Summer in Taiwan: CET Taiwan 2023

Classes: I took Mandarin classes at National Taiwan University's CLD during the weekdays. The courses are pretty difficult, we went through units quickly and were tested very regularly, but the professors are understanding and are happy to work with students. The test taken to determine your level before the program begins is pretty holistic, and I felt comfortable at the level I was placed in.

Housing: Most housing was around 30 minutes away from NTU's campus. Some were further, which meant other students had a long commute. My apartment was in a very nice neighborhood and was a clean environment. Cleaners came bi-weekly to clean the apartment, but daily chores were done by myself and my roommates. We created a schedule to clean and take out trash and kept our living areas clean. If anything in the apartment broke or went wrong, such as AC units or getting locked out, CET was always on call to help us out.

Programming: CET admin planned a lot of events that were very engaging and well attended by students. We visited museums, attended theatre shows, did local tours, and even went to a Guardians baseball game. Sometimes, events seemed a little disorganized, but they were always fun to attend.

Internships: The summer program gives you the option to intern as well as take CLD classes. We had weekly meetings with the CET admin to check in about our roles and expectations at our different placement sites, and they were helpful. My internship was amazing, and I got really close with the other interns and my supervisor.