Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Academic and cultural enriching. Past Review

By (University of Texas - El Paso / UTEP) - abroad from 03/11/2017 to 03/18/2017 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?
Daily learning experiences received through the different visits where not only essential to provide an overview of different growing industries within China, but offered a valuable cultural background as well. The whole experience was worth it.

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.

The exposure to different industries within China is essential to gain better understanding of Business at a Global level.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were just great, very willing to share their knowledge.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very good job, I did not grasp the concept of the small hotel in Hong Kong until I realized how precious a square mile of land is. In Shanghai they have bit more space, so we got a very spacious, luxurious hotel.

* Food:

I wanted to try everything they presented to our table for I did not travel thousands of miles to eat American food. There were some really good spicy dishes that I loved.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt truly welcomed, and even with the barrier of language people will make efforts to help or guide us. I most definitely believe that the human connection is what makes our experiences the most enriching.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

As far as I know, we did not experience any health issues

* Safety:

I always felt safe and protected. Our bus drivers were very diligent and would not doubt their judgement, always excellent even during rush hours.

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

I did not give it a ten because it will be best if the program was at least 2 weeks longer. We cover everything we were supposed to within one week period, but a two week program will be a bit more lax, and will allow more one on one with the people in China, maybe some Chinese classes during the evening, so we could gain even more by learning a little bit abut the culture through their language.

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)

Our expenses on lodging and food were covered. We only have to buy dinner because breakfast and lunch were part of the program.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? not much about $20 on dinner
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Yes, if you plan to do the program for next year, start saving now, outing aside this money will help you for the extras and souvenirs.

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
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 visits to the companies
  • getting to know people
* What could be improved?
  • lenght of program
  • language immersion
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Chinese, this would have broaden up the experience

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 Linguist
You 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!