Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Honing my Professional Chinese Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/27/2020 to 12/15/2017 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Kunming

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to improve my professional, academic Chinese while maintaining my colloquial Chinese.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* 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

I fell in love with Yunnan on my trip and was afforded the opportunity to see so much of it.

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? Roughly $35
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? KTV will kill your wallet.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? High School-level Chinese
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Shake off the urge to interject an English word in a sentence in Chinese. If there's a word you're looking for in conversation, take the time to stop and look it up.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The Food
  • The Instructors
  • The Setting
* What could be improved?
  • Making sure medical care around Kunming is more clearly explained
  • Fewer breaks
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing really.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Kunming Studies
Course Department: Chinese
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments: The course was engaging, and I worked hard for it each week.
Credit Transfer Issues: None
Course Name/Rating:

Tutorial in Chinese
Course Department: Chinese
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Yunnan's Ethnic Minorities
Course Department: SOAN
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Chinese
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

China's Rural Floating Population
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues: