The Challenges of China Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload can definitely be overwhelming at times. They start day one with giving you tons of work, and the workload only gets heavier as the semester goes on instead of tapering off as one might expect. The teachers are also very strict and are more likely to use negative reinforcement than not. Though this isn't what American students are accustomed to, it is extremely beneficial to language learning, as it tends to kick students out of their comfort zone.

On-site administration of your program

Any expectations I had of this program were by and large exceeded. The teachers are very good at showing students individual attention and addressing language issues as they arise. Their expectations of students are high, so improvement is guaranteed, as students get to a point where they don't want to let their professors down. The program is fairly small, on average 50 students, divided across 5-6 levels, so class sizes are small, allowing professors to focus on the individual student's language progression.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

At CET we room with local students. This is greatly helpful with the immersive aspect of the program, and most of the roommates are extremely warm and friendly. While the neighborhood that our dorm is situated in is not the most aesthetically pleasing, you are close to everything you need. Carrefour (a large Walmart-esque department store) is a 10 minute walk, and has anything you would need, household item wise or other. It's not necessary to bring any items to settle in, as CET provides sheets as well as cookware. You can also purchase towels at Carrefour, which I would recommend just because it saves on luggage space.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

THe pollution in Beijing, while improved compared to 10 years ago, is still pretty bad. I have had no asthma or lung issues prior to coming to Beijing, but while here I developed "pollution induced asthma and allergies" (as diagnosed by my American GP). It's also known as "Beijing Cough". I would recommend students talk with their healthcare provider about allergy medicine or an inhaler before coming if you have had allergy or asthma issues previously. I also developed pneumonia while here, but was able to go to a Chinese hospital where not only was it much cheaper than the International Hospitals, but much more easily accessible, and I was prescribed with western medicines. Our program is very understanding of health issues, as they know our systems have to take some time to get used to a new country. Teachers will work with you to make up any missed work, and the office will offer to help get you to a hospital if the illness is bad enough (though for legal reasons they will not advise you whether or not you should see a doctor).

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

Although most people found excuses to speak english, it is very easy to only speak Chinese. Daily interactions with roommates, professors, and other Chinese people mean only speaking in Chinese, so not a day goes by where you don't speak the language. This immersive aspect combined with the language pledge make for rapid and noticeable language skill gains.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students