Program Reviews

Going abroad with CET Colombia really opened my eyes to the intersectionality within the Afro-Diaspora.I about race ethnicity and land territories as it applies to Afro and Indigenous Colombians. I was able to travel to different parts of the Colombian Pacific and Caribbean Coast and have meaningful conversations with Local Afro-Colombians in Spanish! I was learning Spanish before I went abroad but after those three months my Spanish improved dramatically and I am able to have conversations with different types of Spanish speakers. Everything that I learned in the classroom was translated into field experiences. It was indeed an immersive cultural experience.

My time in Colombia was amazing! I learned so much about Afro-Colombian culture, Colombian history, and society as a whole. My program not only allowed me to learn about new places and cultures but also forced me to be introspective and learn new things about my own identity. It caused me to reevaluate the way that I perceive myself in different spaces, and analyze the way that culture influences identity. Overall, I feel that this was an amazing opportunity and has heavily influenced the way that I learn about and analyze different topics and the way that I see myself and the world around me.

I genuinely had one of the best summers with CET in Taiwan and would highly recommend CET Taiwan to dedicated Chinese learners! I came to this summer with no idea what to expect— I had never been to Taiwan/studied abroad before— but I fell in love with Taiwan so fast this summer.

In terms of CET: CET was so helpful with getting us amazing & convenient apartments, planning weekend trips, etc. One of the best parts of CET was that their office was super accessible (walk-in, M-F), so I went there whenever I had any questions. When I got hurt and needed to go to the hospital, Geoblue (the insurance that CET provides) paid for all my expenses and the CET helped me through the process so that I would not have to pay out of pocket.

In terms of Taiwan/Taipei: FOOD is amazing, cost of living is so cheap, and people are so nice and friendly. I had the chance to make some Taiwanese friends too through language partners and mutual friends! I also think that Taipei is such a fun place to live since you can experience the city but also nature (go hiking, to the beach, etc) within a 1 hr commute. If you love fresh tropical fruit (mangoes/dragonfruit/papaya/pineapples), Taipei is the place for you.

In terms of academics: our classroom had about 7 people and I would say that was the average amount of students per class. My professor was so sweet! It was a bit of an adjustment to learn how to read in traditional chinese, but it got easier over time and I'm glad I did. I had class from 8am-11am everyday which meant that I had the whole day to explore the rest of Taiwan. I spent about 30 minutes-1 hour on homework everyday, and the workload was light. Our vocab units ranged from women's rights (ie abortions, sexism, etc) to romantic relationships (dating, marriage, love), covering a lot of useful topics. The one thing was that we didn't really cover chengyu or abstract concepts since the class was more oriented on practical vocabulary.

Another thing that's helpful is to read the CET blogs— Along with many other students, I’ve shared some of my specific experiences on it. https://cetacademicprograms.com/photo-essay-cet-taiwan-14/

I picked Prague after previously visiting the city and falling in love with the buildings and parks that created a desire for me to go back and keep exploring what the city had to offer. I have no regrets in picking CET Prague. The program helped me understand the amazing history and deepen my cultural understanding of the city and Central Europe. The program requires you to take a beginning Czech language class which seemed daunting at first but helped me feel more connected to the city and show respect to its people (who overall really appreciated when we would try to speak Czech with them). Some of my other favorite classes were "Central European Film" and "Kafka and other Central European Literature". Both classes added in my cultural understanding and proved to be great conversation starters when we met with other lecturers on traveling seminars. Czech food also seemed like it wouldn't be my cup of tea, but I have developed a love for goulash and garlic soup. However, even if you decide that food isn't for you, there are so many different restaurants with a variety of different cuisines to try across the city. I also loved being with people from all across the US, not just from my home institution. This aspect helped me make life long friends that I most likely would have never met if I didn't do the program (and now I have more connections/places to visit in the US). The staff was also extremely supportive and felt like family. They really took the time to get to know you and spend time with you which is not something I have always experienced in previous programs. This was my favorite semester for so many reasons and I owe it all to CET Prague!

Before coming to Florence, I had only been to Europe once, to visit my brother when he was studying in Prague. I had a hazy expectation of what a semester abroad would entail -- likely getting familiar with a new city and people, lots of travel, new friends. All I can say is that CET Florence has exceeded every expectation, and truly clarified for me what it means when people say that study abroad changed their lives. While taking long weekends to travel throughout Europe is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, at the end of every travel experience, I am beyond excited to return to Florence, a place that I consider both a dream vacation destination and my home away from home. The food here is outrageously good, and I always get my steps in -- it is so easy to forget just how much walking you're doing when you're excited to turn every corner and explore a new street. CET has enabled me to make lifelong memories and friends in the most incredible place on earth.

If you want to learn Arabic, this is the place to be! Despite having studied four years of university-level Arabic prior to the program, the biggest improvement in my language skills was definitely during my two months in Jordan. Not only are the teachers and staff are absolutely phenomenal (incredibly sweet, supportive, and understanding) but the curriculum is incredibly challenging and engaging.

The setting is also perfect. Not only are you set in Amman, but the program is also held within the Univerist of Jordan campus, meaning you have a wonderful opportunity to get to know other Jordanian students your age. One of the students even offered to arrange for me to become a regular at a lecture/class while I was there! Being at the University of Jordan also means that you have the wonderful opportunity of participating in campus extracurriculars and events, an opportunity that you should definitely not pass up! Being assigned a language partner from the university (still a close friend of mine!) means that your skills just keep improving.

The program also actively tries to include you into Amman's social scene. Your language partner will take you out to different locations (often to visit their families as well) and your Jordanian roommate will work hard to introduce you to his/her friends. As long as you stay open to new experiences and actively try to explore, you will make lifelong memories and friends.

The housing situation is also incredibly safe and comfortable. That being said, it is definitely different from the type of comfort you might find at a European or American study abroad program but despite some minor hiccups, we were very happy with the situation. Being assigned a local roommate only makes it that much friendlier.

That being said, there are some tips to share:
- Do your own studying and research about Jordan and the Middle East before arriving. You will learn a LOT about Jordan and Arab culture while in Amman but, as most of the teachers have grown up in Jordan and never lived in the West, they will be teaching you curriculum based on their perceptions of how the West looks at the Middle East. Sometimes these (though completely well-meaning) intentions end up re-inforcing stereotypes that are untrue.
- Although the housing situation is wonderful, make sure to BRING WARM CLOTHES! Water shortages in Amman means that central heating is not a common amenity and it gets incredibly cold in the winter!
- Evaluate what you want to get out of your study abroad experience. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and excited at the idea of adventure, this is the program for you! This will not be like a program in Europe - to meet people and have exciting experience, you have to be actively trying to take risks and meet new people! Once you do that though, you're gold.

All in all, this was an absolutely heartwarming experience and, hands down, I would definitely do it again. I met some incredibly wonderful people and people who I will be friends with for a long time (both American and Jordanian). If you have the opportunity to go to this program, don't pass it up.

After completing all levels of Arabic at my university, I participated in the CET Virtual Summer program for the intensive study of Arabic to sharpen my skills in hopes of developing a more advanced understanding of the language. This program was much more challenging than any Arabic class I took prior. One of the key assignments that we worked on throughout the entire program was a research paper on a topic of our choice. Although it seemed a difficult task in the beginning, with the very fast-paced nature of the classes and the big focus on learning new and more advanced vocabulary, writing the research paper became quite simple and even enjoyable.

Apart from that, the entire staff was very eager to help, whether it was to answer questions or do some oral language practice. Although the program was virtual, the staff and teachers succeeded in creating a very welcoming, authentically Jordanian environment (in terms of culture).

Although the academic aspect was very fast-paced, it was also very well-designed and I felt as if I really understood everything we were taught and that I was learning at a comfortable pace. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to advance their Arabic language skills, whether it's modern standard Arabic or colloquial.

This is a great program for those who want to acquire Japanese language, as well as experience Japanese culture while also getting to learn about it in a class setting. Due to the language pledge that all CET students take at the beginning of the program, students are more likely to acquire the Japanese language. And I loved living with Japanese roommates. It was a great way to practice the language and learn the customs. And they really help you feel at home in Osaka. I had to leave early due to the COVID-19 situation, but I can't wait to go back!

