Chinese Immersion Program

Name: Jean Pirenne
Country: Belgium
Occupation: Student at British School of Brussels
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

I have been to China before to study the language, but this study experience was unique because I got to stay with a host family, which really allowed me to immerse myself in the culture and the language. This was very useful. My host family was very nice and I credit GAC for finding a family that really fit my needs.I'm convinced that their screening process for selecting suitable host families is effective. The whole stay was very pleasant and I knew I could contact GAC whenever I wanted in case I had a problem or needed help with something.

The staffs of GAC were very welcoming and polite. The GAC assistant that picked me up at the airport when I arrived very early in the morning had to wait several hours, and he was always friendly and helpful. The staff also organized a welcome dinner for another participant and me in a beautiful restaurant, which was a nice,welcoming touch.

This experience has allowed me to improve my Chinese language skills further, gain more confidence in my ability and learn about real contemporary Chinese culture. Furthermore,I have made friends with my host family and it is nice to have some contacts in China.

Internship Program

Name: Sean Read
Country: Australia
Occupation: Self Employed
Program: GAC Internship Program in Beijing

Now it has been about five weeks since I arrived in Beijing, after what seemed like an eternity (but was actually I think like six months) of planning and correspondence with the ever glowing Zoe Wang from GAC Beijing via email, and already the city feels like home. I don’t exactly know how long I will be here; my current internship is over at the end of this (solar) year, but I have already had discussions with my current boss about the prospect of ongoing employment.

It is ironic in a way that, coming to China with such a passion for so many aspects of Chinese culture; Calligraphy, Martial Arts and Philosophy just to name a few, that I have so far had less engagement with traditional Chinese culture here than I did in Australia. There has simply been so much to do here that I haven’t had the time to pursue these interests. But I have no doubt that in future I will find plenty of time to explore the intricate sophistication and eccentricities of the cultural artifacts from the worlds’ longest unified civilization.

Internship Program

Name: Brett Sylvester
Country: Australia
Occupation: Student at RMIT University, Melbourne
Program: GAC Internship Program in Beijing

A number of things contributed to making my internship such a fantastic experience. First of all, as I chose the home stay option, I was living with a Chinese family in a typical Beijing apartment. The family was very kind and provided assistance to me where they could. Secondly, the internship position itself and the company I worked for were excellent. For the first time since starting my studies I was able to get real-world, hands-on experience applying my knowledge, and I got to learn a lot of new stuff along the way. Thirdly,the other employees at my work were great people who really enriched my experience.

Iinitially discovered GAC simply because they were one of the few overseas agencies to offer an internship program in my discipline. After browsing their website for an hour or so it became apparent to me that GAC was an extremely professional organization that has a clear understanding of student needs. Then proceeded to contact a representative of the company. All of my questions were promptly answered, and the process for applying for the internship program was clearly explained.

Internship Program

Name: Ameni Kabboudi

Country: Tunisia

Occupation: Student at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Program: GAC Internship Program in Beijing Program

It’s great experience. The staff was helpful, young and very understanding. Also Beijing is the heart of China, so to be exposed to China, Beijing is the right place. Everything was perfect. It lives up to my expectations and more, so why not advice my friends to experience it?! Program coordinators’ service was pretty good. Whenever I asked for something I would get a quick response. Go Abroad china is a great program. I had many options to choose, and I really appreciated that. Overall it was a great program, one month was like a day. I made many friends. I am now considering to go back to study Chinese for a year!

Volunteer Program

Name: Clarisse Beurrier

Country: France

Occupation: Student at St. Mary School Ascot, UK

Program: GAC Volunteer in Beijing Program

My volunteer program in Beijing lasted a month, during this Christmas season Beijing is full of wonder and beauty. Even though you will have to walk in the freezing cold (in fact the temperature dropped to -13 degrees, it was the coldest day in China ever.)

I chose to work in a school for my volunteer program as I am comfortable and unwind around children. I although thought that it will definitely boost my Mandarin as there certainly will not be the option to communicate in any other language with children from three to seven years old! Teaching them was a delight they were attentive and eager to learn even the younger ones which were at first afraid of me would sit on my laps while watching a movie by the end!

