When Cultures Collide July 27, 2023
By Jamie S (International Politics and Economics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/23/2023 to 05/19/2023 with
CET Taiwan
My abroad experience was definitely worthwhile. I think, outside of an opportunity to immerse myself in the language, I gained a better understanding of another country's culture, language and history.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I had a great educational experience studying Chinese. However, if you are considering taking Cross Straight Relations, know that the course work is very demanding. My instructor told us that he understood we came to immerse ourselves in the language and culture, and if we planned on traveling on the weekends and breaks his course was not for us. If you run into a similar experience, if you do not have to absolutely take the course, I recommend switching as soon as possible. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were great and worked really hard to make activities accessible for all students. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living arrangements were very nice and if there was an issue it was addressed promptly. |
| * Food: |
Food was very accessible and affordable. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I didn't feel really integrated as I lived with Americans and went to classes with them as well. I had to be very proactive when looking for exposure to Taiwanese culture. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got injured during my time abroad, and going to the hospital was very easy to navigate. My residential dean translated anything I couldn't understand. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe. The only safety issue I ran into was that I arrived early and stayed near the airport. My taxi driver insisted on dropping me off at an abandoned building in an area with no foot traffic, no establishments, and no streetlights instead of my hotel and assumed I did not know Chinese. He kept trying to tell me that this is where Uber GPS had taken him despite my phone showing different directions. It is very important in this kind of situation that you do not get out of the car, remain calm and polite, and demand you are taken to the hotel. It is also important for students to know that you cannot leave a drink out should you choose to go to a club or bar. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* 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 come from a low-income background and do not receive support from my parents. I spent the remainder of my summer work saving abroad, but managed pretty well. CET also refunds for cultural excursions and that was extremely helpful. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We were encouraged to speak Chinese frequently and come up with times we would speak Chinese in our household. Unfortunately, I was placed with a group that did not want to speak Chinese at home. |
| 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? | Pre-Advance |
| 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? | Prior you can practice with HelloTalk. You can use the app to participate in chat rooms, find pen pals or language partners, and make posts in your target language. When you get abroad, talk to people on the train and at food markets! They tend to be really nice, patient, and helpful. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | NA |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Cross Straight Relations |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | It was challenging and made use of location. we went on three field trips that exposed us to social-political changes in Taiwan. However, the coursework was demanding. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | NA |
