CET Greater China

In high school, I took a year of Chinese as a total beginner. The teacher was a native Chinese who had never left China before coming to the United States for a year. She was very supportive but also very strict. I always wandered why she seemed to be so strict with the students and, whenever scolding a student, she would relate our mistakes to how they could affect our future if they became a habit. I was able to solve my inquiry when I cane to Beijing. The teachers where supportive but strict about getting homework done correctly, arriving to class early, accepting natural consequences for mistakes and upholding the language pledge at all times. Living in such daily environment did not only improve my Chinese drastically, but also allowed me to make lifelong friendships, increase my resilience to cultural shock and improved my understanding of cultural diversity. These skills and abilities are eternal tools to foster personal and academic success.

It is hard to "summarize" or even pick out a few experiences that represent the year I spent immersed in Chinese language and culture.
Culture shock hit me pretty hard when I arrived in Beijing. I couldn't sleep because the beds were so hard, the water was too hot, the food had too much oil, the air was polluted, I didn't feel comfortable speaking Chinese. The list goes on, but the people that made up my program are the reason I was able to continue, my roommate especially. She spoke to me when my Chinese was terrible; she introduced me to new foods, family, and friends. We were born in opposite geographical locations, education systems, and cultures, yet slowly discovered how similar we are. From her, I learned Chinese food, culture, and language, but also gained an indescribable and lifelong friendship.

When I was first deciding what study abroad I wanted to go on, I made a checklist of everything that I was looking for. CET: Shanghai was one of the only programs that fulfilled all the requirements that I was looking for, and in short, I was not let down. The main reason that I chose this program was because I believed that I would be able to get the most immersive experience in going abroad with having a local roommate, taking classes on campus, and interning in the international city. With all of these opportunities I was able to really get a feel for what exactly Shanghai was - besides the pearl tower. My favorite aspect of this program, and the reason why it made my study abroad experience different was because it was a program that was not directly associated with my school, and while I went to Shanghai to experience another culture and gain global experience, I was not expecting to learn more about the States as well. Being a meeting point between meeting people across the globe, but also across the United States is really what I enjoyed the most. Being abroad and making the memories that I did are experiences that I wish could last a lifetime, but for now I am saying see you later. I hope that others are able to seize this opportunity like I was and realize how great Shanghai is.

CET Shanghai was an incredible program where I improved my language, advanced my career, and explored Chinese history and culture. CET in particular made this possible by providing reimbursements for cultural experiences, support for all living necessities (and more), coordinated events such as movie nights and tours, strong courses with great professors, and a Chinese roommate to learn from locals. One specific note is the strength of Chinese class with CET. They provide courses in every level. Most beneficial to me was the weekly one-on-one class we have with our professor. This gave me a time to ask questions about everything from the textbook material to my life in China. As well, the professors have great methods to teach language effectively such as repeating useful vocabulary and skipping words that aren't as common. This helped me spend time where would be most useful as I studied.

I spent the summer of 2019 in Shanghai participating in CET's study abroad plus internship program. While I was there I not only had the incredible opportunity to study Chinese culture, but CET also helped me find an internship site that allowed me to really experience China first-hand and helped me improve my resume. The CET staff in Shanghai supported me through every step of the process and were available 24/7 to give me and my classmates detailed instructions and advice. Going to a foreign country for any length of time is challenging and going to a foreign country to study or work for months can be very scary, but CET never failed to make me feel safe and secure while I was in Shanghai. My overall opinion of the CET Shanghai program is that it perfectly blended education, career training, and fun to provide me a summer I'll never forget.

The two months I spent in Beijing with the CET Intensive Chinese program have proven to be incredibly impactful, both with regard to my Chinese language ability and my life more broadly.
It's certainly an academically challenging program, with four hours of class plus a half an hour one-on-one session with a teacher every Monday through Friday (not to mention the homework) but you'll find that there's no better motivation than being in China and seeing immediate real-world benefits of your studies, such as being able to more effortlessly communicate with Chinese students, choose dishes at nearby nearby restaurants, or just get around Beijing.
I could not recommend this program highly enough to someone who's looking to improve their Chinese and who's also interested in getting to know China and its people.

China is the most populated country in the world and has one of the longest human civilizations in history. During my trip to Harbin, not only did my Chinese level improve tremendously, thanks to CET Harbin's intense language program and 24-hour language pledge (Chinese only, no English allowed), but I also experienced the culture of China's beautiful Ice City of Harbin. I visited Harbin during the Summer months when it's famed Ice and Snow Festival was not open; however, Harbin still had plenty to offer. Our daily weekend excursions in this program included hiking a pristine mountain, learning how to curl and much more. We also had the free time to go on extra excursions including skiing in the world's largest indoor ski resort, visiting a cat café, and feeding Siberian Tigers in Harbin's famed Siberian Tiger Park. Along with intensive one-on-one language classes, each program participant also was paired with a Chinese roommate who helped us with school projects and brought us along to night markets and Karaoke and to experience many of China’s cultural treasures like experiencing a Tea Ceremony and interacting with Chinese children. If you wish to improve your Chinese proficiency, CET Harbin is one of the best programs. The improvement in my Chinese speaking level and the friends that I made in these short two months will last a lifetime.

Studying Chinese with CET in Beijing was greatly helpful in improving my Chinese language skills. Through CET, I had the opportunity to learn Chinese in authentic contexts, which focused on helping us develop communicative competencies and to improve in our speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. I enjoyed the class structure, which involved a lot of repetition and practice using new grammar structures every day in a large class, small class, and one on one session with the teacher. The teachers were all not only very knowledgable about the material and able to effectively teach us, but also very friendly and relational.
The CET office staff are very supportive in case problems arise and in helping students to adjust to life in China. CET also organizes many trips for students to explore Beijing and understand more of its culture and history, such as trips to the Great Wall and to museums. Furthermore, CET houses students with a Chinese roommate, who are often valuable friends to students, helping them to navigate life in Beijing, serving as a conversational partner to practice Chinese with.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with CET Beijing and am much more confident in my Chinese abilities now. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to grow in their Chinese abilities and in their understanding of a culture and of people different from what they may be familiar with.