I would definitely recommend ‘Go abroad China’ without a once of hesitation whatever your age they give you just the correct balance between freedom and their fun organized events. You can always get in touch with any of them if you require help which is very reassuring, they are fantastic people that if you get to know them around a good Chinese dinner (little advice for vegetarians China is not the best place, the menus are in Chinese and they are no ticks or anything of the sort to tell you the vegetarian options which are in most restaurants not even available as Chinese love eating pigs and the meat there is particularly cheap however just tell the ‘fu wu yuan’ the waitress ‘wo chi su’ which means that you are a vegetarian and they will help you to choose) you will learn so much about culture, gain experience, listen to their stories and from the ones the other students taking part in the program will share with with you on their country (Morocco, Tunisia are two places which never really tempted me to go visit before however I am planning to go to Casablanca and in the north of Morocco now that they I have been invited there and heard so much about it which made me so curious to go see for myself.) Making friends is one of the other main highlight of this company the range of people just never ends, so different but in a way so similar it is difficult to explain so just go and have one of the best trips of your life and get unforgettable memories!

Internship Program

Name: Eric Barron
Country: US
Occupation: student at New York University, US
Program: Internship & Chinese Tutoring Program

I had a fairly positive experience with GAC. I lived with young Chinese professional (no English) and studied 6 hours a day with a tutor provided by GAC. I would recommend it if you really plan to make progress in the language. Accommodation was comfortable, my apartment had small living room, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and kitchen. Neighborhood was definitely safe and China in general is very safe. GAC coordinators were very helpful and attentive. Do not hesitate to ask them to accommodate or help you. 

Internship Program

Name: Paul Stephen
Country: US
Occupation: student at Gorge Washington University 
Program: Internship & Chinese Tutoring Program in 2009 and 2010

It was definitely a great experience. The company I worked for was great, the work I did was fun, and all of my co-workers were friendly. The GAC Beijing Coordinators are excellent at their jobs, and very friendly. They are available practically 24/7 throughout your entire stay to help you with anything that might come up, and also to assist you in navigating the treacherous enigma that is life in Beijing.

I personally stayed in a private apartment, but GAC is a very flexible program (this is what makes us unique) and so you can choose from a variety of options such as apartment, hotel, home stay, etc, and GAC will set it up for you. I also opted to take language training classes.  My teacher was extremely friendly and a wonderful. Our sessions were everyday after work and we would generally go somewhere (restaurant, tea house, etc.) for each lesson. The lessons were very informal, generally me honing my Chinese through conversation and picking up new vocabulary and such as we visited various places in Beijing. Also, I had year of beginning Chinese in college prior to my first GAC trip, so I was somewhat prepared, although I had failed to review all summer and thus had forgotten a lot of vocabulary by the time I arrived. By simply living in Beijing (regardless of the tutor) your Chinese conversation skills and confidence will improve dramatically, just by virtue of interaction with people on a day to day basis.

Internship Program

Name: Ricky Tse
Country: Canada 
Occupation: student at Cornell University, U.S 
Program: Internship & Chinese Tutoring Program

I'm from Canada, studying engineering in the US and had finished my 2nd year. I joined Go Abroad China program in summer, 2010.

I got put in a 3 bedroom apartment with two others locals who are a year or two older than I am. I have my own bedroom space and it's bigger than my dorm room. I lived 2 min away from the bus stop to my office so it's very convenient.  It takes me 40-50min to get to work.  My Chinese roommates are very nice people and we get along well. They don't speak much English but my Chinese is decent enough to get simple ideas across. We've never had a really long conversation about anything though.I also teach them English in the evenings.

I have Chinese language classes for 4hrs every Saturday and most Sundays. I know Cantonese and a lot of the words are similar so basically it's like learning how to say words and commonly used phrases/conjunctions.
However, if you have no prior knowledge at all, the Chinese language is ridiculously difficult to learn so in my opinion anything short of 1.5hours a day is too little to get even a grasp of the language. That's if you want to have a conversation instead of just responding to and asking simple questions.The Chinese classes with GAC would probably get you to simple question/response. That's the language's fault though.The teacher is nice and easy to talk and knows English but isn't fluent.

