Program Reviews

The CET Pre-College program did an impressive job of exposing me to the potent unique culture and history of Cuba while also keeping a firm focus on study of the complex yet wonderfully effective healthcare system of Cuba. All of this knowledge did however come at the cost of an awfully packed schedule, leaving weekends as the sole free time outside of occasional designated work periods after lunch or before and after dinner. However, with the trusting supervision of the CET program mentors I was able to have freedom to explore Cuba independently in the relatively tourist-friendly and safe city of Havana.

One thing I am grateful for that the CET Program provided me was a multitude of social engagement opportunities with both the locals and the medical professionals we met during the scheduled visits of healthcare centers such a children's hospitals, elderly care homes, pre-maternity care, polyclinics and much more. That’s what great about learning about Cuba’s healthcare system through this program, as our knowledge was prefaced with informative reading, supplemented with lecture from an experienced professor of the medical systems, and topped off with meaningful engagement with the very facilities we had learned of. This process of learning really helped cement my learning and just like anything, If you truly want to understand something, you should see it for yourself! The program gives us designated time periods for visits, and lectures daily, and we are invited to ask questions to the healthcare professionals who are eager to explain the processes of what makes the Cuban healthcare system rival and nearly surpass the healthcare efficiency of America and many other first world-countries.

The work accompanying this Cuban healthcare system teaching is fairly easy at best, and annoying at worst, the work consisting solely of reflection-based essay writings about what you had learned during your visits. I was required to keep a daily journal of my experience in a certain field to meet the course minimum of 10 personal reflections at the end of the period. Atop of this are 3 weekly questions to answer which are a bit more lengthy, requiring a 500 word response minimum. This workload throughout the course is largely done in preparation for the final subject paper which is independently focused upon one chosen aspect of the healthcare system. My paper on this subject was smoking and lung cancer, which I alike to many of my peers relied on additional information through pamphlets, additional help from the professor and various online academic journals.

Overall, with a good work ethic and responsible time management I was able to have a spectacularly enjoyable trip and academic experience while handling my coursework with minimal amounts of stress.

Through daily Spanish classes, a regimen of language practice assisted in giving me experience talking to people who share a similar dialect and speed of talking, which had greatly overwhelmed my admittedly less than average Spanish language comprehension and speech. The class is straightforward and discussion based, instructed by teachers who have taught Spanish to speakers of all sorts of different languages. As long as you understand some semblance of Spanish, it will be comfortably assisted process of learning at either the advanced language class or standard class. Homework for Spanish is easily completed and the sole two exams within the course do not distract from achievement within the healthcare system course. The Spanish course within the CET PRe-College program is a good addition.

Another important portion of the CET program experience is the relationship you share with the peers that you share housing, and perhaps even rooming with as there are two people to a room (there was an odd number in the group and I had a room alone it was awesome). I cannot stress how vital the enjoyment I had from my trip revolved around having amicable relations with the peers and mentors of my group was. For a month, we essentially became a family and they shared many of what will undoubtedly become one of my most vivid memories abroad. Whether it was trekking through the mountains during the weekend Las Terrazas trip surrounded by jungle or boating through naturally forming partially submerged caves, almost all of our activities were done as a group. This program is definitely an experience enrichment by communication with others so I highly recommend that you have the will to put yourself out there and socialize with everyone else. That goes for both peers and Cuban citizens.

For me, life in Cuba was a thoroughly relaxing experience. Outside of academics, there was plenty of fun to be had, and every weekend we had free time and scheduled events such as going to the beach, salsa dancing lessons, and our visits to areas outside of Havan such as Las Terrazas and Las Vinales. A fantastic benefit of this program was the trust given to us to travel in Havana within designated areas provided we did so in groups of three with a phone to communicate, and overtime these boundaries was extended as we continued to abide by the rules. Because of this freedom, on a daily and nightly basis my peers and I were able to visit various cafes, desert chops, and gift shops. In my free time I was able to access the (extremely) limited wifi that requires you to purchase wifi for a duration of wither 1 or 5 hours for a single CUC. Therefore, don’t expect to be on your phone too much, because besides the connection restraints there are so many other captivating things in Cuba that will surely be interesting most things on your phone. I seen passionate salsa dancing and singing, saw the giant leafy mountain tops on the mountain town of Las Vinales and had plenty of ice cream everywhere i went. I truly enjoyed the academic and recreational aspects of this program, and I was able to further define the medical career I want in the future with conviction.

