CET Greater China

I cannot recommend CET Taiwan enough. My classes were rigorous without being overwhelming. I had ample opportunities to practice my Mandarin skills, and could see myself improving dramatically over the course of the program. The balanced coursework combined with the highly convenient public transportation to enable me to do a great deal of traveling around the island. People in Taiwan are very welcoming and helpful, and Taiwan's culture is endlessly enriching. The CET Taiwan staff are super friendly and a very useful resource. CET had many program-sponsored activities which made experiencing the Taiwanese culture more accessible. Taiwan's natural beauty is unparalleled, and the whole trip was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Just as I am writing this review, I know next semester back in the States will be much more depressing. I felt like I completely re-invented myself in many ways while abroad, and I brought back many of these personal changes I experienced. Very frequently our cohort would travel to new parts of China on weekends, and this experience became a shining part of my study abroad experience. Shanghai, and China overall, is so convenient with its public transportation that it made something like that so accessible. The friends and the memories I made there will be continue to haunt the rest of my life (but in a good way).

I will forever savor every moment I had studying abroad in Taiwan. From the intensive Mandarin courses to my internship with Fulbright Taiwan to all of the friends that I made, I am truly grateful for this experience. Although you will experience homesickness or culture shock, the number of positive experiences you will have will greatly outweigh all of these challenges. Don't let the scary things stop you from trying something new - it really is life-changing!

The best thing about this program is cultural immersion. I got a local roommate and two language partners who both helped me improve my Chinese and better understand Taiwanese culture. The Chinese class was definitely intense (3 hours a day, 5 days a week), but the teacher was super sweet and understanding. I also felt very comfortable to practice speaking in class since all my classmates were very nice and supportive. Overall it was an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend it to any Chinese learners

I can confidently say that coming to Taiwan to spend a semester abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Although deciding where to study abroad was a little challenging because of the different options that would benefit my main academic interest in Computer Science, CET's Taiwan program managed to offer me exactly what I wanted. I was able to learn Chinese by partaking in intensive, engaging, and fun high-intermediate level classes while also working part-time for a tech startup, where I learned a lot of technical, professional, and life skills. All of this, paired with great on-site staff, management, consistent support, cultural events, and activities, made my semester with CET an exceptionally fun and engaging one where I grew as a person, met incredible people, and got to experience some of the best Taiwan has to offer.

Studying abroad in Taiwan was an incredible experience that allowed me to immerse myself in a new culture while applying years of Chinese language learning. While adjusting to a different environment was initially challenging, joining activities like a local gym helped me build a routine, and taking boxing lessons allowed me to learn a new skill in Chinese, overall improving my language skills and maintaining my well-being. Although English was accessible in many places, pushing myself to use Chinese, especially in everyday interactions, while requiring more discipline, was rewarding and contributed to my growth.

The CET program staff were very welcoming and proved helpful when you needed extra resources, assistance, etc. For example, the first week with language placements was probably the most stressful for me, and they were very supportive throughout that entire process. Academically, while intense–the 3-hour classes five days a week and an elective (or internship), balancing studies with exploration/free time was still manageable. I also found myself learning a lot of vocabulary/grammar that was applicable! I would also highly recommend participating in at least some of the cultural activities this program offers.

Please also take advantage of Taiwan’s convenient transportation (MRT, HSR, buses, U-Bike) to explore Taipei and beyond, including its beautiful natural landscapes. As a vegetarian, I was delighted by the abundance of delicious and affordable food options.

Being a person of color who had a darker skin complexion than most people there, I sometimes felt out of place because I did not see a lot of people who looked like me. Overall, however, the people there were welcoming and curious about my background and journey with the language.

