None but Nanjing Past Review
By Derek T (Mechanical Engineering., The University of Texas at Austin) for
CIEE: Nanjing - Intensive Chinese Language and Culture
I would like to work internationally for a period of time, whether in China or elsewhere.
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. |
I was not accustomed to the high degree of memorization required of me at first but found it helpful in greatly expanding my vocabulary. The courses were assessed fairly, and the assignments were challenging but not overly difficult. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration was excellent. My favorite part of the program were the extended cultural excursions we took together. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing accommodations were decent. The internet in the dorm was very slow and unreliable, but that is not the program administration's fault. Classes were held in the same building as the dorms, so it was very convenient getting to class in the morning. |
* Food: |
You must try the local food, but do be careful not to eat anywhere too shady. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The cultural excursions to Huangshan and Sichuan were awesome! We also went to a cooking class, hot springs, and other activities around the city during the weekends. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
It is relatively safe in the city, even walking around late at night. The only thing you should watch out for is car/bus/bike traffic and pickpockets. I spent one day in the hospital. The program coordinator and several Chinese roommates stayed with me the entire day to make sure that I was alright. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The cost of doing laundry in the dorm was actually quite high. All Chinese students wash laundry by hand and hang up clothes to dry. There are no self-serve laundry machines, but you can pay for laundry to be machine-washed and dried in the basement level of the dorm. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | CHI 412L SECOND-YEAR CHINESE II |
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Language acquisition improvement? |
Some students would spend all of their free time in the dorms or with other Americans. I strongly encourage students to spend your free time with the Chinese roommates, and try to speak as much Chinese as possible. |
Other Program Information
* 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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* Who did you take classes 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? | Let go of assumptions and be open-minded towards a country that is growing rapidly but still developing. |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Readings in Chinese (Advanced) |
Course Department: | CHIN3001 |
Instructor: | Professor Cao |
Instruction Language: | Mandarin Chinese |
Comments: | We were expected to learn 40-50 new vocabulary words and assessed daily. The in-class instruction was dull at times. There was a written midterm and final with in-class composition components. We completed the course textbook in the first half of the semester and moved on to lessons on news articles regarding contemporary issues in China, which I found to be much more engaging. Overall, the course was worthwhile and expanded my vocabulary significantly. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | My credits have not transferred yet, but I don't expect any difficulty. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Chinese Studies |
Course Department: | EAST3001 |
Instructor: | Various |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | The course consisted of lectures from various guests and a semester-long research paper and presentation. The research paper was very tedious, and many students didn't take the assignment seriously at all. Each student was provided a graduate student advisor who was always responsible for grading presentations and research papers. Overall, this course was not organized as well as I would have liked. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | My credits have not transferred yet, but I don't expect any difficulty. |
Course Name/Rating: |
Spoken Chinese (Advanced) |
Course Department: | CHIN3002 |
Instructor: | Professor Zhu |
Instruction Language: | Mandarin Chinese |
Comments: | This course was very challenging in the beginning. Students are asked to create their own sentences in class with the grammar structures in each lesson. Students are assessed every week by writing passages from the lesson from memory (the passage is shown on the board with certain words/phrases covered). Although the professor can be overly strict at times, her style of teaching really pushed me to improve my oral Chinese proficiency. |
Credit Transfer Issues: | My credits have not transferred yet, but I don't expect any difficulty. |