CET Academic Programs Reviews

I just returned home from studying abroad in Osaka, Japan. While I am very happy to be home, I also realize that I probably will never get a chance to study abroad again. Whether with CET or another program, study abroad is a must do.

I decided to study abroad for the fall of my junior year. It had almost nothing to do with my major, although I did receive credit for some classes that will go towards my major. Before I chose CET, I had taken one full year (two semesters) of Japanese language classes. During my time abroad, I wanted to find a program that would give me the best opportunity to learn as much Japanese as possible. CET, therefore, stuck out as a target program for me. I applied, got accepted, and filled out all my paperwork, got my visa, and headed to Japan.

Pre-Departure
CET's staff did a good job pre-departure of responding to emails promptly and answering all my questions, which I had a lot of. Like all programs, there are a lot of forms to fill out, and CET did their best to help me get everything done.

Post Arrival
Upon arrival in Japan, we were guided by CET staff from the airport to campus. Getting to campus and getting settled in was easy and efficient.

The First Week
The first week was a long week. We had a lot of free time to get used to everything. I was thankful for that time, but it was dull for many of us because our Japanese roommates were still on vacation. I was dying to get out and explore, eat, play club sports, and do new things, but unfortunately I wasn't confident enough in my Japanese skills to try and go out on my own in a city I knew nothing about.

Academics
The first week of classes was an interesting and slightly awkward period. Everyone was at different levels in their Japanese language studies and the teachers had yet to finalize who was in which level class. In addition, every day, we were taken outside the classroom to learn how to do important things in Japan (buy groceries, ride the train, mail a letter). It was interesting and informative, but at times I felt we were a big inconvenience to the locals we were obliged to ask menial questions to.
Nevertheless, I learned basic skills needed to live in Japan.

After that first week, we progressed into our main studies from our textbook. I was placed into the level 2 Japanese class. Once I got used to my professors (先生), I really started to love my class. The pace at which we learned new grammar, vocabulary, and kanji was very fast, but because my teachers were so good, it was easy for me to do my best and enjoy the learning process. I cannot praise my teachers enough (I had two teachers that taught our class each for an hour a day). They were extremely patient, fun, and most importantly passionate about teaching. There was a mutual understanding that improving our language skills was our number one priority. The textbook we used (GENKI 2) was a very well designed and written textbook too. Learning was very straightforwards. I got out what I put in. With five students total in my class, we got a lot of personal attention, which really caters to my learning style. Overall, the Japanese classes were the number one strength of this program. In four months, we completed a full year of japanese. It's amazing how much we improved.

Living/Housing
I lived in a shared house with five minutes away from campus. There were eight of us total, four foreign students, four local students, all attending classes at Osaka Gakuin University. We were each assigned a roommate, but we each had out own rooms. I am extremely thankful that the CET staff (Lauren Nakasato) arranged this for us. Because it was Japan, the space was small and limited, but it was satisfactory. My room had everything I needed(slow wifi/tv/sink/shared kitchen/American style bathroom, showers, laundry machice), although in the winter time it was freezing at night and we were only given one heavy blanket. Because there was no central heating, and because using our heating units were expensive, we were encouraged to tough it out and wear as much warm clothes as possible. But even if I wore everything at night, it was still cold. CET please give your future students more than one blanket. If you are a future student, pack long underwear. It sounded unnecessary to me, but I wish I had it. Other than that, the housing situation was awesome. All the roommates had part time jobs, but because there were four of them, there was usually a local Japanese student around to help with homework, answer questions, or come out with us. My housemates were awesome. My roommate was awesome too. We were all compatible, and I am thankful to have had them around. CET would not be the same without the roommate program.

Osaka Gakuin
The University we studied at has around 5000 undergraduates I think. I never could find the number online, but 5000 is what local students estimated. The campus is nice, small, and has a good cafeteria where you can get a filling lunch for 3/4$ which is great for students who didn't receive any stipend from their home schools. There is also a fully functional, American style gym where you can do any kind of exercise you want (treadmills, olympic squat racks, bench press, dumbbells, stretching room). There are three full time trainers there that can help you if you need a spotter. They are super nice, but do not understand too much english. Nevertheless, I went almost everyday. OGU is known for their sports teams, but not for their academics. Most students do not have homework, and they said that they did not have to work hard during class. But this is completely separate from the studying that we did.

