Global Skills Capstone in China: Best Decision I Have Ever Made Past Review
By Tiffany G (Biology, University of Northern Iowa) for
University of Northern Iowa: Dalian - Global Skills Capstone in China
Interacting with people from Brazil, Poland, Colombia, and China has allowed me to make treasured and useful relationships with people from around the world. The challenges that have come with this trip has helped me in the process of becoming a more selfless and open-minded person. Observing and learning how the Chinese students live their life has made me more appreciative of student life at UNI and understanding of why they follow the rules they have. Participating in cultural activities has shown me a piece of what makes a country’s people proud. I have been intrigued and have become more well-informed visiting the sites of Beijing and Dalian. And finally, I have enjoyed visiting businesses and other organizations to adventure out of my biology major and try a taste of the business world. I strongly recommend the Global Skills Capstone course at UNI for anyone.
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. |
The Chinese teacher was not very strict. The grading system was very reasonable. The workload was also reasonable and not too overwhelming. There was a good balance of being in class, doing cultural activities, and having free time. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They had a lot of knowledge about their country. All of my expectations were met. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Items and water were easy to get at the small convenience store in the hotel. The hotel in China was very similar to ones in the U.S. except the beds were slightly firmer and there wasn't very much toilet paper so I had to buy kleenex. Our ethernet cord stopped working but someone got if fixed within a reasonable time. The hotel exceeded my expectations. It was also a very close walk to class and nightlife since it was on campus. |
| * Food: |
Very cheap, large quantity, and great quality in the cafeteria! But we had to be more careful after one of the Americans in our group got some sort of food poisoning after eating some old meat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Meeting people from Colombia, Poland, Brazil, and China was great! There was a cultural night for each of these countries where they tried to serve their native food and showed native dances and other activities. We made several field trips to businesses, factories, and other sites. There was something scheduled for almost everyday but we also had a good amount of free time to explore or take some time to ourselves. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
There were no issues with health care while we were there. We were required to schedule a appointment with a travel consultant at the student health center before we left and they gave us all the information we needed and we also had all the required vaccinations. Some safety advice is that pedestrians do not have the right-of-way in China as they do in the U.S. |
| 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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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you can talk to someone who has previously done this program then ask them what to pack. The business student would probably benefit the most but I am a biology major and it has benefitted me to a large extent. |
