38 reviews
4.00 / 5 based on 38 reviews
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meimei1
Languages
Language of instruction: Chinese
Was learning Chinese a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Chinese
How much did you improve your Chinese?
My level before: Everyday knowledge (shopping, directions, etc.)
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Although I spoke Mandarin Chinese at home, my knowledge of the language did not extend past conversational use. In addition, as my mother has a distinctly Taiwanese accent, I found it difficult to understand Mandarin spoken by those from Mainland China. My experience helped to alleviate this issue, and I also learned some valuable Beijing-slang phrases which I still carry with me today!
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meimei1
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Family
Other sources of funding:
Family
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Food, drink and travel can be inexpensive in China if you do the necessary research.
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Telephone:
was more expensive than at home.
Housing:
was the same price as at home.
Food, Overall, Nightlife, Travel:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
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meimei1
Overall
I wish I had known...
I wish I knew to take more photographs / postcards from home to give to people I met during my travels!
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Tsinghua University is one of the best educational institutions in China. It is more engineer-focused (constantly being called the "MIT" of China). The students are extremely studious, but will come out to party if asked!!
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
- Bring photos of your family
- Invest in a phonecard before you leave (AT&T has an international prepaid phonecard which proved to be my lifeline at times)
- Travellers cheques are key (though I'm sure by now there are ATMs everywhere in Beijing)
- Bring casual, comfortable clothes
- If you are staying for over a month, invest in a bicycle (around $40-50 US)
- Possibly bring a face mask for bike riding purposes (this is a polluted city)
- Be safe and have fun!
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meimei1
Academic
Course recommendations
I was in a specialized program which only focused on language and cultural studies.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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meimei1
Housing
Type of housing: On campus
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
Our housing consisted of a double room within the campus "International Hotel". While this afforded us with privileges that were not given to other students (i.e. air conditioning, personal telephone line), there was no kitchenette area or laundry facilities. Therefore, we were at the mercy of the hotel canteen (which served the same pork and rice dish day after day...though we managed to get some fresh watermelon added to our meal deal). A shared apartment or house with other program members would have enabled us to have more freedom in our menu choices and also encouraged more socializing, as we were spread in different floors in the hotel.
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Personal comments
Please see above
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meimei1
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Activities: Takes place mostly within the university/student environment
Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Nightlife: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
I went about 5 years ago, and I would be shocked if any of the nightclubs (or discos as we called them) were still around!!! JJ's anyone?
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