Clubs
Going into study abroad, I was very excited to join sports clubs/circles and meet new people through competition and having fun on the field/court. From what CET told me, and what is on their website (countless student clubs!), I had high expectations. Almost halfway through the semester, I still was unable to join any clubs. CET must change this on their website. It was very misleading. I had brought my baseball gear from America, hoping to play any level of organized baseball. I didn't care, I just wanted to play. But it was clear that the student clubs on campus did not want foreign students with limited conversational abilities to get in the way, which in all fairness, we would have. However, I sent many emails pleading for a chance to try out, and I was able to join the rubber baseball team, which turned out to be awesome. The guys were awesome, welcoming, and nice to me. The hardest part was getting connected. In reality, CET has little to no framework for foreign students to get involved in these clubs. From my experience I learned that getting involved in these clubs comes down to how bad you want to join and how persistent you are. In the end it worked out great for me, but I only got to play for the last two months of my trip. My suggestion for incoming students is to see what your roommates and housemates are involved in and ask to join in with their help.

The City
Osaka is a crazy city. Osaka Gakuin is 15 minutes away from downtown Umeda which is a hub of nightlife, food, and sightseeing. You are also very close to Kyoto, Namba, and other amazing cities, both modern, and traditional. Many students were able to travel as far as South Korea on their three day weekends (which there were many of). Plane tickets are cheap and if you have the time, definitely travel around Japan. Its easy and its worth it. I wish I had travelled more around Japan. This again comes back to how much you want it. You get out what you put in. In the end it is up to you to go out and see Japan. Go for it.

Roommate Program
My roommate and I were a very good fit. Many were not as fortunate. But because most of us lived in shared houses with up to eight people, there was always flexibility between roommate pairs so everyone had someone they could connect with. The language barrier was my biggest issue. I only had a years worth of Japanese before coming to Japan, so it was very hard for me to express myself fully. My roommate knew a good amount of English though so we were able to navigate difficult situations. There were some things we never were able to explain to each other, and it was frustrating, but in the end it was all right. Making mistakes was unavoidable, and it was best just to get over it and move on. My biggest difficulty with my roommate was that it was really hard to figure out what he wanted (what kind of food to eat, where to go, what to do on weekends). We both feared inconveniencing each other, and so we would get into the "anything is ok" conversation loop. I tried to explain that I knew relatively nothing about the Osaka area and that I will do/eat anything, but my roommate was form Okinawa so he also did not know the area. Nevertheless, we had a great experience together. We ended up playing baseball together on the same team. He is coming to America this summer and wants to go skydiving. Lucky me.

Overall
You get what you put in. CET gives you everything you need to start. The clubs experience was frustrating, but I succeeded in the end. It was cold at night sometimes, but I had an amazing time. I saw so much of Japan, learned so much Japanese, and made friends that I will keep forever. I am lucky. Some people did not have as good a time as I did. It all comes back to how far outside your comfort zone you are willing to go.

CET Harbin is undoubtedly one of the best study abroad programs in China, which is high praise given just how many good programs there are. From my perspective, everything was planned to give students a true immersive language learning experience.

Our classes were challenging but very enjoyable. Due to the extremely small class size, I was easily able to get individual attention in every one of my classes. The teachers were very well trained and really knew how to teach Chinese to foreigners. Every class really stressed learning how to speak authentic Chinese, rather than learning awkward textbook speech.

Apart from classes, CET did a terrific job creating an immersive language learning environment. Every student had their own Chinese roommate, so finding opportunities to speak Chinese outside of class was not at all difficult. The program was small enough that we, the CET students and our roommates, really resembled a family. A bigger program might have lead to awkwardness and social cliques, but in our program everyone was friends with each other. This is important because it made communication and adhering to the language pledge both fun and rewarding. I wasn't just friends with my own roommate, but also formed relationships with my friends' Chinese roommates.

The combination of CET's classes and immersive language environment really caused my Chinese to improve rapidly. I was seeing results after just a few weeks. I've found that many students believe just being in China will allow them to improve their Chinese, regardless of which program or school they go to. While it is true that being in China gives you limitless opportunities to use the language, it is not always easy finding and taking advantage of those opportunities. In contrast, CET gives students a strong foundation from which they can focus on improving their Chinese.