I study mechanical engineering and requested some related company. I have never had a job/internship before and I had no clue what engineering consulting was so I didn’t' really have any expectations. I ended up at the company based in the UK with offices in Scotland, Beijing, Canada and very recently, US. They handle lots of reports and reviews and site visits related to renewable energy projects literally worldwide. China's largest resource is wind energy so I was dealing with mostly Wind energy. I've been assigned to do things that actually mattered so I am enjoying it.

GAC coordinator is ridiculously helpful and reliable. Absolutely no concern here!

Chinese Immersion

Name: Vimal Nandwani  
Country: UK
Occupation: student at New York University, US
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

I joined Go Abroad China's Mandarin Immersion Program in Beijing in summer 2010. It was a fantastic experience and my Chinese speaking skills and my understanding of the culture improved tremendously!

I was in Beijing from June 1st until June 27th. I was living with a Chinese family just outside of Central Beijing and had a private tutor for four hours a day. The home and family were very nice. The apartment was spacious, air conditioned, and I was given my own room and bathroom. Whenever I was at home, I would eat my three meals with the family. The neighborhood was very very safe. I had no issues or worries at all. I asked to be in a neighborhood where not much English was spoken, so I would be able to practice my Chinese. I was living in a community of 30,000 Chinese, where I made many friends during my stay. GAC provided me with exactly what I asked for.

Living with a Chinese family was a fantastic experience, because I enjoy adapting to new cultures. It can be a little challenging adapting to all their customs and habits for the first few days, but my family was very accommodating. I certainly recommend it over a hotel, because you get to practice speaking Chinese over meals and throughout the day. My family made me feel very comfortable from the moment I walked in, and involved me in all their plans and discussions, so I really enjoyed the experience. The biggest challenge I faced was getting used to some of the food, because I had never eaten/ heard of some of their dishes before. But once they figured out my preferences and habits, they really did their best to accommodate me.

I had 20 hours of Chinese language course and I think 20 hours is plenty because that’s 4 hours each weekday. After 3, I started to lose focus because they are private classes are kind of intense. I would not suggest taking more. After class, I suggest you go practice Chinese on the street with random people, who are all super friendly. That really helps too, because you aren't prepared for the conversation or the accent. Random people used to come up tome and make conversation all the time.

Chinese Immersion

Name: Christopher James
Country: US
Occupation: Student at Virginia Commonwealth University, US

Program: Chinese Immersion Program

Go Abroad China (GAC) always provides the sensation of security for its participants. There is always someone to turn the moment you need something in China. GAC allows participants to be selective in their accommodation options and it is thanks to this organization that I immersed myself into Chinese culture and rapidly benefited from improving my Mandarin with both roommates and families. The diverse background of the GAC participants additionally helped me improve communication skills as well as teamwork on complicated assignments. On the weekends, making friends through GAC proved to be rewarding as we bonded so much during the excursions and interactive activities like massaging, and cooking hotpot. These are skills that open up the challenging but worthwhile experiences in the real world that studying at a university cannot accommodate.

GAC provided supplementary help in learning Mandarin my assigning me a tutor. We would meet regularly in a café in order to maximize the language-learning environment since I could order food in Chinese at the same time. If the student’s expectations do not directly correspond to those proposed by the tutor, GAC offers flexibility in which changing a tutor would not be problematic.

Assuming that the participant takes Mandarin, resides with a Chinese-speaking host family, and has exposure to the cuisine,everything would seem to be in order. What else could still be missing? GAC fills in the last missing puzzle piece by inviting students to take part at numerous excursions and cultural workshops offered on a weekly basis. Whether it be climbing at the Ming Wall, or learning the ins and outs of a Chinese massage, participants will enthusiastically choose cultural electives that cover an extensive realm of preferences. Those passionate about history and gardening will enjoy the Summer Palace, while those who are more action-oriented will enjoy Tai Chi.

Without GAC, interns would abound with confusion in a part of the world that may initially seem unfamiliar to them. Nevertheless, the help of such a reliable agency around the clock engages participants in an adventure that they will treasure for a lifetime. Remember,whatever a student puts into the experience is what he or she takes out of it,and those who take advantage of GAC will find a very rewarding experience that will remain indented in their memories beyond their stay in China.

