"Shanghai has everything to keep you on your toes" Past Review
By James P (Music., Rollins College) for
Rollins College: Shanghai - Rollins in Shanghai
It was worth it. I wish my language was better than it is now, because I am going back and want to talk to my new friends.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Workload was pretty intense. The Chinese classes were of a different grading style, but the other classes were the same. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Strengths were all of the extra traveling and the degree of the classes were good. There was not enough down time for personal exploration. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The hotel was comfortable, but i wanted an enviroment of immersion and a place to be forced to use the language. Living with the students that speak the same language was not an aid to learning. |
| * Food: |
Shanghai has everything. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
Shanghai is clean and easy. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent very little, maybe 100 dollars a week without shopping. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shopping was fun, but don't go to often. Food is cheap. Must buy bottled water everyday. I would buy the big ones and they would last a few days. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 202 Chineses |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
All of my peers spoke English. But i had to use language everyday in the city. I think my language greatly improved and I made friends that I was able to practice with. I think the program could have been more focused on language learning though. I feel I could have learned more. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Some one who is motivated to learn and can go out and find cool places, and find friends easily. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Chinese History and Culture |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Thomas of Barcelona |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | It was a great overview of Chinese History and Culture. I was pleased with all of the course except the unique 4hours each class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | It only took longer for the grade to come in. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
United states china relations. |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Lairson |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was a course i would never have taken at home, because i am a music major and don't have to. I was pleased to have taken it. I felt like I was behind the whole time because many of my classmates were familiar to the type of class. Saying that, i think my learning curve was the highest in the class even though my grade was not. I learned a lot and I am thankful for the information that I learned. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
