Program Reviews

I really enjoyed my time at CET this past spring. I am finishing my gap year after graduating high school/ starting college and I am so thrilled to have used my time at CET to learn an entirely new language. The Capital Normal University (CNU) campus in West Beijing where CET is based is very convenient and of course living in the country of the language you're studying improves your level faster than any other method. Immersion is the way to go if you want your language level to improve immensely and CET exudes that idea in more ways than one. The program and staff are excited to be here teaching Chinese and there are countless activities, excursions, and outings available through the program itself and friends met while here. I loved my time this spring so much I'm doing their summer program, too.

CET Beijing Intensive language program allowed me to improve my Chinese at a incredible pace. At some points it felt like I was not improving at all- but when I called my friends (also Chinese majors) back home or had a full conversation with a stranger in Chinese, I knew that my Chinese language level was constantly improving. The professors and environment that CET exposed me to has made me feel comfortable with the language, to the point that when I came back to America I still found myself saying "谢谢", "好", "对", and other simple phrases to my friends, family, and strangers. Another example of how CET allowed me to be more comfortable with Chinese is that some words I think of first in Chinese. The language environment was a unique experience that every single person benefited from. I think my favorite part of the program was that it allowed me to slowly find my personality in Chinese, for example, I loved being able to make jokes with my friends and roommate. The program classes were not as intensive as I thought they would be (probably due to the lower level I was placed in), but that did give me a chance to explore Beijing and other parts of China.

This is the place to go if you want to improve your Mandarin! The language pledge is particularly challenging but it’s really the best way to jump start your learning. In addition, the teachers and program leads are amazing — they are strict but will help you with anything you need. The class/homework load make for busy schedules but there is still time to get to know the people on the program and the city. Great people, great program.

The staff is incredibly helpful, caring, and all around great people to spend time with. They really want you to have the best experience in their country. Great attention was paid to matching me with an internship as well. The coursework wasn't so heavy that it took away from my time exploring the city. The excursions to other regions of Vietnam and to Cambodia were very rewarding and super fun. I will truly miss my time with CET Vietnam!

One of the best parts about this study abroad program is that you live in apartments instead of dorms. Apartments ranged from 2 to 5 students, but the apartments with more students had the space to accommodate them. Since we were enrolled at CET and at FAMU we had classes in both buildings, but they were only 15 minutes away from our apartments by tram. All of the CET FAMU students lived in the same apartment building which made it easy to collaborate and spend time together, but we also quickly became immersed in Czech culture because we had to visit grocery stores and use public transit on our own!

CET provides students in this program with a budget for film and other supplies for projects, which is not only very kind of them but also makes the program accessible for students from all socio-economic backgrounds. We worked on weekly assignments for the first half of the semester and spent the second half of the semester working on our final projects which were displayed in a public gallery for a week. This program includes working with both film and digital cameras, so bring one of each if you have them!

Other highlights include very kind staff members and incredible optional weekend trips to small Czech towns and even Munich!

Deciding between the CET- Florence or the CET- Siena program was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. I was very tempted by the comfortable atmosphere that Florence would provide me with because of the immense American presence in the city. Siena is a small city where waiters, waitresses, and shop owners actually speak to you in Italian, even though they may be able to tell you are not Italian. The streets are not crowded with another 700 study abroad students, but rather with many Italian university students and Sienese families. Siena still has an extremely lively and fun young population, but you don't hear English at every corner you turn as one does in Florence.
Saying I made the right decision is an understatement. I truly cannot express how grateful I am for the CET-Siena program. I made lifelong relationships with my host mom, teachers, and friends, and I look forward to my return to Siena. There was something incredibly special about the small program size, which allowed all of us students to get to know each other extremely well. We joked that we were a family, but after four months of seeing each other all day, every day, that is truly what we became. I woke up every morning excited to get to school and see everyone, and I hated saying goodbye in the evenings or nights, even though I knew I would wake up the next morning and see them all again.
It was very clear that the teachers and the program director, Vicky, loved their jobs and were passionate about what they were teaching us. Although I found Siena to be a much less stressful environment than the University life in the States, I still learned just as much, if not more. I found a unique excitement to learn here in Siena and in the CET program in particular. Although we were allowed a certain number of hours to miss class (that were appealing mostly because of having extra days to travel) students didn't use them. In fact, I know many students that did not miss a single class because they didn't want to. Just like everything else in the program, classes were FUN.
If you want a completely immersive experience in terms of communicating with locals, practicing and learning/improving your Italian, and experiencing more authentic taste of Italian food culture, Siena is the place for you.

