My CET Beijng Summer Experience

CET Beijing was the most interesting and impactful Chinese learning experience I’ve had the opportunity to experience so far. Throughout high school, I had an untraditional way of learning Chinese, as most of it was during the summers at shorter, but similar, immersive language programs. Because I learned Chinese out of the classroom most of the time, I had short, intensive bursts of language learning that completely contrasted the duration, immersion and intensity of CET Beijing. As a result, I was more successful at this program due to being surrounded by the city, participating in the language pledge and constantly experiencing the target culture. I was slightly nervous before the program started because I had been enrolled in an online Chinese course for the last two years of high school, and had only attended two other 3-week summer immersion programs. I wasn’t sure how my Chinese skills would translate from online to in-life. However, almost immediately within the first two weeks, I noticed a significant difference in my ability to hold conversations and speak full sentences with my teachers and other students, ones that would actually make sense and allow me to communicate what I wanted to say. Being able to use Chinese everyday really made a difference in my confidence, which I think was the aspect that allowed me to really dive into the experience and not be afraid to make mistakes. My confidence in speaking the language was facilitated by my teachers and peers, as they created and were part of a safe community that made me feel confident enough to mess up and learn from it.

I would say that the one-to-one sessions were probably the most crucial aspect of my progress, as I was by myself during the sessions and had to think quickly in order to use the new grammar and vocabulary I learned as I was speaking, which emulated live interactions. Not quite as impactful to my progress, but just as important, was the repetition of the class material. Given that we would learn one week’s worth of Chinese in a day, it was hugely beneficial that the material would first be repeated in the small classes that followed the big class, and then again in the one-to-one sessions. Although it was a lot of work, it didn’t feel like a lot while doing it. Instead of trying to fit the rest of my life around my Chinese, I was easily able to fit Chinese into my daily life while going to authentic restaurants, exploring the city with friends, or talking with my roommate and teachers.

As a gap year student, I was nervous going into the program, as I was the youngest and least-experienced student there. However, I realized I didn’t need to worry because every student was under the same Chinese-learning umbrella, which united everyone despite age, school or Chinese level. Being able to participate in this program, especially since it was in a Chinese city, not only allowed me to improve my Chinese, but also allowed me to learn so much about culture, social norms and a completely different way of life, which I think are aspects that are equally as, if not more, important as being able to speak the language. This program was beyond helpful to my language skills, personal growth and increasing my sense of responsibility, all of which have been and will continue to be essential in my journey to college.

I definitely recommend this program to everyone! My biggest recommendation is to make the most out of your time in Beijing to learn Chinese everywhere you go from anyone you meet, and also make the most out of the new culture, the beautiful city and the lifelong friends you’ll make, because the time flies by and it isn’t an experience you’ll want to waste.