Internship Program

Name: Wade Worner
Country: US
Occupation: student at NY University, US
Program: Internship & Chinese Tutoring Program

My stay in Beijing has been really great!

I participated in GAC program last summer. I thought the program offered what I was looking for: a way to improve my Chinese while experiencing China. The Chinese tutors were available flexibly to help with any language questions. My host mother Grace has been very very nice and patient with me, as well as GAC staff who has provided me with constant guidance and feedback! We often met up for dinners and other excursions, giving me the opportunities to converse and learn Chinese outside of the classroom. Before my program started in Beijing, GAC team was very responsive, making the process of getting to China and working, living in China much easier. Any problems came up were easily solved. I have to admit it is a great relief to know that I can call her anytime!

In addition, the group dinners and trips organized by GAC were wonderful. I was very very pleased by the welcome, and I am very thankful to GAC staff. I love them!

Chinese Immersion

Name: Josh Bernstein
Country: Australia
Occupation: student at Harvard University, U.S
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

Shortly after finishing a year of intensive Chinese, I entered a 4-week Homestay and one-on-one study program with Go Abroad China. The teaching and Homestay combined were excellent, and my fluency in Chinese improved significantly even in such a short period. The progress was in no small part due to the high quality of GAC' s teaching staff. The teaching was excellent. All the teachers gave a strong impetus to my learning.

Chinese Immersion

Name: David Mixer
Country: U.S
Occupation: student at University of Georgia  
Program: Chinese language program at BLCU

Chinese Immersion

Name: Julie Ma
Country: Australia
Occupation: Sydney University  
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

Internship Program

Name: Fabiola Betti

Country: Italy

Occupation: Student at University of Rome, Italy

Program: Internship Program 

I came to Beijing for 3 months Internship Program, because I wanted to study Chinese and to improve my career prospects. I was very satisfied with my experience and GAC assistance. Even though I was alone I knew that there was an organization behind me that could help with everything. The family I’ve been staying with was kind and helpful; they were open-minded so I didn’t have any troubles with them.

The program itself was very fulfilling from many aspects: language studies, daily life, excursions and culture. My Chinese language teacher was absolutely great; she helped me a lot to learn more. Program coordinators were caring and always helped me.

The greatest benefit that I’ve gained from GAC experience is the opportunity to find very good job and understand what my work career would be. I am independent now and I’ve learnt to live myself. I’ve left behind me all my fears that troubled me in the past. 

Chinese Immersion

Name: Timothy Waylly
Country: U.S
Occupation: Engineer
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

Chinese Immersion

Name: Savais Tuemise 
Country: Germany 
Occupation: Professor at Marmara University 
Program: Chinese Immersion Program

I arrived without speaking a word of Chinese. Simple daily matters were a struggle. In such situations, Go Abroad China staff gave me the assistance and guidance I needed.In addition the social events and parties organized by GAC were an excellent way of meeting people. The GAC staff is really friendly and helpful. We the GAC students have been lucky compared to those who didn't come here by GAC. They have had all kinds of problems, from getting around in the city to finding rooms, etc. The Chinese singing and painting classes are also nice, I wish there were more of them! For the students to come: enjoy your time!

Internship Program

Name: Cameron Greene

Country: UK

Occupation: Student at Brunel University, UK

Program: Internship Program in Beijing

I came to China for the Internship Program to improve professional prospects and also see interesting places. I spent 4 months working, engaging with cultural and everyday life in China. Overall experience was good, I felt like GAC program staff were very approachable and supportive. Especially I was impressed by email communication before I came to China. The handling of my Internship and other arrangements were quick and professional.  I was also very satisfied with the company service during my stay.

I’d definitely recommend GAC Internship Program to others! 

Internship Program

Name: Cathryn Masuda  
Country: U.S
Occupation: student at Hawaii State University
Program: Internship & Chinese Immersion Program

BLCU Program

Name: Ben S 

BLCU Program

Name: Tyson Laplaca

Country: Canada

Program: Beijing Language and Culture University program