IEM, You've Released The Traveling Bug Within Me! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My overall educational experience was satisfactory. I was initially concerned coming into China I would have to adapt to a new education system as well as struggle with the language barrier between Chinese instructors. However, IEM did a very good job ensuring my educational experience was focused on comfort. The school used the American educational system and the instructors were all either American or Chinese that spoke fluent English so sitting in the classroom was nothing different from home. The grading system and teaching methods were also the same. The teachers and other faculty were very fun, professional and helpful. They all showed great concern when it came to meeting our academic needs.

On-site administration of your program

Since the beginning of my stay in China, I was encouraged by the administration faculty to ask for help if I needed any and I did. I was very satisfied on how they met all my concerns on a timely manner. The administrators were very open to hear my opinions on how I felt and they responded professionally by making the proper adjustments.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My classmates and I all lived on the same dorm floor. We lived in a dorm with Chinese students so it was easy making friends with Chinese people our age. As for rooming, it was awesome because I didn't have to share a room with anyone! I felt even more lucky when I found out that four or five Chinese students share a dorm room that was much smaller than mine. After hearing and seeing that for myself I felt like I was staying at a 5-star luxury hotel suite. Regarding accommodations, my room had a heater, air-conditioning, drinking water dispenser, mattress, bed sheets, and a nice view out of the Shanghai streets. There was also a common-room that we all shared and it supplied new cookware, new kitchen appliances, new home appliances, new washing machines, new furniture and new television and speakers. Our dorm faculty were these two sweet old husband and wife that always showed great welcome and hospitality every time we walked into the dorm building. It's like they didn't know how to have a bad day or something! My dorm was conveniently located along a busy street so finding food, small necessities, or a taxi was really simple. My dorm was about a fifteen minute walk or a five minute bus ride to the metro which was the main source of transportation in China. Getting around the city was pretty easy once you understand how it all works. Campus is really close to the heart of Shanghai so going to tourist spots, markets, bars, or clubs was only a few metro exits away.

Food was very good in China. I have to say the best thing about food in China were the prices. We hardly ever cooked our own foods because it was much more convenient and sometimes cheaper to dine-out. Even the school cafeteria, which was actually pretty good, was cheaper than most foods I could find. Do keep in mind that you are in a foreign country so don't be surprised or disgusted if you see foods you don't normally eat back home. I came to learn that there is nothing to be disgusted about because everything I saw was normal in the Chinese culture. The most notable food item for me was the 1000-year old egg. I've had too many opportunities to eat it but once was good enough for me.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

MY program set up quite a few tours mostly around Shanghai. We visited Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and a few other places. Shanghai is such a large city with so much history and innovation going on at once you will never have enough time to see it all. I lived there for five months and I still don't know Shanghai! Apart from the tours, one of my best experiences was seeing the China pavilion that was built for the China EXPO 2010. I am a nut when it comes to wild architecture and it doesn't get anymore wild than the World EXPO. I have to say the best part of my China experience was in Beijing. After learning about Beijing's history from the books and movies, Beijing became one of those destinations I've always wanted to see and so finally being there was just overall amazing. The absolute highlight of my overall experience in China had to be when I did an 8-hour hike on The Great Wall of China. To be amongst a few to have actually hiked untouched unrenovated sections of the Great Wall was nothing less than incredible.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

China actually felt more safe than I thought. Before leaving coming to China I heard a lot of horror stories however throughout my time there I did not experience anything to that degree. Sure, the environment and people may seem insanitary but I kept an open mind as I entered the developing country. I was fortunate enough to not be ill where I required medical assistance, however a few of my classmates did and they were satisfied with the healthcare they received. An advice I would give to anyone visiting China is keep in mind China is still a developing country so use sanitary precautions at all times.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I have to admit it is very hard to learn Chinese when all your classmates speak perfect English. We ate, played, and lived together twenty-four hours a day and in a foreign country it is just more convenient to stick to what you know. We took two Chinese language courses in China which were very helpful. We were also lucky enough that IEM created a buddy system where we were all partnered with a Chinese student to help get us around. We were fortunate to have all these buddies proficient in speaking and writing english too! This made learning Chinese so much easier because they could easily translate what we wanted to say and the best part about it was that they really wanted to help us. The buddy system did more for me than get partnered up with a Chinese student. I didn't expect to become close friends with all these buddies to eventually call my family when I leave. Besides the buddy system, IEM also set up various activities with other Chinese students for a day out in the park or in the city. Overall, the resources I needed to learn Chinese were all there, I just had to use them.

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• Dorm

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• International Students
• Americans