Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I get to see life on the other side of the world! Past Review

By (University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh) - abroad from 05/05/2018 to 05/19/2018 with

University of Pittsburgh: China Plus3 Study Abroad Program, Hosted by the Asia Institute

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained experiences that I might never earn again, and made friends both at the University and abroad. Overall a fantastic trip.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I really enjoyed the trip. The sights were fantastic, and the site visits organized by our University guides were eye-opening to show me industry in China. And although I missed one of the cultural sights due to illness, I learned a lot about Chinese culture and lifestyles.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The most impressive part of the Asia Institute staff was their ability to handle adversity, such as when 7 students, including myself, became ill in Beijing. The Asia Institute's staff handled the situation with expertise, able to split up and keep the majority of the group in Xi'an on track while the rest of us recovered. It was quite impressive. On top of that, the food organized by them was great, and I greatly enjoyed the hotels where we stayed.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The hotels were awesome! We stayed in a great hotel in Beijing, that was able to accommodate a few more days after we became ill. The hotel in Shanghai was even nicer, easily one of the nicest hotels in which I have stayed.

* Food:

The food was truly great; however, I did end up getting sick. While we do not know exactly what caused the illness, the only reasonable conclusion I can come up with is the food. But other than that, there were no issues!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt integrated, but not the point of absurdity. I always knew I could distance myself from the culture if I needed to, but was always able to jump in headfirst!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I have no words to describe how good the healthcare was. I got ill once, and felt better within two days. And insurance covered everything.

* Safety:

They know what they are doing and take fantastic care of you! Overall a completely safe experience.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I have nothing against the program, it was fantastic. But I would not like to go twice, I would rather go somewhere different a second time if I have already been to China.

Finances

* 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)

I am a frugal person, so I spent less money than most. I think overall, I spent about $150 USD over the trip. Maybe closer to 200

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Each week? Maybe 100/week, but probably less.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Just don't buy silly things that you will never use.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

There was some encouragement, but almost everything was acceptable in English.

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? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish IV
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Practice with the guides to speak conversationally, that way you can catch easy words when talking with locals.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The adeptness of the staff.
  • The cultural visits.
  • The fellow students on the trip.
* What could be improved?
  • I would add more site visits in other cities than Beijing.
  • I would spend fewer days in Beijing.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had known what would have gotten me sick and I would have avoided it.