Local Friends, Phenomenal Language Improvement, a Great Experience September 22, 2024
By Victoria B (Computer Science, Psychology, Chinese Language, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/12/2024 to 08/10/2024 with
CET Shanghai
I made life-long friends, boosted my language skills, improved my independence, and expanded my global perspective. So worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Appropriately difficult, good resources. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration is there to support you, very available. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Dorms very nice. |
| * Food: |
Good food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Roommates are there to support you and local community happy to have you there. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to go to the hospital and the experience was fantastic, my insurance paid for everything and I only had to go once to get all the tests, results, and medication I needed. More convenient than my experiences in America. |
| * Safety: |
Very safe city. Biggest safety issue is cars. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I needed the extra outside of class time to truly immerse in the culture. And the opportunity to have local roommates was life changing. If I was at a program where you're in class all day or don't have local roommates my level wouldn't have improved so much. It was the time I spent with my local friends and going and seeing China that made me improve so much. |
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 over-spent because it was my first time abroad and I was excited, but you can live frugally very easily if you want to. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't order 外卖 so much (I know it's impossible). |
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 |
There could have been more encouragement, I pushed myself to only use Chinese, but that was a personal endeavor. |
| 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? | Up to high intermediate. |
| 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? | Make yourself speak as much as possible, you have to get rid of the fear of saying the wrong thing. You are your own worst enemy, this abroad experience can either give you almost no development, or change your life, and it relies on you. Talk to the local students and your roommates more! Don't only talk to other abroad students. |
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? | -- Have back up VPN's!! There is a high chance you will have to switch between a few as some will go down for a while. -- Other people going on the program have their own intentions that may be different from your own. I had to adjust to other people not having as much of an interest in improving their Chinese as I did. |