My day to day experiences included conversing with many Chinese on the street. I found that I really enjoyed speaking to elderly Chinese people who were always surprised that I could speak Mandarin. At first, I struggled to understand what was being said to me, I found that the more that I initiated conversations with people, the more I was able to tune my ear to understanding what was being said to me. These interesting conversations also helped me to overcome my nervousness about being incorrect. People were nice, laughed at me, but were eager to help me if I said something incorrectly. I came to really appreciate that help!

I loved my time here in Beijing. I went from barely having the means and confidence to communicate in Chinese, to speaking it causally. The language pledge was one of the most difficult things, but I wouldn't of had it any other way. I love everything this program had to offer, made great friends and improved my Mandarin tremendously!

When I first came to Shanghai four years ago for the World Expo, I felt something buzzing in the Pudong air (not the AQI). It read like a template for the globalized future. Global Citizens had converged on this city because Shanghai had proved herself to be a vibrant cultural center unlike any other in the world. As I sat at my desk last Spring in Washington, DC, I thought to myself, "I want to be in China and I want to be back in that in the midst of that development and optimism and thus I found a home at CET Shanghai."
I am proud to say that in Shanghai, I can attend a marriage market in People's Park in the morning, and be at an electronic music festival with 10,000 people on South Bund by night. I am proud to say that I can enjoy a cup of tea and a bit of tranquility in the 600 year-old Yuyuan Garden at breakfast time, hop a train under the Huangpu and be rocketing to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower for lunch, 15,000 feet up.
After a semester in Shanghai, I have heard more languages than ever before in my life, tried stranger dishes than any Westerner should lay eyes on, and experienced a 5,000 year old culture that opened its arms to me. I have worked among the people who are driving China's growth, I have learned from her brightest minds, and I have forged lasting bonds with the Middle Kingdom.
After studying abroad with CET, I have built a global network of friendships that I hope will last me a lifetime. The connections and experience that I have gained from my internship will help me establish a career in the future. I recognize that mastery of a second language is a lifelong pursuit but after a semester living in China with intensive study, I am proud that I can converse on a deeper level with native people in a language that is not my own.

There is truly no substitute for studying abroad, but there will always be someone who tries to convince you not to go, because of some horror story. I guess the best thing, and the most true thing I can say about CET is that I felt safe, sane and intellectually stimulated the whole time. I've never studied abroad with another program before CET, and so for that reason I can't draw any comparisons, but I feel very confident in saying that as far as study abroad programs who get things right are concerned, CET is certainly among them.

Hello. If you are reading this you are probably considering studying abroad in Japan. Congratulations, because this is a good place to be in.

Studying abroad in Japan is a remarkable experience and if you feel that you as a person are up for it I highly recommend it. Everyone who goes abroad will have a different experience but I can assure you that it will be challenging at times, it will be frustrating, it will be lonely, but it will also be incredibly beautiful. Also having CET to help you out isn't a bad thing either.

So, good luck to you future travelers and enjoy your time abroad!

My favorite travel quote is "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." I made a rather impromptu decision during my senior year at Vanderbilt to study abroad because I realized that I had been "stuck" in the same blah-humdrum chapter, and desperately needed to turn to the next page. I was drawn to Siena, Italy specifically because I always had a sneaking suspicion that Italians had an undeniable love of life (this is, afterall, the country where talking with your hands is a sign of passion, and basically their honorary second official language); and there, under the Tuscan sun, loving life is contagious. Pretty soon, I was savoring and indulging in every little innocuous moment, enjoying friendships, and developing a rather spirited palate for all the sweeter things in life. And most important, taking time to simply BE where I was.

If you are looking for a world-class, yet quaint, off-the-beaten path Italian experience, then this program is for you. Of course, Italy boasts cities like Florence, Venice, Milan and Rome-which are admittedly very beautiful-but take my advice: For inspiration, sometimes you must look beyond the bestseller list; (this goes for cities as well; as you will soon discover, even the most obscure cittadine in Italy hold a hidden, special treasure so NEVER turn down the opportunity to travel). Though Siena is a less well-known city, there are many perks to CET's "History of Art and Italian Studies" Program such as : accelerated Italian language courses that cover one year of Italian in a semester, ample opportunities for immersion including language parterns, academic traveling seminars, local roommates, and volunteer placements. The combination of these factors have allowed me to achieve proficiency in oral and written Italian, to demonstrate a deep understanding of the history of Italian literature and culture, and to develop and awareness of the ways Italian Studies intersects with other disciplines.

