1 Year at NTU Past Review
By A student (University of Hawaii - Manoa) - abroad from 09/04/2011 to 06/22/2012 with
National Taiwan University: Taipei - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned to be adaptable in and out of the classroom. I think this alone was worthwhile.
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. |
I took computer science classes taught in Chinese, which were some of the most intense courses I've taken in my field. I'm not fluent in Chinese, so that made learning the material a bit harder. The classes I took required group work, so that made it easier to handle. I was also the only exchange student in the class, or at least the only foreign looking one. |
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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: |
Generally cheap unless you want to eat western food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues to deal with. |
| * Safety: |
I think the only thing people really have to be concerned about is watching out for traffic. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | No |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | food - about 50USD/week, housing - about 240USD/month, misc costs - about 20 USD/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | tips - none. But, I lived very cheaply compared to the average student by not eating expensive food, not clubbing/partying/drinking every week, and taking advantage of available deals. |
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 |
Locals here don't have great English, and some just don't speak any |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Mandarin Chinese level 3 |
| 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? | hang out with the local students instead of the other exchange students. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Weather conditions in Taipei are confusing. One day might be cold, and the next could be hot. Additionally, the acid rain can make you lose hair. |
