China: Such fun Past Review
By Frances J (Chinese Language and Literature., Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in China
I wish we could have traveled more.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
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 resident director really cares about the students, which is nice, but he has a tendency to underestimate students' abilities, which got very, very annoying. I also wish he had spoken more Chinese with us. He seemed to think that no one would understand him if he did, which was not the case at all. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The school cafeteria is dirt cheap and the food is very good. However, there are also several other cafeterias on campus and other restaurants just off campus that are well worth trying. |
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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: |
I always felt very safe. |
| 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 don't remember exactly, but Tufts provides a living stipend that covered all my expenses. I didn't have a problem. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think people who ran out of money were those who were going out to bars or clubs every night of the week and also buying cigarettes or other things every day. I'd just be careful of that. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 122, or 4th year college Chinese |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
We lived on the foreign students dormitory where English was the fallback language, since most of the students' Chinese level was not high. However, with many Asian foreign students we did speak Chinese and out on the street we had to. |
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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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Lower Chinese level student would definitely benefit most. |
