CET Academic Programs Reviews

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.

The CET program in Osaka is, in my opinion, one of the best study abroad programs in Japan. It will NOT be the program for you, however, if your goal is to have an easy semester that allows a lot of travel and free time. It WILL be if you want to enhance your Japanese language ability and truly live like a Japanese college student. The Japanese classes are intense, often, and have a lot of work involved. The language pledge forces you to express yourself in and use Japanese every single day. Living with a Japanese roommate means that you have to communicate and learn about your roommate's style of living, and it also gives you an easy entrance into how a real Japanese college student lives. Because there are a lot of pros and cons of this program's aspects, I will break it into parts.

Japanese language classes
Pros:
- They are HARD and rightfully so. You will see your Japanese improve quickly.
- The professors are amazing, available, and encouraging.
- The class field trips made me more connected to different parts of the culture, while also using Japanese to understand them and talk about them. My favorite was probably my class's trip to Himeji-jo.
- The classes are small (at least smaller than at my home university).
- The project class was a huge turning point for me. I would have never thought that I was capable of interviewing local Japanese people, creating a presentation about a topic, and presenting it completely in Japanese.
Cons:
- The learning gaps between class levels are large. My class (200 level) was more encouraging and fun, but we also learned a lot. My friends in the 300 and 400 levels found these classes extremely hard and time-consuming, and were incredibly stressed about them.
- If you're looking for a program with good English-taught electives, I would not recommend this program. My electives were, quite simply, jokes, and did not challenge me in the way I hoped. That being said, it was fun to take a Japanese culture class while in Japan.

Living situation
Pros:
- Living with my Japanese roommate gave me a view of what it was like to be a college student in Japan.
- I was able to practice with my roommate and get help on my homework almost always.
- I made a friend that I can still connect with and talk to, even after I left.
- I lived in an apartment in Toyonaka with only my roommate, so my experience was different than the majority of students who lived in share houses. However, living in a small city on the edge of Osaka was amazing -- I was able to travel by train to anywhere and eat anything within the vicinity of my apartment.
Cons:
- Some people get closer to their roommates than others, which is frustrating.
- Some roommates don't try to hang out with the American students and are busy with their own lives.
- There are definitely cultural differences that come with living with someone from a different country.
- How you live in Osaka is strongly dependent on where you get placed. Students living in share houses had very different experiences that students living in apartments.

Excursions and Travel
Pros:
- The CET official excursions were AMAZING and things I would have never thought to do myself. Examples include: eating a vegetarian meal at a Buddhist temple, traveling to Gifu prefecture and staying in a ryokan, visiting Byodoin temple
Cons:
- There was VERY little time for travel outside of the program. We had 2 breaks during the spring semester, and one was Golden Week. I wish there had been more long weekends so that we could explore more of Japan.

Others
Pros:
- CET offered fun activities during the week that really enhanced my experience. These included: takoyaki party, karaoke party, origami making workshop, naginata demonstration, calligraphy class, etc.
- The CET staff were always available to students, especially with things like injuries/illness and emotional difficulties. Additionally, they always helped with simple Japanese living requirements like paying bills, enrolling in health insurance, etc.
- Living in Osaka means that you are close to SO many major cities. Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto are all barely 45 minutes away. Thus, it is easy to travel around the areas and visit famous places on weekends. This starkly contrasts studying abroad in Tokyo, where you need to take a bullet train or airplane to get to larger cities in other regions.
- The language pledge forced me to think in Japanese and express myself through the words I knew. This was probably the MOST important point that enhanced my language ability.
Cons:
- CET is on a normal American spring semester system, which means that Japanese students were on summer vacation for a majority of the time. Thus, there were no opportunities to participate in clubs or events on the OGU campus, and meeting other Japanese students proved exceptionally difficult.
- CET staff is strict on the language pledge. Although it was extremely beneficial, it was frustrating when you wanted to befriend other English-speaking students. Additionally, CET staff scolded Japanese students that wanted to speak English with us, which was unfortunate.

Overall, this program truly changed my thinking in terms of what I wish to do after I graduate. I loved Japan so much that I decided I wanted to steer my career goals toward living and working in Japan. If you want to learn Japanese and live in a way that is more closely aligned with how it is truly like to live in Japan (vs. living in a bubble where your only friends are other American students studying abroad), then this is the program for you.

There are a lot of programs that enable you to learn Arabic in Amman, but none will match the language instruction with CET. When the professors say that they are there for you 24/7, they truly mean it - they will answer your questions any hour of the day. Since the program is embedded inside of the university, you have an incredible amount of resources available to you, which is great for language learning. Also, the program gives you a lot of free reign to explore the city, country, and region, which a lot of other programs have restricted, so that is good.