Taiwan is an amazing place to study abroad in. In terms of academics, while I did not get into the Chinese level that I had originally wanted to (it is hard to switch because of the limit of 8 people), I still had a rewarding and academically challenging learning experience. There is no room for slacking off with these classes which is exactly the learning environment I needed. Outside of classes at NTU, there are so many opportunities to learn the language and experience the culture. There is a lot of English in Taiwan! Which is great for the cultural shock but also means I had to be more intentional about stepping outside my comfort zone. For instance, not always asking for the English menu, reading the Chinese directions/signs, ordering in Chinese, etc. The locals here are super friendly as well and provide so many opportunities for practicing Chinese. It is a common occurrence to have conversations with workers at stores or just random curious locals. I also loved that this program paired you up with a language partner as well because it helped my listening and "on the spot" speaking/conversational skills. I loved my language partner! (My first language partner did ghost me...but the staff found a new one which shows how valuable those pair-ups are!). My local roommates were also such a great way to immerse myself in the language and culture.

Studying abroad in Taiwan is also so ideal because of how easy it is to get around with the MRT, local trains, buses, or even HSR (but these are for places farther away). Not only is commuting easy but traveling and exploring is made much easier. Additionally, eating in Taiwan (and most things) is super affordable and accessible (7-11s/family marts, night markets). One thing that surprised me as a vegetarian was how many vegetarian restaurants. There usually are not a TON of veggie options at regular restaurants but eating was never a problem for me here.

In terms of the program itself, the CET staff were super helpful and supportive. There was some miscommunication between the CET staff and me and my roommates regarding some housing/apartment stuff but overall, I was super happy with the staff and support available during this experience. They played a big role in the time I had here.

I could keep raving about Taiwan, but the last thing I wanted to say was that I wish this program was longer because time goes by so fast. Particularly when you factor in the academics to it as well with 3 3-hour class every day. To me, there isn't a lot of time to "settle in" once you get to Taipei or enjoy your last moments in Taipei before leaving. Many of my friends and I especially felt that we would've liked more time at the end of the program because the move-out was the day after the last class. I actually did end up staying longer in Taipei after the program was over for about three more weeks. I think that if I hadn't stayed longer, I would not have felt as satisfied with my time here as I do now (really comes down to the length of the program).

Taiwan is an amazing place to study abroad in. In terms of academics, while I did not get into the Chinese level that I had originally wanted to (it is hard to switch because of the limit of 8 people), I still had a rewarding and academically challenging learning experience. There is no room for slacking off with these classes which is exactly the learning environment I needed. Outside of classes at NTU, there are so many opportunities to learn the language and experience the culture. There is a lot of English in Taiwan! Which is great for the cultural shock but also means I had to be more intentional about stepping outside my comfort zone. For instance, not always asking for the English menu, reading the Chinese directions/signs, ordering in Chinese, etc. The locals here are super friendly as well and provide so many opportunities for practicing Chinese. It is a common occurrence to have conversations with workers at stores or just random curious locals. I also loved that this program paired you up with a language partner as well because it helped my listening and "on the spot" speaking/conversational skills. I loved my language partner! (My first language partner did ghost me...but the staff found a new one which shows how valuable those pair-ups are!). My local roommates were also such a great way to immerse myself in the language and culture.

Studying abroad in Taiwan is also so ideal because of how easy it is to get around with the MRT, local trains, buses, or even HSR (but these are for places farther away). Not only is commuting easy but traveling and exploring is made much easier. Additionally, eating in Taiwan (and most things) is super affordable and accessible (7-11s/family marts, night markets). One thing that surprised me as a vegetarian was how many vegetarian restaurants. There usually are not a TON of veggie options at regular restaurants but eating was never a problem for me here.

In terms of the program itself, the CET staff were super helpful and supportive. There was some miscommunication between the CET staff and me and my roommates regarding some housing/apartment stuff but overall, I was super happy with the staff and support available during this experience. They played a big role in the time I had here.

I could keep raving about Taiwan, but the last thing I wanted to say was that I wish this program was longer because time goes by so fast. Particularly when you factor in the academics to it as well with 3 3-hour class every day. To me, there isn't a lot of time to "settle in" once you get to Taipei or enjoy your last moments in Taipei before leaving. Many of my friends and I especially felt that we would've liked more time at the end of the program because the move-out was the day after the last class. I actually did end up staying longer in Taipei after the program was over for about three more weeks. I think that if I hadn't stayed longer, I would not have felt as satisfied with my time here as I do now (really comes down to the length of the program).