CET Greater China

Before I chose to go to CET Taiwan, I was really anxious since it was my first time abroad and I was even considering backing out. However, I am extremely happy I went because it ended up being a life-changing experience! I am currently on one of my last weeks in Taipei and I almost feel tears welling up in my eyes as I type this because I am going to miss Taiwan so much! T^T One thing you need to know about CET Taiwan is that it is a mixture of CET + ICLP + Internship. ICLP is a world renowned intensive Chinese Language School so if you are looking to improve your speaking ability, this is THE place to be! There are diplomats and Phd students from all over the world that travel here to learn Chinese. The teachers are amazing and super motivating. You are not strictly tied to grades so it won't be a rote memorization experience. Teachers grade you on progress and since you often have great teachers, it almost makes you want to try your hardest!

On the CET side, I loved the support we had. Chunling and Andrew are the most amazing human beings to walk upon this planet. (not an exaggeration) They were essentially the glue that held our sanity together amongst all of the school/internship stress we had. They really go out of their way to make help us feel at home and are there for our highest and lowest points. Without them, this review could have a complete 180 turn tbh. Internship depends on the company you are interning for. My experience was okay but if there are any improvements to be had, I would love it if we could look for internships on our own! The CET excursions are much better than ICLP's, so I highly suggest you go to all of them! I have never regretted coming out.

On the ICLP side, the workload is heavy, but doable. You go to school 5 days a week for about 3-4 hours a day in the morning. The ICLP trips are honestly dreadful, there's just so many people and sometimes it is poorly run. The good thing is, you can always split from the group when you get tired so I suggest you go since CET helps pay for these excursions!
The first two weeks of the program is orientation and just trips here and there. And classes begin after that. At the end of the program, you have to do a 5 minute talk which basically gives you an opportunity to show your improvement and the teachers will try their best to help you prepare you for that. There is a language pledge inside the building and I think that's about it! You also get an ICLP language partner (a local you can communicate with). Some of my classmates didn't meet with their's much but most of my unforgettable experiences are from the local excursions I had with my partner.

For internship (for the summer program at least) you need 80 hours. Personally I think you should work more in the beginning so you can get these hours out of the way. The workload gets heavier as the weeks progress. Internship course is decent, not much more to say! It is what it is, an internship.

You will probably come to Taiwan scared af but I guarantee that you will leave feeling very fulfilled. There is so much delicious, affordable food, wonderful night markets, and some of the kindest people you will ever meet. Everyone is really forgiving and patient so if you want to learn and test out your chinese, this is the place to be! It is also extremely safe which was a culture shock bc I was always so paranoid at night in the US. You can also get more on my blog, valerieenguyen.wordpress.com (or just .com)

I am sorry, but this review will be a little negative. I've been on intensive summer language programs before, and I have always had wonderful experiences. However, this program (though there were some good parts) was not what I wanted. This program was so stressful that all of my classmates want to leave (that's literally awful). If you choose this program, be ready to be in class until 5 PM everyday and then have 5-7 hours of homework every night.

I recommend this program to anyone looking for a challenging but rewarding immersive language experience. Looking back on my first day in the program, my Chinese rapidly improved, to the point where I feel comfortable enough to discuss anything with anyone! The CNU campus is a very welcoming area, and the people of Beijing are always gracious. For me the best aspect was the enthusiasm and effort exhibited by our teachers. I genuinelly believe they cared about us and our wellbeing during this program.