I loved my study abroad with CET. First, CET did an amazing job organizing enriching activities for all the students to do. We got to do a broad range of things, from hiking Taroko Gorge to going to a traditional Chinese opera. But my favorite thing was definitely traveling to the Mazu Festival in central Tawian, which is put on every year for one of Taiwan's many deities, Mazu. Andrew and Chunling did all the organizing, and the trips were all included in the program fee. Additionally, I liked my classes at ICLP, especially the 1-on-1 class that met for an hour every day. If there were a few things I could change, they would probably be my internship experience and adding a language pledge, but both of these were more applicable to me because my Chinese was at a slightly higher level than most.

As an international student in US, I thought I already knew what it would be like to study abroad, but studying in Florence was a totally different and amazing experience! The balance between academic work and extracurricular activities was great. The professors were all so passionate. For my renaissance art history class, we went to different museums almost every week. For other class such as wine studies, we also had field trips to go to wineries, enoteche and restaurants. The courses were conducted in the way that students could learn the core materials from the everyday life, as well as learnt about the Italian culture.
The staffs on the program also gave me a lot of help. They also gave me a lot of good and valuable suggestions when I lived there. For example, once I was trying to get a second-hand guitar there. They searched online for me and wrote down how to get there with lots of details to make sure I would not get lost. I still remember they always greeted everyone warmly with smile and I still appreciate and miss them a lot!
The other part that I really enjoyed a lot was the home stay. I lived in a cute and great family. I was able to experience the local Italian people's life. Cooking with the family and talking with them about the life in school was very heartwarming. They also helped me connected to the neighborhood by introducing their friends to me. The days staying with them were probably one of the most important and memorable time in my life. And I can't wait to go back to see them.
CET Florence helped me broaden my view, make more new friend and I really enjoy my time studying there!

I enjoyed how the program had 3 different schools that were taking the same classes. It gave everyone an opportunity to interact with students and form friendships with individuals that we may not have ever met. However, they did segregate the classes depending on which school you attended which didn't give an opportunity to collaborate during class.

My CET experience was very unique and something I will never forget. Through CET Florence, I gained a better understanding of cultures different than I’ve ever interacted with. The immersive classroom setting was a great way to retain more knowledge. Housing was probably one of my favorite parts of the whole program. My roommates and I lucked out on a very cute apartment in a very authentic neighborhood of Florence. On top of all this, CET’s program helped me become more self-sufficient and independent.

The program definitely focused on language immersion and getting your level of Chinese up; even though I came in with only studying one year of Chinese before the program, by the end I felt more confident in my speaking, comprehension, reading, and writing skills. The program is set up to raise all aspects of your Chinese and it definitely delivered. I would just warn that it may be more work than you're used to, and than you might think it will be; that was the case for me. Besides the academic portion they offer weekend activities and places to go which gives you opportunities to see a lot of sides of Beijing. The city has a ton to offer and I think everyone would find something they like; exploring on my own with friends was exciting too, it's just that there wasn't as much time as I would like to have to explore Beijing without having to sacrifice academics. Pairing every person in the program with a Chinese roommate was also beneficial because it was like having a companion and guide at the same time. The teachers and staff are all very caring, hardworking, and deliver well too. My experience with this program was overall very positive and I am glad I was a part of it. Two months pass by faster than you might think but packed with unforgettable memories and stories.

Harbin was so different than what I ever would have expected going into this program. I was so surprised about the overlaps of different cultures and how much I would learn, not only about Chinese history, but also of Russian and North Korean history! My roommate, professors, and food made the experience so enjoyable. My favorite foods were 手抓饼 (Shou zhuabing) and 馄饨 (huntun); I ate them almost everyday! Even though it was very cold the first month I was there, the weather got warmer and warmer and turned into spring. The flowers bloomed and the pollution cleared up a bit because all the heaters got turned off! The atmosphere was amazing and because my Chinese language ability improved so much while I was there, I can say that I made lifelong friends from my time abroad.

I spent the summer of 2019 participating in the CET: Shanghai program and it has been one of my best decisions. It was an incredible experience, allowing me to further my personal and professional goals.

As a Chinese heritage student I wanted to learn more about my own culture and language and CET’s Chinese course delivered. Having the language placement exam at the very beginning allows for students of every level in Chinese to be placed in their appropriate level class. This allows for students to be challenged in their language study but not be too overwhelmed. Having language class everyday may be more than what you’re used to in your home university but everyone leaves the program with significantly better Mandarin skills. Something I’d recommend is that if you don’t think your placement results were accurate to speak with the teachers and the director of the department. I switched my Chinese class two times before finding the right fit.
To build cultural understanding, CET also reimburses up to 70 yuan/day for students to explore Shanghai and participate in different cultural activities. This allowed for my friends and I to watch a lot of Chinese movies and visit museums throughout the program.

In terms of professional development, the internship component of the program is great for gaining international work experience. You can learn a lot about how different industries operate in China and what kind of opportunity exists there. The internship search process is hectic but eventually everyone finds their internship. Speaking from my own experience, I think the quality of the internship placement of the program is its largest weakness. I did not have a great experience working at my first placement because of the lack of professionalism and respect from my supervisor. My second internship placement was better in comparison but I wasn’t given very meaningful work. I would recommend future students to really think about what kind of internships they want and to remain firm. It’s okay to say no to companies that offer you a position.

Despite some challenges, I had an incredible summer in Shanghai. It's such a fun city to live in and there is always something to do! The connections I made with other U.S. and local students continue to carry on and made participating in the program so meaningful.

CET Jordan is hands down the best program for students who care about Arabic language acquisition. I felt challenged to step as far outside of my comfort zone as I could, but I was never overwhelmed because I had the support of the program staff at each step. The teachers were all extremely friendly and prioritized getting to know the students as people, rather than solely as language learners. That resulted in a positive learning environment, and class became a time to spend time with friends rather than a stressful or boring space. CET is also really concerned with connecting students to Jordanian youth culture, and its location at the University of Jordan, as well as the language partner/roommate programs, gave me a great in to make local friends. I loved my experience during this semester so much that I decided to stay and participate in CET Jordan's Internship Program. My review of that can be found here: https://www.gooverseas.com/study-abroad/jordan/program/38096

For students who are hoping to improve their Arabic, learn about life in Jordan, and have fun doing it, CET is the best study abroad option.

P.S. If any women are concerned about what is okay to wear in Jordan, I wore T-shirts, skinny jeans, and leggings all the time. Maxi skirts and dresses are fine, too, but no need to buy a pair of elephant pants if that's not your style!

I chose to participate in this program after spending a semester with CET Jordan: Intensive Language. The language program is very academically oriented, which really helped my language skills to improve, but I wanted to see a different side of life in Jordan and felt that the internship program would give me that chance. I interned with the National Association for Family Empowerment, which was a Jordanian non-profit organization focused on economic and social empowerment for women and youth in Jordan. The internship ended up being somewhat frustrating because there was hardly any work for me to do. Despite talking with the organization's director about projects or tasks I could carry out, I never got assigned enough work. CET staff spoke with the organization multiple times, and when they realized that wasn't doing anything, they worked with me to create an alternative schedule and study plan to make sure I was still maximizing on my time in Jordan. I was very grateful to have their support when my internship placement did not live up to my expectations.

For students who are really dedicated to learning Arabic, I would suggest doing the language program. Students in the internship program have Arabic language classes, but half of the coursework is in English, and most internship placements hope to use the interns' English knowledge. However, this program still allowed me to grow a lot linguistically because I got the chance to interact with Jordanians who were not my age and pick up on more slang and idioms. I also loved seeing what a workplace was like in another country and learning about the obstacles that non-profit organizations face if they are not American, Canadian, or European and need to acquire funding. Finally, my internship enabled me to explore more of the city and the country as I had a reason to go to neighborhoods and other cities that I would not have seen otherwise.

Although the program's academic standards were high, the program provided all the materials necessary to succeed and even included multiple fun activities for stress relief. I found that the staff was not only responsive to any issues the students encountered, but also went out of their way to help the students if they felt anything was wrong. My experience was amazing; I could see significant improvement in my Chinese and gained more confidence when speaking. The class structure is diverse which allows students to be exposed to multiple methods in order to learn the material. Additionally, the program provided for many excursion trips and recommended local restaurants/shops to visit; we were able to experience various aspects of the local culture. My favorite was being able to visit DaLi because we saw so many gorgeous natural landscapes. Overall, I was very happy with the program and would love to visit the friends I made in the future.