Program Reviews

Overall, I enjoyed my time in this program. Florence is a beautiful city and I’ve definitely gotten attached. The food was amazing, and nothing beats a cappuccino for €1 when you’re used to starbucks gouging you $5 for the same thing, but with subpar coffee. On the academic front, I found both my Italian classes and my film classes to be challenging. But the most challenging part of the program overall was the schedule. When NYFA classes began, i had class Monday-Friday from 9:30-6:30. In addition to the crazy fast deadlines for projects, this created some stress. However, it was worth it in the end. I learned so much about filmmaking and this course has helped me grow a lot as an artist. All of the faculty and staff on this program were so helpful in facilitating this growth. I do wish, though, that there had been more people in the program. It would have been nice to have more people to mingle with.

The CET Brazil program was really amazing. The best part, for me, was staying with a Brazilian roommate. This is different than most study abroad programs, where you stay with a host family, but for me it was ideal. I was able to connect with my roommate as a peer and friend, and we were able to share so many experiences and support each other in so many ways. It was amazing to be able to share the experience with someone who was also young and a student, to be able to see São Paulo and talk about São Paulo with other young people.

The school, PUC, is a really unique place. Lots of interesting and radical young people, a lot of really cool seminars happening, with art everywhere. I was repeatedly surprised and impressed with the conversations happening at/facilitated by the school.

It was definitely a big city, which is an environment I was not used to living in, and I loved it. If you are looking for a more rural, nature-focused program, this one won't be for you. But the city has so much to offer and so many amazing sights, places to eat, places to see, people to meet, free events, museums, music, and more. (These are the things that you sometimes have to go out there and find - facebook was a great resource for cool events happening around the city, and museums almost always had something going on, exhibits and seminars and special events. And almost always free!) And at certain points in the program, such as our trip to Salvador de Bahía and Paraty, we were able to get a sense of the more scenic and green parts of Brazil, which was amazing, but an exception to the everyday routine of the program. The program also has a lot of built in excursions which, if you take full advantage, can really give you a great picture of the city and show you things you probably wouldn't have been able to find on your own. The program was very structured, which for me was helpful, but if you are looking for more independence, this probably wouldn't be for you. There was a lot of independence, especially since we live with roommates rather than families, but the structure made a big difference (in a good way) for me.

The social justice focus of the program was prominent in almost every aspect. We were constantly having critical conversations about what we were experiencing and certain power dynamics in every situation. It was really great to have a staff and a peer group of students to prepare and reflect with, and I always felt supported.

CET provides a really complete experience. The academics are really challenging, of course, but we were able to explore a wide variety of topics in class that were really relevant to the culture, both in Jordan and in the wider Middle East. Combining that with the conversations I had with my Jordanian language partner meant that I could learn about almost any aspect of the environment and the people. Plus, we were able to visit places like Wadi Rum, Petra, Jerash, or do cultural events like cooking Jordanian dishes and visiting a Turkish bath. Overall, a fantastic experience that really complemented our language education. Plus, the teachers really, really care about their students and how they are doing, both academically and mentally/emotionally.

Studying abroad through CET Prague was an invaluable experience. I chose this program because I had heard that Prague was quite affordable as far as EU cities go and BEAUTIFUL. I am pleased to say that its reputation held. CET staff were for the most part very supportive and helpful throughout the semester, making the transition to living and navigating around a new city much less daunting. While in Prague, I studied Central European Studies. I learnt a lot about the history and culture of the region, not just through my classes, but through all the extracurricular activities CET had to offer. Take advantage of them!

Since there are no classes on Fridays, many people traveled on the weekends. I found that with all the things going on in the semester, I was too burnt out to travel every weekend. But if you're someone that can afford and handle the stress of frequent travel and stimulation then there is definitely the opportunity to visit other parts of Europe. I visited Amsterdam one weekend, Munich another, and Paris and Freiburg over fall break. However, I'd recommend either coming early or leaving later than the program dates if you really want to experience Europe at your own pace.

Overall, the experiences I had here and people I met along the way were truly something else. I am happy with my decision to study in Prague through CET and would recommend this program to others.

Before coming to Harbin, I had never been outside of the US so I was in for quite the culture shock upon arrival. However, the first few days were surprisingly easy as we were shown around campus and a little bit around the city. We didn’t start the language pledge until four days after everyone arrived so we had the opportunity to get to know everyone in the cohort, which was nice considering the first few weeks after the language pledge are filled with awkward, short sentences. Even being a more advanced program there was a lot of variety in skill level but I never felt like anyone was excluded because their language ability was a little behind.

The workload is no joke. I had two or three classes a day and each class required anywhere between 2 and 4 hours of homework. It’s especially difficult in the beginning, but over time I noticed the workload became easier. There isn’t a heavy emphasis placed on grading but more so on your ability to use what you’ve learned. The one-on-one course can easily be the best or worst part of your classes. If you choose a topic and then realize you don’t quite like it, tell the academic advisor immediately so you can change the topic accordingly. It ended up being most people’s favorite class despite being the most difficult. The one-on-two really helps you realize your tone or pronunciation mistakes, especially because you go four times a week. The other two classes are your choice and are pretty standard.

Having a native roommate is kind of advertised as a big deal and I honestly didn’t believe it before arriving, mostly because I’m a naturally shy person and never really bond super quickly with people. However, I have to say that my roommate has become one of my favorite people and probably to person I’m going to miss the most. In the beginning, when I could barely say a few sentences, she was so incredibly patient helped me with basic survival. Over time, we started talking about cultural difference, politics, life problems, and just anything. I would not improved so much if I had her helping me. As far as I know, all of the roommates were patient and very excited to help everyone in our program.

