Everything I Expected, and Then Some! Past Review
By Leanna Rutledge (University of Colorado - Colorado Springs) - abroad from 05/16/2016 to 05/26/2016 with
International Business Seminars: Summer China
This experience was more than worthwhile. I gained insight not only into an entirely different culture, but into how businesses operate internationally.
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. |
This program was a great way to experience a new culture without having to spend an entire semester abroad. I felt fully immersed in the Chinese culture, and was able to learn a lot about their traditions and history. We also visited a lot of different businesses that operate in China, and it was a great opportunity to learn about how different governments and businesses have to operate abroad. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our program leader knew fluent Mandarin and was able to direct us to good sightseeing places, as well as get us to all the businesses we visited on time. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our hotels in both cities were great! Both were in locations close to pedestrian streets with shopping and restaurants, and it was easy to find the subway to explore the rest of the city. |
| * Food: |
Our hotels had great breakfast buffets, and there were always local restaurants close by. Everything I had in both cities was delicious and our program leader and tour guides were always there to offer great suggestions if needed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got to visit a local family's house in Beijing and hear about their life, but aside from that we did not have much interaction with the locals. If anything, that would be one thing I would have changed in the future; although with a big group I'm sure it does make interaction more difficult. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any experience with healthcare in China as it was not needed. However, IBS did provide some travel insurance in case anything happened while abroad. |
| * Safety: |
I did not feel unsafe at any moment on this trip. There were a few times where we were in big crowds, but as long as you kept an eye on your wallet, it was fine. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Getting to China is more difficult than getting to some other places in the world. This provided me with a reason to go, and now I have a Visa that allows me to visit again if I want to. |
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) |
I ended up taking out more money that I originally thought, but it was nothing out of my budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $225 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to have enough saved in case there are souvenirs or experiences you might want to add on the trip that you weren't originally planning for. In China, bartering is common for many things, but that doesn't guarantee that you will stay in budget. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | Pack at least a few days ahead of time. I ended up scrambling to make sure I had everything on the morning I left. I ended up leaving some things I wish I had brought, and taking some things I wish I'd left. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
