Harvard-Beijing Academy: Most Effective and Fulfilling Chinese Language Learning Experience Past Review

By Miriam H (Biology, General., Brandeis University) for

Harvard Summer School: Beijing - Harvard Summer Program in Beijing, China

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I believe I became a much more well-rounded individual and developed a deeper perspective of the world. I was very satisfied with the outcome of the program because I went in without being able to carry out a short conversation in Chinese, and by the end of two weeks I could comfortably speak for hours with locals. I am so grateful for such a wonderful experience. All of the interesting people I met and became friends with and all of the fascinating sites and places I've visited have made this an experience I will never forget. My experience abroad in Beijing, China has seriously impacted my cultural awareness of a country very different from my home country and encourages me to continue exploring and discovering the wonders of the world. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life learning and connecting with other cultures to help the developing societies around the world.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	My program was the most effective Chinese language learning program I could ever imagine. The workload was intense, the grading system was very fair, and the teaching methods were phenomenal. In fact, the teaching methods were so effective that they turned a practically non-speaking Chinese into an extremely proficient Chinese speaker. I am so thankful for this program and all of the hard work I did this summer. I definitely feel that this program gave me the bump up I need to continue the language at Brandeis.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Everything about this program was unbelievable. All the events were planned out so effectively and for the student's benefits. The host country was knowledgeable about American higher education but having American students study abroad in China definitely bridges the gap between the two cultures to keep each other informed. The program size was very appropriate, each grade separated by language proficiency level and the program facilitated events with all 90 students so it was very easy to make friends. Going into the program I had no idea what to expect or how much work I would actually have to do, but at the end my expectations were highly exceeded.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* 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?	Yes
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?	It was a language intensive program, so everyone. Yes. No.