The China Experience Past Review
By nickwod (Mis, University of Arizona) - abroad from 06/01/2012 to 08/12/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Shanghai, China
It's difficult to sum up my entire experience here, but I can say for certain that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I knew a little about China before arriving, but until you live there, talk with the natives, and have the chance to understand people from very different backgrounds you will only have a superficial understanding of the host country. I couldn't trade this experience for anything, and it made me more independent than I already was. There's something enlightening about immersing yourself in another culture for an extended period of time, and it's difficult to understand this enlightenment until you actually have the chance to do so. CEA's program allowed this to happen.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
CEA's Chinese Language program during the summer was, to me, a great way to learn Chinese because of the nature of the curriculum. Classes are held each week and last three hours from Monday to Thursday. Quizzes and homework are every day along with a test every Thursday. I forgot some of the less important words over time, but that was just because of the nature of the program paired with a constant stream of new information. All of the teachers I had were extremely effective and having a personal tutor in addition to class time was very helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Yan Liang was the on-site director for CEA Shanghai and having her there was invaluable. She organized all of our events in Shanghai along with the excursions to places such as Beijing and Hangzhou. She also helped my friends and me plan our own excursions. For example, a few of us told her we wanted to go to Shaolin one weekend, so she recommended a hotel in the area along with its address, phone number, and a contact number for someone she knows there if for some reason we would have problems. She always knew the best places to go, she was ready to help with anything we needed, and she's super nice to top it all off. Yan was a major factor in why I loved my study abroad experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The international dorm has all of the basic amenities including washers and dryers that cost about $1 to use. The rooms were nice, and my living situation was greatly enhanced because I opted for a Chinese roommate so that I could practice my Chinese anytime I wanted. Chinese roommates are great for homework, too! |
| * Food: |
This is going to come down to how picky you are with food. I'm a pretty picky eater but I was still able to find a fair amount of delicious, inexpensive food. No meal plan is provided, but Chinese food here is ridiculously cheap. The street food near ECNU's back gate is definitely the best in the area where you can get a meal for 6 yuan. There's an amazing Korean restaurant in the student cafeteria too. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
On the surface, Shanghai is like any other city, but look closer and you'll find a window to the rest of China. Shanghai's middle class has exploded in recent years, but you will still find all classes of people here. The food and language barrier obviously will make you feel integrated, but if you can make small talk with people outside of the university, you will hear many different views about their government, social issues, and the tasks with which Chinese people must deal every day. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no direct experiences with health care, but health care insurance is provided. |
| * Safety: |
Shanghai's extremely safe because cops are almost everywhere, but like any other city it has bad areas. Use common sense and you'll be fine. |
| 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) |
Because of the difference between the U.S. Dollar and Chinese Yuan, my money went a long way in this country. I spent only a few dollars a day on food, bullet train tickets are usually far less than $50 if you want to go somewhere on your own or with friends, and hotels are about the same per night. China is extremely cheap which allows you to experience so much of the country. The program gives you a transportation card charged with 100 Yuan that can be used for taxis, the subway, and the bus lines in Shanghai. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Chinese food is far cheaper than American food, and bargain in the fake markets as opposed to shopping in the malls. Also, take buses and the subway instead of taxis when you can. Taxis are still relatively inexpensive, but bus and subway trips are far cheaper. |
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 |
You can definitely use your native language if you have an administrative issue or program-related questions. They encourage you to use Chinese the rest of the time, and English isn't allowed during class time. |
| 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? | First Year Chinese before arriving in China -- Second Year Chinese after |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make an attempt to speak it as much as you can. Even if what you're saying is not always right, the practice alone improves your language skills at a considerable rate. The Chinese love any attempt at all to speak their language so you will never feel discouraged. |
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? |
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? | I wish I wasn't so hesitant in the beginning of the program to speak the language. |