The Beijing CET program is not only a language program, but by default a cultural program as well. Why? Because all teachers are Chinese, and most of them have never taught abroad. Being taught Mandarin Chinese by a fully native faculty is very insightful and useful in getting insider perspectives on topics discussed in class ranging from politics to the arts, to environmental protection. Many of the opinions you hear will challenge your own, and this is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of being in China; to hear these contrasting opinions and to try to understand why they exist, rather than simply listening and then immediately providing your own opinion before reaching that understanding. Suggestions for having a great time in China:
1. Travel alone as often as possible, interact with Chinese people. You will make countless friends, business connections, collaborators(for artists), and people that can make your life much more rich and informed.
2. On a similar note, do not spend most of your time with your classmates, it will not be worth it, no matter how fun it seems. If you wanted easy camaraderie based on a mutual home-country/culture, why did you come to China?
3. Indulge Chinese people while you are here: forget about your own practices, your pet peeves, your habits, learn all of these anew from the Chinese people around you and you will gain an entirely new understanding of East-Asian thought-process and life. If you do not, you will find yourself at odds with Chinese people at every turn, and will end up living in a foreign cultural sphere within China.
To Sum it Up: This program was wonderful, but it won't be that way on its own.
Beijing CET is a platform, so use it to go far and delve deep into China, in my opinion, the best place in the world for a lone traveler!

I really enjoyed my time at CET this past spring. I am finishing my gap year after graduating high school/ starting college and I am so thrilled to have used my time at CET to learn an entirely new language. The Capital Normal University (CNU) campus in West Beijing where CET is based is very convenient and of course living in the country of the language you're studying improves your level faster than any other method. Immersion is the way to go if you want your language level to improve immensely and CET exudes that idea in more ways than one. The program and staff are excited to be here teaching Chinese and there are countless activities, excursions, and outings available through the program itself and friends met while here. I loved my time this spring so much I'm doing their summer program, too.

CET Beijing Intensive language program allowed me to improve my Chinese at a incredible pace. At some points it felt like I was not improving at all- but when I called my friends (also Chinese majors) back home or had a full conversation with a stranger in Chinese, I knew that my Chinese language level was constantly improving. The professors and environment that CET exposed me to has made me feel comfortable with the language, to the point that when I came back to America I still found myself saying "谢谢", "好", "对", and other simple phrases to my friends, family, and strangers. Another example of how CET allowed me to be more comfortable with Chinese is that some words I think of first in Chinese. The language environment was a unique experience that every single person benefited from. I think my favorite part of the program was that it allowed me to slowly find my personality in Chinese, for example, I loved being able to make jokes with my friends and roommate. The program classes were not as intensive as I thought they would be (probably due to the lower level I was placed in), but that did give me a chance to explore Beijing and other parts of China.

This is the place to go if you want to improve your Mandarin! The language pledge is particularly challenging but it’s really the best way to jump start your learning. In addition, the teachers and program leads are amazing — they are strict but will help you with anything you need. The class/homework load make for busy schedules but there is still time to get to know the people on the program and the city. Great people, great program.

I studied abroad through CET Shanghai in Fall 2017. I had an amazing experience, learning a lot about the language and culture and truly growing as a person through my time there. There were three main aspects that I really loved about the program, being the language, internship, and local roommates.

My Chinese language skills grew immensely throughout my time abroad. I honestly don't think there's any better way to learn a language than to actually be immersed in the culture and have to speak it daily, which is exactly what I got in Shanghai. Though it was difficult at times, especially when you needed help or guidance from locals who spoke no English, I feel confident that my language would not be where it is without going to Shanghai.

The internship experience that I got through CET was amazing. I could not have asked for a better placement. My internship provided me with amazing responsibility, skill-growth, and networking opportunities. I'm still in touch with my supervisor and definitely think I could use him and other people I met through the internship in the future for job searches. Though I had an amazing experience with the internship, I must admit not everyone had quite the same experience, and it's definitely important to make sure your internship is a good fit for you once you get there.

The final aspect of CET Shanghai that I found awesome was the local roommates. My roommate (and pretty much every roommate in the program) was absolutely amazing. She was so sweet and totally let me see a side of China that I would not have seen otherwise. All of the roommates in the program were amazing and I think it definitely helped me to assimilate and enjoy my experience.

I was extremely happy with my time in CET and could not have asked for a better abroad experience. However, it is important to say that it was difficult at times. The culture in China is very different than in the US, and though you can find outlets, at some points I definitely felt like an outsider. CET does a great job supporting you, but it's important to go into the program with an open mind and an understanding that living in China is not easy and definitely takes a great deal of maturity and acceptance of the culture around you. That being said, I think it's totally doable for anyone with that mindset and is a great opportunity to learn about the world and about yourself.