Tunghai 2015 Past Review
By A student (International Business, Trinity University) - abroad from 05/18/2015 to 06/26/2015 with
Tunghai University: Taichung City - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned a new perspective on the world. The culture that I grew up in and the culture in Taichung are very different, which I found very interesting. I learned that people can communicate without sharing a common language, and that there are universal manners that cross cultures. Mostly, I learned that if you want to learn you simply need to reach out and give it a fair chance.
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. |
Learning Mandarin Chinese without any prior experience in the subject was difficult, and the class met every day. However it was a very effective program and I am glad that they pushed me. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration was quick to help with anything that we required, be it classroom adjustments or getting our student cards very quickly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Nice, individual apartments off campus within a 15 minute walk of the campus. |
| * Food: |
Best food I've had in my life. The cafeteria has amazing fried rice as well as noodles. The buffet is also quality |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It is easy to isolate yourself away from the culture if you really want to, but it is just as easy to fully immerse yourself. You need to take charge and put yourself in the position to bond with the locals. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Very accessible and very affordable. Only problem is they are very quick to give antibiotics for any illness, using it as a cure-all type of medicine. This can be dangerous and cause problems. Otherwise very good |
| * Safety: |
The city is very safe. Theft is extremely uncommon, and walking at night is not a problem because the culture is focused on night life. Only worry is the drivers, they can be erratic and you might get hit by a slow-moving moped if you aren't careful. |
| 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) |
Food is incredibly cheap, as is beer. Expect to pay US$2-3 per meal on average. If you want the nicest of the nice food, expect to pay about US$10 for a full meal. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat the local food. The grocery store is actually more expensive then buying from street vendors. 7-11 and Family Mart are also great resources for quick meals in the morning |
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 |
We used it every day, whether it was ordering food or asking directions or just trying to talk to other students. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had no Mandarin Chinese experience |
| 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? | Just keep using it. You can get away just pointing and grunting to people who dont speak Chinese, but push yourself to actually use the language |
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?
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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| 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? | Beginner level Mandarin Chiese |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
