Program Reviews

Hi this is Fadu and I took part in the go abroad china program. Seeing China through the lens of Western Media makes you blind. China has a beautiful and warm culture with awesome people and above all, one of the safest countries of our time. For several reasons, my trip to China was a dream come true. I have learned Mandarin before but has never made it to China. I speak reasonably good mandarin with a horrible accent- this also inspired my ambition to improve. Made many friends which made the experience more amazing.

Hi I am Cathryn Masuda from University of California, USA. I joined 3 month internship program in China. GoAbrodChina internship program provides an opportunity to work with a leading foreign company, Evalueserve in China. Without GAC 's assistance along the way, finding the right employment in my relevant field would not have been that simple. Working for Evalueserve not only allowed me to carry out one of my greatest passions in life but simultaneously enriched me with the cultural experiences of working together with Chinese people. Through my colleagues and GAC staff, I have seen and learnt so much about China’s language, culture,habits, lifestyle and all this has helped me to better understand China. I was very fortunate to have this door of opportunity open to me. It was extremely useful to have the support of GoAbroadChina!

I am Brent Smith. My son, Kyle，joined GAC summer high school language program in 2023. Like many other parents of a high school student, I was worried that first about our son being in Beijing. After my son finished the program, I am very happy to say that GAC has very safe and well-organized arrangement, all of the teachers both the university and through the one on one tutoring curriculum that set up from GAC were excellent. The host family was nice and took care of Kyle a lot. We are happy to recommend GoAbroadChina language programs for high school students in China.

I joined GoAbrodChina Chinese language immersion program in 2023.

The GoAbroadChina Beijing office staff was very helpful in handling all issues of studying abroad. From transfers to and from the airport, enrollment at the University, health insurance and a visa,etc. I feel that this made my stay less stressful than my classmates, who constantly had to deal with these important issues using their beginning Chinese. GoAbroadChina also arranged many social and cultural outings, which truly enhanced my China experience.

I am thankful to all my teachers for their dedicated teaching.

My host family that GoAbroadChina arranged was very kind and helpful in every way. They always offered to help with my homework when I was having difficulty, and every night at dinner our conversations provided me with ideal listening and oral practice, as well as a lesson in Chinese culture. Living with a family also educates you in everything from Chinese culture to common idioms and cooking, etc.

My advice to anyone planning an intensive language course and homestay in China is to coordinate your stay through a program, and GoAbroadChina is the best one to use!

I just finished a program with GAC over this past Summer. Had a genuinely great experience! They were able to offer everything I asked for, all the info and support, and above all made sure I was safe and living comfortably. That's the long-and-short of it. Here are the details:
I'm an aerospace student, and also a proficient Chinese-as-foreign-language speaker. I wanted to get an internship in the aerospace industry in China, so I told them that's what I wanted. They responded promptly and professionally. They connected me with a few partner companies, and made sure I knew all the details about all the companies. They connected me to the companies via WeChat, helping me to get off on the right foot with all the HR and recruiting people I spoke to.
One of these companies offered me an interview. It was a phone interview in Chinese over WeChat. They liked me and subsequently sent me the internship offer. GAC negotiated with them on this to make sure I wasn't getting scammed. GAC kept me in the loop through this whole process. From me reaching out to the confirmation of the internship was about two months.
GAC then found several housing options near the company, within walking distance. They were very clear about the details, the pros and cons, etc. I picked the one I wanted, and they took the rent from my Program Fee Payment. Considering the amount of communication and support I got from GAC, I find the program fees extremely reasonable. Well worth it for a safe, memorable stay in China.
GAC also introduced me to my roommates over WeChat. They explained the situation -- that I was an American who wanted to get better at Chinese and do some work in China -- and that I'd be living with them for the Summer. They really jumpstarted the friendship among me and my roommates.
When the internship and housing were figured out, GAC helped me decide on my flight US->China, and helped me work out a safe plan to get from Beijing airport to my Tianjin apartment. They showed me how to buy subway tickets, how to set up AliPay and MeiTuan and all the other important services. And they did this all in advance. I felt very supported and safe.
While I was living in China, GAC regularly checked in to ask how I was doing, whether I needed any assistance. and if I had any travel plans or things I wanted to do. Eventually they realized that my Chinese and my understanding of China was good enough for me to work, travel, and find fun things to do all on my own. I didn't need their help as much as they expected. But the point is, they were there for me. If I had ever needed anything, all I would've had to do is ask.
GAC were also very insistent on offering weekend outings, trips and travel opportunities. Mostly I traveled on my own, planned things myself and used my internship salary to pay for things. But several times GAC were able to offer some info, some travel tips, or some assistance that I absolutely needed. And every time I went traveling, they were ready and willing to plan the whole thing for me.
I've not even mentioned the best part yet. The best part was my dear friend Xiaohai Shang. He is a local college student whom GAC employed to be my guide and assistant while I was in China. GAC has a careful process for selecting multilingual, knowledgeable, highly competent people in the local area to assist every program participant. As a Tianjin local, Xiaohai was my guy. Xiaohai knew all the best places to go, the best things to eat, and where to have fun. His salary depended on how many outings he took me on, so at least once a week he would text me enthusiastically "Guess where we're going this time!". We had a whole lot of fun, and it made my experience of China better than I could've imagined. Xiaohai and I are now close friends, and likely always will be.
For anyone who does not already speak some Chinese, I know GAC has wonderful language classes that are available at their Beijing HQ for a very small extra charge. Judging from how clear and supportive their communications people were, I imagine their language instructors would be similar.
Chinese is very different from English, and complete immersion is basically the ONLY way to really achieve fluency. Even though I had good Chinese before going to China, I still underwent massive improvement due to immersion and exposure. So even if you're a Chinese beginner, I still HIGHLY recommend taking the opportunity to go to China, study the language while you're there, and experience the Chinese life.
And I genuinely believe GAC is the best way to do that. When I was originally looking for ways to go intern in China, I emailed back-and-forth with a lot -- A LOT -- of different programs offering opportunities to travel to China. GAC was by far the most clear, communicative, supportive and accommodative.
Let me remind you -- living in China is exceedingly, exceptionally, EXTREMELY safe. But it is also an entirely different culture. So the shock is huge. Society there is different than in the US or Europe, and you will be challenged. You may feel like the change is too much and you can't adjust. Of course, eventually you will, and you will love it. But the adjustment is hard. And you cannot -- CANNOT -- do it on your own. You need support and guidance. That is precisely what GAC provides. They are genuinely there for you.
If you want to spend some time living, learning, or working in China, go through GAC. End of story. There's no better way.