I think it's only right that I begin my review of CET Siena's "History of Art and Italian Studies" with the backbone and soul of the program: Christina Angellili, the Resident Director. She will be your point of reference for any problems, questions, or concerns you may have and will help you to get settled in Siena. She's very approachable and accommodating. I'm tempted to say that just having her as the RD of Siena should quell any doubts you may have about the program. From buying tickets for class excursions, to teaching you phrases in Italian, to 4am emergency room visits, Christina will always be there for you. It's her job, but you can tell that she genuinely cares about the students.

The major complaint about thsi program is that the class selections are too few. When I was there this Spring, there were 6 classes offered: Italian Cinema (3 hours), Etruscan and Roman Art (3 hours), European Banking System (3 hours), Sienese Art and Architecture (3 hours) Italian Cultural History (4 hours, mandatory for all), and Italian Language (6 hours, mandatory for all; levels Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced). Each student takes 4 classes for a total of 16 hours. The Italian Language course can be demanding for some, but if you want to pursue graduate study in Italian, or learn Italian well enough to successfully live there, then this course will prepare you if you take it seriously. For example, I was the only student in my Italian Langauge course-initially, this made me uneasy but there invaluable benefits to CET's small class sizes: 1) you get the most personal academic attention possible, 2) being the only student in class, the course was taught at my pace, and 3) I had a stellar participation grade, go figure! There was no competition ;-) I did not particularly enjoy the Italian Cultural History course, but it had more to do with the teaching style of the professor (who no longer works for CET) more than the material being studied. Etruscan and Roman Art and Italian Cinema were great, I learned a lot!

Some of my projects, presentations, essays etc. included Hadrian and the Classical Revival 117-138AD, A Comparison of De Sica's "Ladri di Biciclette" and Fellini's "La Dolce Vita," Storie di immigrazione, discriminazione razziale e cittadinanza in Italia, Race Relations, Family and InterMarriage in Italy, and the final essay on our traveling seminar to Catania. Trips to museums, libraries and archives around Italy helped to complete research. Each project was a final essay, or an oral exam conducted in Italian only, or a combination of both.

Traveling around Italy, and Europe in general is relatively cheap. A bus ticket from Siena to Florence cost about 8 euro. To reach cities like Bologna, Milan or Rome, tickets can range between 20-45 euro, but hostels can surprisingly be really cheap ranging between 15-20 euro per person (but I've stayed in cheaper). Italians are VERY hospitable, so if you have friends in a particular city, they will usually (in my experience) be happy to host you and show you around their city! So traveling around Italy can be easy and a non-hassle if you're smart and proactive about your departure from Siena. The Chianti Region is only 45 minutes away from Siena. CET organized a trip to Castello di Brolio so we were able to tour a 12th century castle and enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting together. Likewise, getting around Siena is a breeze and you can walk just about anywhere from class at the CET Center, to restaurants (Fonte Giusta was my favorite), to bars and pubs (try Barrone Rosso, Bar Corsa or La Diana), to the train and bus station (which are just outside the city walls, and in Piazza Gramsci, respectively), to La Fortezza (well-preserved fortress where students go to practice yoga, run, dance....also, good news for night runners:there are usually people there until about 9pm...as you will soon discover, Italians do everything a bit later...including eat dinner, YIKES), and of course to Piazza del Campo where you can meet tons of university students, have aperitivi, and grab a gelato and relax on days when you need it most.

If you are worried about the language barrier, you can take comfort in the fact that you will have access to English speaking doctors, psychiatrists, services etc. should you need them. But generally, as long as Italians can tell you're making a genuine effort to speak the language, you'll be fine, at worst-you'll learn that albero genealogico and albero ginecologico are NOT the same thing, and at best-you'll get a good laugh a make a friend (story of my life there).