I don't know where to begin to describe how wonderful and fun this summer program was! I didn't know anyone else going on this program, but I actually preferred it that way. I met such kind people, classes were really engaging (not too tough), and the internship component tailored to each person's interest, which was really nice. I had the chance to explore different parts of Vietnam as well as try all types of food, such as Pho in Ha Noi. Trust me when I say this: the food in Vietnam is PHENOMENAL. My favorite dish was Bún Thịt Nướng, you gotta try it. Overall, this program presented me the opportunity to explore my heritage in the best ways possible. I was also really fortunate to have a super supportive and dedicated staff as well as peers who are now lifelong friends.

Before this program, I had never been to China and spoke no Chinese. I was the only student on my program from the University of Florida because UF does not directly transfer over credits from CET programs. I chose this program because of the internship opportunities, the location and the living situation (and I am so glad that I did!) I really enjoyed the courses I took at Donghua and my internship was a very unique experience that I believe led to my success in securing another internship when I returned. The staff on this program are so so helpful and the program is structured in a way that really allows all of the students and local roommates to meet and get to know each other. I made such great connections and felt that I grew so much personally, academically and professionally through all of the opportunities that this program allowed me.

CET Summer Japan was an invaluable experience for me. I had always had in interest in Japanese language and culture, and so I thought that CET was the perfect program for me in order to increase my Japanese language proficiency. I was apprehensive at first and a little worried my preconceptions and exceptions about Japan, but CET's staff (on and off-site) were all really great and helpful! They were always available to help in any situation and I felt safe knowing they looked out so much for the students.

The academics were challenging, but definitely doable. Having class for 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week can be exhausting, but thanks to this, I learned so much. I'm glad that we were taught "survival Japanese" because we were able to use so much of the material we learned in class in real-life situations. People may be apprehensive of their language proficiency going up, but I think no matter what level of Japanese you're at, I think you'll gain something from participating in CET. I was able to enjoy my time outside of class and go explore the sights of Osaka, even on days I had class. If I could give one piece of advice to prospective students, I would say to plan out what you want from the program. How do you want to spend your time? 70% studying/30% playing? 60%/40? Having this in mind definitely helps to manage your time and ensure you get everything you can while on the program. Of course being in another country is exciting, but schoolwork is also important. It's up to you to decide how you want to spend your time there and I think finding a balance that's right for YOU will ensure the best possible experience for you. Looking back, I definitely would have liked to spend a little more time on homework, but I was also was able to meet some of the greatest people and become great friends with them from spending time with them.

My favorite thing about the program was the people I met and the friends I made. I never once felt scared of messing up in class or outside because I didn't know how to say something in Japanese because everyone was so kind, understanding, and willing to help! I would definitely participate again if I could and would recommend this program to anyone looking to meet new people, improve their Japanese language proficiency, and to anyone interested in Japanese culture.

I had an amazing summer in Taiwan. I appreciate that the academics was challenging and I could definitely see improvement in my Chinese listening and speaking. I had the best resident directors and things all went smoothly. They provided us a trip to Hualien, which was one of the best experiences I had in Taiwan. In addition to housing, tuition, books, and transportation all calculated into one sum, I also had an internship at The China Post. The internship aspect challenged me in some ways, but also became a memorable part of the program. Taiwan is also a very safe country and transportation is very easy to navigate. Housing was super nice. My roommates and Taiwanese roommates were easy to get along with and like family. Food is good and cheap. Especially BOBA!

So a lot of people ask me why I chose to study abroad in Italy and honestly its a very boring answer... I just picked whatever program gave me what I needed in terms of credits. Which is super awesome that I can easily transfer my credits from CET to my current school but also I had no idea what to expect. I didn't speak a single word of Italian and knew absolutely nothing about the Italian culture. And now looking back, I feel so incredibly grateful to have been able to have this experience.

CET was the best choice for me because of my academic credits I was able to receive and also because of all the resources they provided for me. I took two classes there. One was an Italian Food and Culture class where we took field trips every week to a chocolate tasting, cooking class, wine tasting, olive oil vineyard, etc. It was just an amazing experience being able to do those things because it allowed me to further immerse myself in the Italian culture. And also, I probably would not have done those things on my own. I learned so much about the Italian culture and it was so great being able to live in their country and truly understand everything because of what I was learning in my class. The other class I took was a beginner Italian class and my teacher was one of the best people I met on my trip! She was like my second mom abroad.

The whole of CET staff while I was there was just so considerate and accommodating. They were there for you for anything! They truly understand the mindset of someone who is going abroad in a foreign country and won't hesitate to help you out with whatever you needed from restaurant recommendations, safety tips, and travel tips as well. They wanted me to make the most of everything there and I truly feel like I did because of their help.

The best part of my trip was the my apartment. It was so nice not having to deal with finding an apartment on my own. They worked out all those details and I also decided to go with random roommates within the program because I didn't know anyone else going abroad. The apartment was in a great location and very close to everything I needed. The best part about the apartment was how lucky I was to have met three other incredibly great friends! We travelled together every weekend, ate every meal together, and honestly just spent every second together.

I had no idea that when I went abroad I would get back such a rewarding experience. I honestly don't think it would have been the same if I had done a different program because they everyone at CET in Florence was so helpful and understanding. I think that's really important when you're deciding to do something you've never done before.