Program Reviews

Going to Beijing was amazing and being able to do it with CET was even better. The people at CET are amazing and they are always willing to help if you have problems. CET allows you the comfort of exploring China independently, but you will always have a great support network with the CET people, the local roommates and your fellow students.
This program is a great way to explore Beijing and its culture because the internship allows you to see first hand how different the international work place is and it allows you to interact with different aspects of the Chinese culture like for example the working environment. Another great thing is the chance to explore the many sites of Beijing and you can get to most by subway or other types of public transportation. The best part was all the amazing food. You can never go wrong with their snacks especially the many different flavors of chips such as cucumber or honey butter. This program definitely makes you want to go back to China one day.
P.S: When you go pack to your own first aid kit with any type of medicine you will need especially stomach medicine. Going into any country that has a different type water and food will cause some sort of stomach issue. That is the truth.

The biggest thing I gained was so many friends that I am really close to. I also hugely improved my Japanese skills. This experience has opened my mind to the world (met so many people from all over the world while I was in Japan) and also made me decide to live in Japan in the future.

The program was very rigorous and we studied so much within a short time. Everyday we had quizzes and a large amount of homework (in my opinion it was a little excessive but it was in order to finish the workbook in time). We learned so much each week. It was also great how we were not allowed to be speaking English with other participants of the program. This forced us to practice all the time.

The staff members for CET were very nice and always willing to offer their support. The teachers were also encouraging and tried their best to make learning the language easy.
I lived 5 minutes away from school by train, and my place was 2 minutes away from the station (though I skateboarded most places). My roommate when I was there is one of my best friends to this day. I really miss my life in Japan!

Living in Varanasi for four months was an incredible experience and sharing a room with a local college student made it all the more impactful. The local contacts and resources from CET were huge - between the program director and the friendly staff, I could be put in touch with almost anyone in Varanasi to explore my evolving interests. My favorite course was Urban Geography, we learned in depth about the history of this ancient city and then had weekly walking tours of different sections of the city. The experience I gained working on my research project was invaluable and I've continued to be in touch with the contacts I made while there. This was an awesome opportunity for both academic exploration and living in a distinctly different culture.

I had a great time in Beijing academically. I learned a lot from my teachers, who were extremely patient and caring. It was only after returning home that I realised how useful the program was to improving my language skills and how versatile my skills had become after spending time immersed there.

The university's location is also great for hanging out with locals, and the roommate component of the program is a great way to have a friend that can support your Chinese study. I think some roommates are not as interested in you as others, and this is unfortunate. Hopefully CET can do a better job checking the roommates to make sure they are participating in the program for the right reasons.

I tried to keep my expectations limited when going into my summer experience in Jordan, and that definitely helped me to adjust to the new culture and expectations. The housing was beautiful and in a safe location, but wifi was unreliable. Luckily there was a café nearby with great wifi in case ours went out. Since I was in the internship program, the plan was that I would have class Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and would be at the internship Monday and Wednesday. Since the first month of the program took place during Ramadan, however, most of the internships didn't begin until after the holy month had ended. By the time I actually got to work, I only spent a total of 8 days at my internship. There was also not much work for us to do since NEF was in between projects, and they did not really know what to do with us, so I think there was a lack of communication between CET and the other organizations. When we did get to work, however, we had a great time. We learned a lot about what the organization does and became great friends with our coworkers. The other students in the program were very supportive and we developed a great bond during our time there. The placement in classes was a little iffy, one guy transferred from my class to a lower level because they had placed him too high, and I was right on the edge in the advanced class. I definitely learned a lot, though. As I said, flexibility is key. Schedules changed and requirements were adapted so I really had to be on my toes to know what I was supposed to be doing. My original language partner dropped the program two weeks in, but my second one was incredible. She invited me to a party celebrating the birth of her cousin. That's one thing I really loved about CET, they provide you with a lot of opportunities to develop connections with people in the community and gain these rare and often personal insights into life in Amman. The language pledge was very frustrating, however, because not only were beginner students not able to converse with us for a few weeks until they learned enough words, but they would tell us we were breaking the pledge even if we weren't because they would forget who was in which program. I was often afraid I would be expelled simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or for trying to define a word for a beginner student using my own limited knowledge. It added an unnecessary amount of stress. Also, there was an "internship class" we attended once a week, but it was really more about Jordanian and Middle Eastern politics, which was fine for me because that's my area of study, but others complained that it felt like kind of a waste of time, especially after a full day of classes. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and it has definitely expanded my comfort zone travel-wise. I am much more confident in myself, and I feel like this has opened the door to further travel either in the Middle East or elsewhere.

Simply put, my summer in Kunming was both intellectually challenging and an overall memorable experience. I truly appreciate the dedication that the program staff, teachers, students and Chinese roommates had to the success and progress of every student. Perhaps the highlight of the summer is the language pledge, which is both exhausting but rewarding by the completion of the program. For anyone who is dedicated and determined to become fluent (or at least proficient) in Mandarin Chinese, the intensive program is the perfect way to do so. The Kunming staff are exceptional. Alex especially was very helpful in helping students feel welcomed in Kunming, as well as very involved with our lives and studies.

In regards to life in Kunming, the weather is pleasant, though be prepared for lots of rain! Compared to Northern parts of China, it's definitely much nicer weather-wise. The dorms are part of Yunnan University's "Hotel," so unless you request it, there are staff who come in and clean/straighten up your room on a daily basis. I also fell in love with Yunnan cuisine, and there are plenty of cheap options on and around campus. You also can dine at the campus cafeteria, which is both cheap and decent, though meals can be a bit repetitive.

