Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back! Past Review

By (University of Texas - El Paso / UTEP) - abroad from 03/08/2015 to 03/14/2015 with

University of Texas El Paso: China - MBA Doing Business in China, Hosted by the Asia Institute

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This trip truly opened up my eyes to the possibility of living and working abroad. It was wonderful to see and experience so many things that many people just read about in books. I truly will never forget this trip as I learned so much about the culture and business environment of two very different Chines cities.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

We had the opportunity to visit a number of companies in different sectors and speak with their managers and workers about what they do, the challenges they face, and what doing business in China is like.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

All of the representatives from the Asia Institute were great, and very friendly. They were a fun group to be with.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The hotels were pretty nice, clean, and well situated.

* Food:

I had some great meals, especially the dim sum in Shanghai!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It's pretty impossible to not look like a tourist, but it was not a bad experience. It was fun to go off the beaten track sometimes to really see the cities.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I never once felt unsafe on the trip. It was truly a great experience.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Some things are extremely affordable (some meals, tourist entrance fees), but I spent more on souvenirs. Never pay the asking price at markets.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hotel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The Great Wall of China
  • The food
  • Bonding with my classmates
* What could be improved?
  • Getting the schedule earlier
  • More time to venture out, not just at night
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would have spent more time learning and practicing speaking key phrases. A phrase book/dictionary/app comes in handy for sure, especially at restaurants and some stores. Read all that you can. Learn the currency exchange ratio to make for easy shopping. Ask questions and speak to locals, you'll never know what you find.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.