Four months in KM Past Review
By A student (International Relations, Colby College) - abroad from 02/03/2015 to 05/27/2015 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Kunming
I definitely learned a lot from this experience. On top of improving my language skills, I learned so much about myself and my own identity and how much I need to work on really cultivating who I am and rediscovering the things that are important to me and important in this life. A lot of deep stuff. Because I looked around me and wanted to fit in so badly, since I was born here and looked like the people here, but I really couldn't and simply can't, no matter how hard I try. Our mindsets and cultural values are just SO different, it is impossible. But the personal pressure was really there, exacerbated by the way I was treated by locals with confusion and disdain, which made it really hard to happily and peacefully go about my life. I had no opportunities to get to know other foreigners because of the language pledge or seek out anyone who could really understand me and who is like me, which also made it extremely difficult. It was pretty much a semester where I felt like I really didn't have a concrete identity that anyone but myself knew and understood. So that's always a difficult situation. Definitely will be worthwhile in retrospect though I'm sure.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Just because I was often sick throughout my time in Kunming. It was very difficult to find healthy, simple options. However this isn't an easy problem to solve, given that most Chinese food is extremely oily and spicy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would say that my cultural experience and the emotional difficulties that went along with it was the most difficult part of my time in Kunming. As a Chinese adoptee who returned this year to study the language and culture of China and perhaps somehow find my place among its people, every day was extremely difficult. People saw me as their own but when I spoke didn't understand me - what I was saying or who I was, where I was from, what I was doing here. It was extremely draining and frustrating. No matter how hard I tried, I failed to understand so many aspects of Chinese culture and found myself constantly frustrated and confused. I really struggled to have an open mind and heart to the people I met on the streets who treated me with rudeness or scorn. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had really bad stomach pains for a few weeks, which I suspect are a bigger issue that I can tell hasn't gone away, just subsided with time and medicine. Since it wasn't too serious, I went with my roommate to the local Chinese hospital and got medicine and treatment and have slowly been healing, though will definitely need to see a doctor upon my return to the States. |
| * Safety: |
I would say that China is actually a very safe place in general for foreigners, as long as you are careful and aware and use street-smarts. And since I look like any other Chinese girl, I was never bothered or felt endangered in any way during my time in Kunming. I even had a bike here and often was out walking at night, still felt completely safe and no one disturbed me. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Food and other things in China are generally very cheap compared to the US and Europe, for example, so it was very easy to live cost-effectively. However, western restaurants, Starbucks, comfort foods and things like that were much more expensive, but a sacrifice you have to be willing to make if your stomach can't handle Chinese food everyday. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About 100 USD |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | In China, it is very easy to save money. If you're not interested in clothes, getting your nails done, massages, etc., then living just eating Chinese food is very inexpensive. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
It was mandatory to use Chinese all the time because of the 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | CN201 (I believe? 4 semesters of college-level Chinese) |
| 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? | Enroll in a language intensive program with a language pledge where you are forced to use the language all the time! If you don't, you can very easily end up in a situation abroad where you are speaking English all the time. In Shanghai last semester, it was so easy for me to never use Chinese except in class because nearly anyone at stores and restaurants spoke English and there were so many foreigners. So if you really want to go to a country for the language, do a language intensive program! |
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? |
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? | That only students of certain Chinese levels can take certain courses. Because I chose this program primarily because of its unique environmental and minority focus, however upon arriving, I discovered that my language level was not advanced enough to enroll in these courses, much to my disappointment. |
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. |