Your roommate is the best resource for integrating into Chinese life, picking up some recent slang, discovering Kunming and learning of China's rich ethnic and linguistic diversity. My roommate in particular was not a Kunming native, so I got to learn about her experience in learning about Kunming.

Finally, Kunming has its own local dialect! I highly recommend interacting with as many locals as possible, and maybe pick up some of the dialect. Though the academics are challenging and the language barrier is perhaps a bit higher than other parts of China, I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is willing to dedicate themselves to Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture and challenge their current self to a new experience.

My time in Siena this summer was incredible. I loved waking up and starting my day with a cappuccino or expresso from down the street. After the bar, classes started at 9 and then by 12:30 I was out finding an authentic lunch down a random street or cooking in my apartment. On Wednesdays there was a big market with fresh vegetables and fruits and some of the best baked chicken. I was only a short walk from the campo where much of the tourist would crowd during the day, but then by night all the locals would be having an aperitivo or dinner later. Siena was a great place to study abroad for me, because I really wanted an authentic experience. Siena had tourists, but for the most part they only were on a day trip to the city. Also many of the shop owners and waitresses would speak Italian with us to allow us to apply the skills we were learning in class. However, I noticed this was not always the case in other places we travelled to in Italy, therefore Siena was a great choice. Classes were Monday through Thursday with an exception of one or two Fridays which was very helpful when traveling. Because of the longer weekend, I was able to travel to Budapest, Amsterdam, Capri, Venice, Cinque Terre, and many other little towns or cities. This was amazing because I was able to compare cultures to the Sienese culture I was living in everyday. I would highly recommend this program if you are looking to learn a lot through classes and then be able to use your knowledge out on the streets in your free time.

I actually came to be admitted into the Beijing quite last minute. I'd originally planned to spend the 2016-2017 Academic year in Amman, Jordan. Midway through the year my school decided to pull me due to a U.S. State Department travel warning on Jordan. So instead of returning to campus I hurriedly applied for CET Beijing. From the beginning they were extremely helpful in my odd application process. They even managed to have my internship setup on an extremely short timeframe.
Beijing as a city is massive an can be overwhelming at first. Getting to places will take time and patience. Things were easier for me as a Chinese American so I blended in with the ethnically homogenous society better than other students. There's a good amount of history and culture (Hutongs, Tiananmen) to see in Beijing and modern architecture(Birds Nest, National Theater). Even though you aren't in a 'language pledge' intensive Chinese environment the Chinese classes are still quite rigorous. In addition to this, I know the others in my program and myself gained immense Chinese technical/business jargon while on-site at our respective internships. The semester was fun and challenging and I would recommend this program to any students who are thinking about potentially working in China in the future, this will be a great litmus test for you.

I initially decided to apply to this program offered by CET Vietnam, because as an undergraduate student planning to eventually become a practicing physician, I find it crucial to broaden my views and examine the social determinants of health. My short 8 weeks in Vietnam allowed me to not only study these factors, but also to fully immerse myself in the beautiful Vietnamese culture.

Culture/people:
Being Vietnamese-American in this program meant that my identity landed me right in the middle of two very different cultures. I was initially worried that I would not fit into either group, but I quickly came to realize I didn’t have to fit into a category. I had incredible support and constantly had the CET staff, my roommate, or my program-mates to discuss with. I learned more about myself with every interaction I had (even if it was just my uber driver!!), and being able to interface with the Vietnamese public was a special opportunity.

Academics/internship:
The summer program consisted of 3 courses: public health and development, service-learning, and Vietnamese language. The language course was very well organized, and I found my Vietnamese improved quickly because of how much I was able to practice and ask questions. The public health course, alongside the internship, moved outside the typical teaching style I was used to. Instead of the typical classroom learning, we always had the chance to attend events or interact with Vietnamese people in order to apply our readings and lectures on an interpersonal level. I greatly appreciated that each student could dive into the material as little or as much as they wanted to.

I am incredibly happy that at the conclusion of the two-month program, I was able to learn more about Vietnam’s development, gain insight about my identity, and make friends I know I will keep for a lifetime.

Having the opportunity to live, work and study in Shanghai will always be one of the most memorable and amazing experiences of my life. As a program, CET outdid themselves in every aspect, both inside and outside the classroom.
The combination of both Chinese language classes and Chinese cultural classes really helped me have a better grasp of living and experiencing Chinese society. I really enjoyed the one-on-one instruction the program offered as well as the field trips we would take as a class to new parts of China I would have never had the opportunity to otherwise visit on my own. Getting to live with a local Chinese roommate, especially a native Shanghainese, greatly enriched my experience learning the language and making new life long friends.
My internship taught me a lot as well. Working for a Spanish company's Asian headquarters immersed me into the international business world in the best way possible. I was surrounded by colleges from all over the world, in a multilingual environment who helped me in so many ways to learn how to successfully navigate and interact in a professional and multicultural business setting.
Shanghai is an absolutely stunning city and has so much to offer. I loved exploring the city every chance I had, whether it be with my Chinese roommate, my fellow American students or just by myself. The sense of independence and confidence living in a whole new part of the world instills in you is unlike any other. Taking the initiative to even look outside of the program, to go to new events and make new friends all from around China, to learn more of who you are as a person, is the most rewarding aspect you can take from program.
Overall, I couldn't have been happier with CET. They were extremely well-organized and tremendously supportive all throughout my time there and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.