Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An adventure half-way across the world in a big and smoggy city Past Review

By (University of Southern California) - abroad from 06/05/2012 to 08/08/2016 with

China Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Just one of those experiences you talk about the rest of your life and, while challenging, makes you a more worldly person. I had to really bootstrap it at work between haggling with locals for wood for our composters, negotiating partnerships with local organizations and navigating the city.

Review Photos

Study Abroad Programs in China Photo

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.

Amazingly educational experience in meeting a wide array of young professional in architecture, sustainability, urban gardening, LEED certification and public policy.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Pablo and the others who ran the program were beyond helpful. They toured us around the city when available and were always responsive to concerns. Showed us an absolutely great time and took us to a number of hosted events centered around sustainability in the city and associated topics.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

While we were given pointers on where to look, we were left to own devices for the most part when it came to housing. I found a small apartment (living quarters can be tight in Shanghai) in a very non-western and semi-industrial area in the northern part of the city. This was eye-opening and an adventurous change of pace from the ex-pat area where I worked. It even had an adjacent gym!

* Food:

Eating in Shanghai can be an exciting affair but one has to be careful. I may have gotten a bit too adventurous at times and had some stomach problems on occasion. Shanghainese food is also VERY greasy for the most part.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Admittedly had to retreat to the ex-pat/western areas of the city on occasion as I didn't speak any Mandarin but tried to immerse myself as best I could.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The one time I got really sick, Pablo personally accompanied me to a local and good hospital and even got a Chinese girl who was affiliated with the program to translate for me there.

* Safety:

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)

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?

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  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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 flexibility and ability to travel
  • Being in a giant and international city
  • Getting to interact with locals during work
* What could be improved?
  • More support from the home organization
  • The internship I was placed in could have been a bit more strucured
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How amazingly informal and yet functional huge portions of the Chinese economy are. Also, sustainability as a concept still has an uphill battle in Shanghai. The city is rapidly developing and as people stream in from the countryside to the city, sustainable initiatives are not on the forefront of their concerns or consideration. It is still a fringe movement, albeit and important one there, but a major cultural shift has to occur for it to catch on, on a mass scale.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.