People will like you more if you study abroad in China Past Review
By Frank L (English/Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities) for
CIEE: Beijing - Summer Intensive Chinese Language
Yes. I learned a lot of Chinese.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes are all taught in Chinese which can take some getting used to. You can only speak in Chinese in class, and so if there's a word you don't know (there will be) you have to be creative in coming up with a method of asking what it means in Chinese. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall I thought that the program was well-run. They had enough structured activities such as trips to tourists sites during the first half of the program to ease us into the experience. The second half of the program afforded us more freedom to explore and do what we liked. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Peking University cafeteria food is not that great. There is a Taiwan pancake shop that everyone should check it though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The first half of the program (so, about the first 4 weeks) we had trips almost every weekend to places like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, etc. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did not experience any health or safety issues. Although apparently one girl got mugged in cab. Also, don't drink water straight out of the tap. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
We could practice speaking Chinese with our teachers as well as tutors the program assigned to us. We needed to use the host country language everyday and most people spoke Chinese. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | It's natural to be afraid. I was terrified before I went, and I was born in China! The fear will melt away eventually, and by the end of the program you'll be glad you went. |
