Studying in Beijing Really Did Change My Life, and I'll Never Forget It Past Review
By Joshua B (Chinese Studies, English, University of North Dakota) for
Direct Enrollment: Beijing - Beijing Language and Culture University
Yes! Studying abroad really did change my life, which I'm sure tons of people say and it sounds trite, but it really did. My entire way of perceiving the world will always be a little different, and I think, if hard-pressed for an answer, the thing studying abroad taught me is that (despite my pessimism) people really might be good deep down.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was weighty (as expected), which is perfect (I think) for a language immersion program. I definitely spent an hour or two every night just studying for my language course. It was not overwhelming, though! The grading system was fair, and we had excellent teachers who worked hard with students to make sure we were not only understanding the material but having fun, too. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Han Bing is the best. Enough said. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Proximity to class was amazing. Nightlife was good (the subway helps). Didn't really have to buy any items to settle in. |
| * Food: |
Great food for great prices all around the neighborhood. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Class trip to Yunnan! Independent travel week (went to Huangshan, Nanjing, and Qingdao). Weekly cultural events on the weekends were fantastic. Friday field trips with the teachers: also great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Very good. Had to go to the hospital only once, but they were accommodating. |
| 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 |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Teachers and fellow students. Each student was matched up with a native Chinese speaking language partner, and we'd meet for 3 hours a week (usu. an hour at a time). This was perhaps the most helpful practice for speaking/listening. We could also speak to people selling things out in the city, food vendors, etc. Definitely spoke Chinese everyday, and there was a good mix of English and Chinese in the dorm but mostly Chinese outside the dorm. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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 do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Go. Just go. Any student committed to Chinese will find this program beneficial, and any student who wants to have a ton of fun (best times of their lives!) will enjoy this. |
