China Travel Study: Broadening your horizons Past Review
By Jacob K (Accounting, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville) for
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (SIUE): Traveling - Business Program to China
This trip was definitely worthwhile and I gained the understanding that people can be on the other side of the world and there are so many similarities. They still do the same daily activities as us, but you see them from a new point of view. This was a great experience and I will remember it for the rest of my life.
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. |
Workload was reasonable and the teachers took in to consideration that students had other classes. Never had any overload of work, but the content was good and we were still about to learn a lot about the Chinese culture and different cultures in general. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There wasn't a lot of interaction with the China school's administration, but the students were great and gave us a taste of what life is like in China. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
In Shanghai and Beijing the hotels were great and in perfect locations for whatever we wanted to do, there were parks, bars, restaurants, and shops all near where we stayed. Laundry was a bit expensive though, it was cheaper to buy new underwear than wash them. |
| * Food: |
The food was great and we were able to try all sorts of new food including scorpion and octopus. The school paid for a lot of meals and there was always plenty to eat. Food was usually cheap, and beer was way cheaper on the street than at the clubs. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
In two weeks we fit in more events than I thought possible, including the world expo, the great wall, and several clubs. The nightlife in China was great and we had a great time wherever we went. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
On the trip nobody got deathly sick or had any major injuries, but a couple people including myself got a little sick but all we needed was meds and rest so there wasn't much needed for us. |
| 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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you are considering taking a trip to China, this is the trip for you. It's not too long and not too short, so anyone could have a great time on this trip. Speaking Chinese is not a priority, I knew hello, thank you, can I have a beer please, and I got around just fine. In two weeks the instructors fit in a ton of great activities and they are very easy to get along with. Seeing the other side of the world is something that most people |
