China: A Whole New Perspective Past Review
By Chandler F (Marketing Management, University of Northern Iowa) for
University of Northern Iowa: Dalian - Global Skills Capstone in China
This was a humbling experience. I learned that Americans live very well and I saw some of the things we, as Americans, had to fight through to reach our position today. For this, my study abroad experience was well worth it. I am even more interested to learn about China's development and history. I also had the advantage of experiencing China with people from all over the world. As a result, I gained a huge sense of cultural differences and the significance of these differences when it comes to business.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Dalian Nationalities University |
| 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. |
At Dalian Nationalities University, a college semester lasts longer than in American colleges and universities. Also, there seems to be more homework rather than study work in some Chinese universities when compared to American universities. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program size was great with about 40 students from 5 countries. The organization of program events and ability to get some things done was questionable. It seemed many events were never certain to happen and there was some contradiction among program leaders when it came to making decisions. This interfered with the ability of our group to focus on one topic such as learning the Chinese language as well as other academic topics. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I enjoyed our cultural emphasis nights. These nights offered opportunities to get to know other other people and their cultures. At the same time, we could have fun dancing and eating. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Our host city was a typical Chinese city. There were plenty of threats to safety including waste laying around on city sidewalks as well as a good share of poor individuals with the potential of causing harm to others. There were no incidents. I needed several vaccinations prior to departing for China including Hepatitis B, polio, and tetanus. |
| 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
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the Chinese language with a designated Chinese teacher. Yes, I had to use this language the moment I walked out of my hotel room every day. Most people I encountered each day did not speak any English. |
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? | This is an excellent opportunity to show that the people of this world need each other. You will see and learn a lot in a short amount of time. Take it seriously and think critically about how these things are related and how they impact other people. If you have any interest in globalization and learning other cultures, this program has your name written all over it. |