- Elihu Conant-Haque, RPI

I used this program to find an architecture internship in Shanghai for the summer. A part of me always wanted to try working in China and experience it. GAC helped me set up interviews, making the process fast. The people at the company were great, and I'll forever cherish the memories with them. I think one of the best things I did on the trip was a 2 day trip to Hangzhou to see all their amazing architecture. My coworkers had planned the trip before I joined the company but they invited me. It was an amazing experience, and I wish I could be back in the city. As a Chinese-American, I was initially scared about not speaking Chinese well in a new city, but this program enhanced my experience. I fell in love with Shanghai and its architecture!

An internship in Japan was always on my bucket list, and I’m so glad I took the opportunity to go abroad and make it happen! Although it didn’t turn out exactly how I had imagined, it was the perfect experience, which really taught me more about myself and my career path than any other internship could have. Here are 5 lessons I learned about going abroad from my internship in Japan!

Final Thoughts on Going Abroad To Do An Internship
When I first decided to take a leap and go abroad to do an internship, I was met with hesitation from friends and family. They wanted me to think it through because they didn’t want me getting scammed. But what they failed to realize is that people are good at heart. Ultimately, all that matters is if you feel like you’re making a positive difference in your experience and if you truly feel like it was worthwhile for both you personally and professionally.

How many times have you gone on vacation and been struck by the beauty of the place? For me, it was the first time I visited Japan, the land of cherry blossoms, neon lights, and amazing food—in other words, my dream vacation spot! While visiting Japan, I took part in an internship with a local architecture firm where I got to witness firsthand how amazing Japanese architecture is.

For My internship experience with Go Abroad China internship in Japan which is an absolute dream come true. I had been looking into study abroad programs for a while before deciding to apply from Go Abroad China. Now, after living here for two months, I'm starting to understand why so many people are sold on studying abroad with GAC: not only did GAC help me grow as a person and gain a new perspective on life, but it helped me learn how working in another country can be incredibly beneficial. This is where studying abroad really shines—when you truly immerse yourself in another culture and try your best to adapt.

My name is Maria and I’m 24 years old. This past semester, I decided to take part in the Go abroad China Vietnam Internship Program, I’d been wanting to live abroad for quite some time and after talking it over with my family, I booked my ticket to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) and prepared myself for the best experience of my life.

The goabroadchina team player communicate with me so much and, the most common questions I was asked were about my personal development, including what I saw myself doing after college. The interviewer wanted to make sure that studying abroad would not be a distraction from my studies and future goals, but an experience that will help me grow as a person. He also asked me questions about Vietnam, and why I thought it would be beneficial for me to intern there. Having never been there before, I had to do some research about living conditions in Ho Chi Minh City so that I could provide specific details about what you can find on campus and around town.

The most memorable moments for me were my interactions with people. I had to make a lot of small talk and get along with people I might not normally interact with. The goal was to be friendly and make connections that could help me throughout my internship, but it wasn’t always easy. It forced me to open up and get out of my comfort zone which was definitely an important personal development experience.

A few months ago, I interned in Japan with GoAbroadChina and it completely changed my life. Not only did I learn a new language, but I was also able to travel throughout Asia, met some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met and made lifelong friends along the way. While being in Japan was an incredible experience, you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to have an internship that helps you grow as a person and expands your cultural horizons.
There was a part of me that was, to put it mildly, very nervous to go to Japan on my own. While I had studied Japanese in school and had visited the country before, nothing could compare to living there full-time and having to navigate the world by myself. And yet, this fear has been one of the best things that could have happened to me because it forced me to step outside my comfort zone and grow as an individual—and I’m so glad I did!