I was lucky enough to experience Italy for the first time with what I would call a group of...eccentric intellectuals...there were only 6 American students which ended up working out perfectly for our group. I and another American girl stayed in an apartment with three other Italian students from the Unviersity of Siena, while the other four students stayed in two separate homestays. Our apartment was bigger than I expected. I shared a bedroom with my American roommate and the Italian roommates had their own bedrooms, and we all shared two bathrooms. I thought I would be missing out on something by choosing an apartment instead of a homestay, and as hokey as it sounds, I really grew to know my Italian flat mates as my "host family." We went on adventures, connected, grew, and it was clear that everyone believed in good energy because, as you will soon discover, once you make a friend in Italy, they're your friend for life! :-)

Things you MUST take with you to Siena: any preferred or necessary medications (the farmacia may not carry your specific brand); an umbrella; international plug adapter; photocopies of your passport, visa, health insurance, or any other vital documets, etc; RELIABLE walking shoes (don't even board the flight to Italy without these); a debit card with a bank that doesnt charge international fees (check Charles Schwab or Capital One); at least 350 euro cash because the first week, you must pay a housing deposit fee and for your permesso di soggiorno (note: try to convert cash at home bankt to avoid high airport fees). AND last but not least? A sense of adventure, an open mind and a positive attitude!

There are at least three pre-set traveling outings set my the RD and the Italian roommates: to Viareggio's world famous Carnivale (so much fun), rock climbing, and a day trip to La Terme (basically a spa and pool facility). My favorite however was the traveling seminar to Catania with the Italian Cultural History course.

In Catania, we visited Libera`, an anti-mafia organization that confiscates land once owned by Mafia bosses and converts it into viable farmland. We picked oranges and lemons, and learned about the history of the Sicilian Mafia. Afterwards, we visited Museo dello Sbarco, which recounts the history of Italy under the Fascist regime. Later we visited the "Pupi Siciliani" Museum and were in for a real treat! The owner of the museum talked about how puppetry is connect to Sicilian culture and his own family, and he even performed for us! The best part? We got to come on stage and hold the puppets (BEWARE: some are over 100 pounds).

From volunteering to teach English at a local Siense elementary school, to to pushing my Italian to intermediate level, to to serving as a CET student correspondent, building lasting friendships and freshly off the most beautiful experience of my life, I understand the value of study abroad on a personal level, but on an academic level, as well.

CET Siena has provided the linguistic and cultural groundwork to proceed with my plans to pursue graduate education in Italian for the Fall of 2015; it inspired my Senior Thesis "Renaissance Humanism and the Arc of the Italian Chivalric Epic" and the confidence I built in Siena gave me the courage to return to Italy: I'm currently living and working in Manerbio, Italy at Mazzolar ITC teaching English with high school students through Dickinson College's SITE Program, and I'm in preparation for the B2 level CELI Italian Language Competency Exam at the Istituo Pacioli in Crema.

"E` stata veramente l'esperienza piu' bella della mia vita" is always my response when asked about my time in Siena. The city will always be in my heart because it and its people gave me experiences and memories, in 5 months, that I've dreamt of having for a lifetime. Even though I was thousands of miles away from home, I never felt more free, challenged, or at home than I was right then, right there. Now I can scratch "trust your instincts on new, exciting opportunities off of my life's bucket list! Grazie mille, CET.

I admit there were times that I felt really frustrated with the program because it was very hard. However, at the same time, it was because the program pushed me so much that I learnt so much Japanese.

Before I left for Japan to complete the CET program, I was actually kind of anxious to just "get it over with" and come back home to finish school. By the end of the program however, I could not have felt more at home in Japan.

Everything about the summer intensive program was excellent from start to finish. Classes were Monday through Friday, from about 9am to 3pm with some breaks. Class was challenging. Working through a full year's worth of material in only two months meant that we were faced with multiple quizzes each day, and weekly presentations and essays. Students were expected to come to class prepared, and lesson plans and expectations were clear each week. Although I can only speak for my class, the material was a lot of fun every day and the students really got to know each other. There was an obvious improvement in everyone's spoken and written Japanese ability from the start of the course until the end.

What really made this program special was the social dynamic between the students and the Japanese roommates. I lived in a house with 7 others, and it became the spot for most people to gather after classes and for events. The Japanese students worked very hard to make sure everyone felt included, and group events were planned several times a week throughout the duration of the summer. Having never lived with this many people under one roof before, I was not sure what to expect - but the roommate aspect was easily the best part of the entire experience for me. Every conversation - from how to cook something to experiences growing up - was a learning opportunity. My former roommates are some of my best friends now, and when I return to Japan I will be certain to see them again.

I remember going on a run during one of my last days in the program and reflecting on my time there. I was excited to see friends and family back home, but I also felt like I was leaving a whole life that I had created in Osaka. It is hard to know what to expect when you sign up for an intensive language program, but my experience with CET could not have been better.