Program Reviews

When I first arrived, it was in early February. CET Harbin's campus was beautiful but the weather is known to be cold. It was a lot different than what I was expecting. I would say that this program definitely brought my Chinese to the next level. In my whole lifetime, I've only taken Econ 101 at school and this was my only "business" knowledge until CET Harbin, I registered for a business class and was placed in the highest language proficiency with no business background. I would say that this was one of the most challenging time of my life with school, but after 6 to 7 weeks, without realizing it, I have already been accustomed and was on a roll with classes. Other classes I took were Newspaper Reading, 一对二, and my 一对一class was on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I wanted to learn about TCM for the longest time of my life, and coming to this program really helped me accomplished my goal. All the 老师s were amazing at what they do and the activities that CET coordinated were really helpful in integrating students with the culture. I've made so many friends that I would definitely consider them my lifelong friends, and I've learned so so much through this language intensive program. If you are serious about improving your Chinese, CET Harbin is the way to go if you really followed the language pledge. It may be tiring speaking and thinking everything in Chinese, but at the end or before you know it, your Chinese is already on the next level. (I forgot but on the side note, breakfast foods are amazing, so were the caf's foods. There are 7 different cafeterias for you to choose from).

I always knew I wanted to study abroad in China. Being from a major city, Shanghai was the obvious choice. The city is famed for its modernity, architectural beauty, and international/metropolitan vibe.

I was immediately drawn to the CET Program. Most study abroad programs involve either coursework or an internship. The CET program combines both. Unlike most programs, CET specializes in finding an internship that is both educational and interesting. This summer I had the unique honor of interning at the Propaganda Poster Art Center, and if it were not for CET I would have not had the ability to intern at such an interesting location.

Classes at CET are difficult, but rewarding. The faculty are the best in their respective fields, and all are great professors. They are both intelligent and engaging. As far as learning Mandarin goes, every day is an adventure and the Chinese professors are all special and loving in their own way. Professor Rottman, the academic advisor is an incredible resource and mentor.

CET also has a unique reimbursement policy. They will reimburse up to 350 RMB a day (70 RMB per excursion) for cultural activities within Shanghai. This reimbursement policy encourages students to explore and engage with Shanghai.

Overall, what makes CET special is the people. The faculty, staff, and students are all excited about learning both in and out of the classroom. I highly recommend CET to any student looking for a holistic study abroad experience.

I myself will be applying for Summer 2020!

This program presents a lot of challenges, academically, socially, personally, and professionally. However, depending on how you work through and look at challenges, this program can either be discouraging or deeply gratifying. Personally, I dealt differently with each category of challenges. In each obstacle there was hidden a lesson, an opportunity, or a chance for growth, and in each gift there was a difficulty, a misunderstanding, or something wholly unexpected. I found this true across my academic, personal, and professional experiences.
No matter how you deal with challenges, your Chinese will greatly improve being abroad. Even if you don't work very hard at it, or go out of your way to use it (though i recommend you do) it will improve consistently and drastically. I was really pushed to improve and constantly practice my language skills. The class met daily and often had a lot of homework. I spent hours everyday working on reading, writing, speaking, and listening solely for my course work. However, the positive side of that was that my Chinese language ability improved drastically throughout my time abroad. I found every day that something I was learning in class was applicable to my daily life in Shanghai. I could immediately put to use what I was learning, which felt deeply gratifying. Additionally, living in China pushed me to use Chinese daily – whether with my roommate, other students, store-clerks, or strangers – and it was often both rewarding and difficult to navigate social situations with my limited linguistic ability. I was frequently frustrated and disappointed in myself for being unable to express ideas or intentions effectively, but this ultimately motivated me to learn and engage with the language even more.
Personally, I had to act more self-sufficiently and independently and really have faith and trust in my abilities. Daily I encountered difficulties adapting to a new culture and environment, even up to my last day. It was difficult to think positively about this. It was great having a Chinese roommate, and the other American students were all very supportive, but really creating a space that felt like home was a definite challenge, and one I never fully solved. That said, I still loved the city and was always excited to explore, but I never fully settled into life in Shanghai.
However, through all my time abroad, the most valuable thing I learned is that anything is possible if I trust myself and take the leap. The hardest and scariest thing about going abroad for me was getting on the plane. That isn't to say I didn't have difficulties, because there is a lot that felt or seemed impossible about being abroad: little things like buying clean supplies or ordering food in a restaurant. For several weeks I felt like everything was just out of reach, and there were times I wanted to come home. There were also amazing moments, great friends, wonderful strangers, and a unique beauty in deeply realizing that every second, across the world, everyone is really just doing their best.
The same can be said of life in general – good days and bad days – and, in a very literal way, being abroad was my life, every day, and with that came all manner of sorrow and satisfaction. But the hardest thing by far was the fear and uncertainty as I was leaving and transitioning from one home to another. In that liminal suspended space, I felt listless and lonelier than ever, my mind thinking over every worst-case scenario. But once I landed, none of those horrible things came true. I was met welcomingly and warmly, and in the end, I realized that all I had to do was get on the plane and after that, I just had to deal with things as they came. Going abroad has made me feel like I can do anything, no matter how difficult, as long as I can find the courage to get on the plane.

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.