I really enjoyed my time in Jordan, I learned a lot through this program and gained a lot of experience. We traveled to multiple places in Jordan with the program and interacted with a lot of new people. The classes were difficult but as long as you work hard and stay committed you will succeed. I would advise to future students to make sure that you save time for yourself so that you don't overwork yourself.

Absolutely loved my time studying with CET Florence. The classes were all interesting, yet challenging, and the staff was extremely helpful. All of the excursions that were organized by the program - from a trip to Rome to a basketball game with a local team to a hike in Chianti - were all some of the highlights of my time abroad. So many people have told me that their biggest regret in college was not studying abroad, and I'm so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to have studied abroad with CET Florence.

This was my third time in Jordan, having spent the previous two summers studying Arabic with another program. I think what I enjoyed most about CET was that I learned A LOT more about Jordanian culture-- something I previously thought I knew a lot about! The teachers and staff are really friendly and helpful. It's also great for people new to the region because upon arrival they pick you up from the airport and give you a SIM card with a Jordanian data and calling plan pre-loaded for a month. The apartments were clean and spacious. The neighborhood (al-Jubeiha) is nice, but boring. You have to take a taxi to get to the more lively areas of Amman, but it's cheap if you're splitting the fare with a person or two. The apartments are about a 10-15 minute walk to campus, which is convenient.

As far as academics, this was by far the most Arabic I've learned in a semester. Coming in, I would've never thought I could read Arabic books-- by the end of the semester I had read 2. My speaking and listening improved substantially as well, which were my weaknesses.
The content course, which is in English for internship students, was amazing. I felt like I was at my home university with intense and interesting lectures and discussions. I really enjoyed the internship seminar as well. It gave a great insight to more of Jordanian culture, especially in the work atmosphere.

I personally had a great internship experience. I worked in both English and Arabic and my duties varied day-to-day, with tasks such as: translation work, attending meetings and taking notes in Arabic and English, editing photos, conducting research, creating flyers, and assisting with trainings across the country.

There were only two things I disliked, the first being some of the rules (no outside visitors, females forbidden from male apartments after 11pm and vice versa, etc.) They seemed a little ridiculous and overbearing. However, as I understand these rules are set by the central CET office in DC, and that the Jordan staff had no control over them and just enforced them as they were told.

Secondly, because the classes were so intensive, I had little free time. Thankfully I had seen most of the city in my previous two visits to Jordan, but I still would have appreciated more time to explore and hang out with Jordanian friends instead of spending my weekends in a cafe studying. I feel like I managed my time well but still struggled to find a good amount of free time. I struggled to find time at the end of the semester to study for finals, pack all my things, and clean the apartment all at the same time. I think it would be great if they could have one 3-day weekend a month during the semester.

First, if you're deciding between CET's Florence and Siena programs, I highly recommend Siena for a more "Italian" and less chaotic experience. I had done study abroad three times prior to CET Siena program and can honestly say that this was the most immersive, authentic semester for me. I stayed with a host family (Luigina & Giorgio) and my Italian improved remarkably thanks to them. We had our routine - every evening we had dinner around 7:30 and watched our usual TV programs, and when the weather was nice we would eat on the terrasse. There is less temptation to spend money and fly to another country every weekend on the Siena program than on the Florence program because there is no airport in Siena. On the weekends instead I did a lot of train travel to other towns in Italy and I could not recommend that enough. I am terribly sad the semester is over and already planning when to return. I don't feel that I did an American study abroad program in Siena for a semester, I feel that I actually lived in Siena for four months. I have friends and family and a life there, and that to me is the whole point. Go to Siena and learn about their charming and unique and profound culture. It is the opportunity of a lifetime, I promise.

About CET specifically -

The school is right in the center of the city, a short and beautiful walk from no matter where you live. The professors and director, Vicky, as well as the Italian student staff, are all wonderful. They become your friends. The classes are serious and interesting (with a lot of trips to see things in person), and you actually learn more information in a more wholesome way than you would on campus for a semester. It doesn't feel like school though, it feels like "how did I get so lucky!" everyday. The Italian language, art history, and inter-cultural communications classes are splendid. Teachers teach with passion and students are engaged. There is also a trip to Palermo and Catania, Sicily. We did walking tours of the cities and their markets, a mafia tour, a food tour, went to the beach, had dinner with Sicilian students, and stayed in lovely hotels. I truly cannot think of one thing I would change about the CET Siena program... I already wish I could go back.