Going to Japan really helped me learn more about what kind of person I am and how countries are fascinatingly similar despite outwardly completely different.There are parts of it that I love that I can only find here. I loved the sleepy Hayao Miyazaki-esque neighborhoods with their winding roads that could lead to unexpected sights, like an unexpected cafe or a small park.
Seeing all these different places helped me feel less conscientious. At times it felt very lonely being one of a few Americans and when I first came here, I felt helpless and nothing really made sense to me. Now that I have left Japan, nothing is quite the same. I’ve learned from embarrassing and difficult times and become a more confident person. The world has become a much wider and more vibrant place, and I find myself eager to explore it.

Academics: There is no doubt you will improve your Japanese. They take their academics very seriously in this program. In addition to the immersion, there is a language pledge to discourage English speaking, and they also require one-on-one teaching in addition to the regular curriculum and excursions, but a schedule is given every week so it is not hard to know what to prepare for.

Support: The staff and roommates were always very kind and happy to help. If you had a problem or concern, they were happy to set aside some time to talk it over and offer advice if you wanted it.

Fun: Karaoke nights, eating out, and excursions were really fun times for me! Even if you cannot speak that much Japanese, it's not hard to participate and get swept up into the fun. It was a good time to relax from studying, try new food and bond with others.

Housing: As long as you keep it clean, the room I had at Lavianne was pleasant to stay in, though the bathroom leaked a bit. You cannot open the screens of the windows but the room had a functional kitchen and refrigerator. The sister apartment, Arabesque, was not the same quality, I heard. One of the students living there had to clean up after a previous messy tenant and had gotten ill from a filthy AC unit, and the units are much smaller in comparison to Lavianne.

Safety: I felt it was much safer to wander in Japan than it is here in the US, particularly after dark. I often saw children unaccompanied by adults playing by themselves in parks as the sun sets and it was not unusual for my roommates to be out very late. In addition, CET takes their safety very seriously and reports via LINE chat if something changes or is amiss, and are available if you are in serious trouble.

CET Japan: Spring 2020 is a time I will never forget. The friendships that were created, the experiences I had, and the academic breakthroughs I grew from makes me want to return to Japan every day. I will elaborate on each area below, but I wanted to provide a summary of my experience in Japan.
I would like to start off by saying that my study abroad program in Osaka was unfortunately cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. While unfortunate that I had to return to America only after two and a half months in Osaka, the CET Administration handled the situation professionally and did what was right for the safety of its students.
While the course load for the CET Language Classes were intense, the growth in my proficiency was far beyond what I was hoping for. Due to the support I had from my professors and newly made Japanese friends, I felt that I was having a great time conversing in Japanese rather than studying all day for lackluster results. Luckily, my housing situation provided a large dining space where many family-style dinners and nights I will never forget took place. The amount of fun and great experiences I had with my loving roommates struggles to fit in this review section. By saying the housing, transportation (especially to sightseeing locations), and safety were amazing, I am doing this program a disservice. Do yourself a favor and apply for CET Japan.
Academics: I studied third year Japanese during my time in Osaka. CET Japan is famous for its rigorous and fulfilling language courses. All I can say is wow. I have never learned so much in such a short period of time. The elements of immersion and the language pledge brought my language proficiency to a level I had only hoped to achieve (keep in mind, the immersion only lasted 2.5 months). While the remainder of the course was moved online, while in Japan I absorbed so much material not only from the great professors but being able to speak Japanese with my enthusiatic-to-help roommates.
Support: While time in a foreign country can be quite difficult, CET faculty and roommates were very understanding and happy to help. Whether it was a mental health issue or having a cold, everyone was ready to lend a hand.
Fun: There were countless nights of exploring new parts of town, singing karaoke till our voices were gone, and gaming sessions in our sharehouse. While I cannot tell every story here, I say one has to experience it for themselves. This was arguably the best time I had during college, if not my life.
Housing: I was fortunate to have my own room with seven other men in a sharehouse. It was located in a nice neighborhood with two fully functioning kitchens, two full bathrooms, and a nice porch in the backyard. Each room had its own heating and cooling, so it could be set to your individual preference. The dining room was the best feature for me. It was great for having gatherings and meals with all my new friends.
Safety: Japan as a whole is famous for its safety. CET Osaka Japan's location was no exception. I cannot recall a single time (even while travelling the whole country) that I felt unsafe.