

IES utilizes a western hospital in Beijing for any illnesses - it is the same standard as you would find in the US. Again, Beijing is a very safe city.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The Chinese-language pledge starts half time for the first six weeks, and then goes 24 hours for the final six weeks. Especially if you have homestay parents, you speak Mandarin most of the time.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family