Awesome China Experience! Past Review
By Grant J (Finance, North Dakota State University) - abroad from 05/18/2014 to 05/30/2014 with
North Dakota State University: China - International Leadership and Management in China, Hosted by the Asia Institute
I learned that I loved to travel. It was extremely worthwhile to me and in more ways than learning the new found love. Studying abroad makes you vulnerable and vulnerability teaches you about yourself and learning about yourself is awesome. This trip really provides the groundwork for a great China and Asian experience.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our hosts worked around the clock to make sure that everything we did ran smoothly. It was a very comforting feeling knowing that they were knowledgeable about everything that was going on. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Everywhere we stayed it was extremely clean, comfortable, and friendly. We stayed at a few different styles of hotels and that was also very cool. |
| * Food: |
I love authentic Chinese food. The restaurants that we ate at had good selection and traveling throughout China, each region had a different variation on the same type of food. One thing to note, cold beverages are not as popular in China as they are in the US, a common beverage for every meal is tea or coffee, Sprite or Coca Cola, and bottled water. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had the opportunity to meet and interact with students our age at the colleges and universities that we met with. I think where the Asia Institute has a competitive advantage is when the guides they provide to the students with are our age. I think that one simple part alone made the trip much more integrated and great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The Chinese community was extremely welcoming in every city we stayed in. I can honestly say that I never felt that my safety was threatened, either with the group and guides, or when out exploring with a friend without a guide. |
| 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) |
I brought $500 to China. $300 for spending and $200 for passport replacement. I spent all of the $300 and then some (credit card where possible). If I were to go back, or do this again I would bring around $400 to $500 dollars for spending money. The USD has a good purchasing power in China and I think that it was extremely affordable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 USD |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Call your credit card company in advance and let them know what you are doing. Use your credit card where possible and save cash for street vendors and places without card readers. |
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? |
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? | I had been prepared very well by my instructor, Dr. Peterson. Everything we encountered his students and I were well prepared. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
