USAC Chengdu J-Term 25/26

I had a wonderful experience in Chengdu! This trip allowed me to grow in many aspects such as independence and improving my Mandarin Chinese. Because the program was a small cohort of 8-9 people, the staff and professors were able to make genuine connections with everyone. I also am fortunately still in contact with my classmates from the trip which. While in China, I had the opportunity to go on many trips both facilitated by staff and just with my classmates. The cost of living there both short term and long term is also feasible to live off of. I had many meals close to campus (Sichuan Normal University had great options right outside campus). The public transportation was also wonderful and got me to mostly everywhere needed. A few personal downsides to the trip was just its length and the accessibility. I personally wish I could have gone on a longer trip (at least an additional month added) because there were always events going on in the trip. If I wasn't in class in the mornings, I would be exploring or going on a faculty led trip. We only had 3 weekends, so outside of class we would go out and travelling. Although it was an amazing experience, there is definitely so much you can do in Chengdu and China itself. Another con would have to be the accessibility. The city itself is very progressive, however, something to keep in mind is that accommodations such as elevators may not be in every building and street if needed. That was just one thing I noticed, but other than that if you ask anyone for help or need anything locals are willing to help you.