Fall Semester in Beijing - LIFE CHANGING Past Review
By Anna M (Music, Education, Chinese, North Central College) - abroad from 08/24/2015 to 12/18/2015 with
China Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
Completely worthwhile! I learned a lot more Chinese and a lot about the Chinese culture. I was not expecting to become much more independent, confident, outgoing, and aware of the world around me.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned SO MUCH from my Chinese class, but it was a lot of work. I wasn't prepared for the amount of homework/studying that would happen outside the classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration drastically improved throughout the entire program. There were many great opportunities that were organized for the students through the administrators. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The dorms were in a great location on campus, near the subway and bus stops. We had our own bathroom, TV, and refrigerator. I wish I had the opportunity to have a Chinese roommate, it would have improved my language skills even more. |
| * Food: |
Personally, I don't like Chinese food (I know, I'm crazy!). It was also very difficult to eat vegetarian at times. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a lot of local friends by being involved on campus, I volunteered and played in an orchestra with local Chinese students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I visited the doctor twice in Beijing, and ended up having to pay out of pocket because my insurance money was instantly used up. I got very ill from traveling to a rural area, and was affected by the air pollution. But the doctor's office is great, their English is perfect, and I felt very safe and comfortable visiting the doctor the Alliance program recommended. |
| * Safety: |
I felt much safer in China than I do in large U.S. cities. Just be aware of your belongings and watch out for the traffic! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The only change I would make would be to study in the 'Intensive Program' instead of the 'Popular Culture and Social Change'. I spent a lot of time focusing on English-based classes, but I loved the Chinese components from my language classes! |
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 I don't care for Chinese food, I spent more on food than most participants. Public transportation is very affordable, and you can often find good deals while shopping. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I saved a lot of money by only using cash. I would withdraw a larger amount(1,000-2,000) of RMB from the ATM (to avoid more fees) and have that last an entire month for everything I would buy--- food, books, transportation, souvenirs, etc. |
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 |
I pushed myself to speak as much Chinese as possible, and had a lot of support from the teachers and administration. |
| 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? | Chinese 203 (six trimesters at the college level) |
| 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 local friends to practice with! |
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? | Come prepared with extra money so you can take every opportunity that you are given! My most memorable experiences happened outside of the classroom! |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
