The food was GREAT! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/05/2016 to 12/16/2016 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Beijing

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a greater appreciation and understanding of the language and culture

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Both helpful and supportive

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Excellent housing, except there was a high density of english speaking students in the same dorm, making it difficult to adhere to the language pledge.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Why is this question mandatory? I had no experiences with healthcare and honestly cannot answer how well health issues were addressed.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The program was excellent. I would do it again, especially with a new group of students.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? less that $50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat at the 食堂, embrace the culture and break away from western food

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We had a strict language pledge

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Embrace your Chinese roommate and meet their friends.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Teachers
  • Food
* What could be improved?
  • Pollution
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew to bring thicker running shoes since the primary running surface is very hard

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Classical Chinese

Course Department: Chinese
Instructor: Zheng Laoshi
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments: Excellent course, super challenging. The instructor was extremely engaging and demanded that her high expectations were consistently met.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

One On One

Course Department: Chinese
Instructor: Li Laoshi
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments: Challenging, I felt like I was training the instructor in how to teach rather than the (preferred) opposite
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Experience Beijing

Course Department: Chinese
Instructor: Du Laoshi, Wang Laoshi, Zheng Laoshi
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments: Not terrible challenging. Relevant field trips were offered. The teachers were very well prepared. Due to the small class size, I participated more than at my home institution
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Speaking

Course Department: Chinese
Instructor: Tan Jiawei
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments: Sufficiently challenging. Learned quite a bit and the pace was such that I did not immediately forget the lesson material. Class was engaging
Credit Transfer Issues: No