Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The people of Dongguan are worth the loooong trip! Past Review

By (Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language., University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 07/11/2013 to 08/13/2013 with

China Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained some teaching experience and got to experience China which was great and will influence my job search in the future

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

This was the second year at DGUT and there were still a lot of wrinkles to be smoothed out such as scheduling and in and out of class expectations

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very nice, had AC and laundry services. Some students from other programs were a little bothersome and loud in the evenings.

* Food:

I would have preferred more traditional Chinese food, although not what the students ate at the canteen! But the french fries and chicken nuggets were a little too much at every meal. More rice, meat and vegetable combos would've been great.They did make a great effort to accommodate us.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved interacting with the students and TA's. They were the best part of the trip.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $20

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The students
  • The TA's
* What could be improved?
  • More knowledge of expectations before leaving the US
  • Not taking a 26 hour train from Beijing to Guilin
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That we would be touring all day, every day until teaching, and on the weekends, but in Hong Kong we had quite a bit of free time.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!