Welcome to Harbin
Understanding identity abroad is important—regardless of whether or not you think it will play a role in your own experience. While we strive to create and maintain programs that support students of all races, religions, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations, you also play a crucial role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for your peers navigating aspects of their identit(ies) in a new country. The information and resources on this page serve as a starting point to help you understand experiences you or your CET classmates may encounter while abroad.
Cultural Climate
Race & Ethnicity
China has a long history as a racially homogenous country, and the average Chinese person is not surrounded by the racial diversity that exists in the US. As a result, you may hear insensitive comments or notice some staring, but these instances can mostly be attributed to the lack of knowledge about and/or exposure to people of other races and ethnicities rather than malice. For heritage learners, there has been more increased understanding and interest in the experiences of ABC (American-born Chinese) students. Generally speaking, locals are enthusiastic about foreign tourists and study abroad students learning about their culture and language—and now even more so after borders re-opened in 2023.
LGBTQ+
While homosexuality is legal in China, only heterosexual marriages are recognized by the government at this time. The local cultural climate is becoming more and more open toward LGBTQ+ issues and individuals, though it’s not yet on par with the US. In Harbin (particularly on campus), the spectrum of attitudes pulls more towards the side of accepting and knowledgeable, though can still reach over to the side of indifferent or uninformed.
Gender
Chinese culture is very gender binary. Though gender diversity is an emerging topic in other major Chinese cities like Bejing and Shanghai, many Harbin locals are likely unaware of it. However, past CET Harbin students have not encountered major issues with the local cultural climate toward gender issues and/or gender diverse individuals.
Religion
There are five religions officially recognized in China: Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, Taoism, and Buddhism. There is little knowledge of or exposure to other religions in China. Chinese people—while not usually religious themselves—are on the whole very open to religion and generally interested to learn about different faiths. It is a fairly common occurrence for students to be asked about their faiths. Proselytizing is illegal in China, but personal religious observance and practice is fine for foreign students. Harbin offers several options for Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian places of worship.
Cost of Living
Day-to-day cost of living in Harbin is generally cheaper than that of most places in the United States. Within China, Harbin’s status as a second-tier city means things are often cheaper than in Beijing or Shanghai but can still vary greatly depending on your lifestyle. Things like food, public transportation, and daily supplies are cheaper than in the US, while imported goods will often be more expensive. Check out a budget sheet to get an idea of what life in Harbin might look like financially for a summer.
Accommodations Abroad
ACCESS in ACADEMICS
Day-to-Day
Students typically attend classes for 3 to 5 hours a day. On average, classes have between 1 and 5 students. For every hour of class, students are expected to complete a minimum of 1 hour of homework.
Available for students with documented need: low-distraction test environment; extra time on exams; modified deadlines; preferential seating in class.
Classrooms
At the time of writing, most classes are held in a classroom building that requires the usage of stairs/steps as there is currently no wheelchair ramp. The classrooms are less than a 10-minute walk to the dormitory building.
Out-of-Class Activities
CET occasionally plans mandatory academic activities and optional trips to nearby sites and other cities after class and on weekends. Excursions may involve urban walking, rural hiking, use of public transportation, and/or going up and down stairs.
Itinerary modifications and accommodations can be made for students with documented need. Transportation can be arranged as necessary, and excused absences are provided for mandatory excursions that are inaccessible due to a disability.
ACCESS IN HOUSING
Your Home Abroad
The dormitory has 17 floors and is located on the south side of our host university’s campus, around a 10-minute walk from the classrooms and the nearest subway station. The building has elevators, but the rooms themselves are not equipped for students in wheelchairs. There is a communal kitchen equipped with the basics exclusively for CET students nearby. Laundry facilities are on the first floor and students can pay using an app.
Housing Assignments
Students are typically assigned to housing by gender. However, arrangements can be made to accommodate gender non-binary students if notice is provided in advance.
Rooms and bathrooms are typically shared, but a room without a shared bathroom may be arranged for students with documented need if requested in advance.
Around Harbin
Newer parts of the city offer curb cuts and elevators/escalators for subways, but some sidewalks in these areas may still present difficulties. Some sidewalks have bus stop posts and trees planted in a way that could make it uncomfortably narrow for a wheelchair to pass through. In the city center, curb cuts are less common and sidewalks are often uneven. Students will also find many gates that prevent the passage of motorbikes and bicycles into certain areas and buildings—these gates would require students in wheelchairs to use an alternative entrance.
"The staff promoted a learning environment that supported our language and cultural growth. It is no question, the staff are all invested in every students’ wellbeing and improvement."
Washington & Lee University | Summer student
Health & Diet
Health & Medicine
NEFU has a small clinic on campus that is suitable for minor situations like a common cold, sprained ankles, fever, etc. For medical needs that can’t be met on campus, CET recommends a larger hospital about a 15 to 20 minute drive from campus.
There are some prescription medications that are not accessible in China—students should do their research beforehand and ensure they bring their prescription and the necessary amount if in-country refills won’t be possible. For example, birth control pill brands in China differ from those in the US. Students can store any medication that requires refrigeration in the CET kitchen.
Keeping Fit in Harbin
Our host university provides many campus amenities, including outdoor basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts and a track and field. Outdoor courts and facilities are offered at no cost, but indoor facilities (e.g., indoor basketball, tennis, badminton courts, swimming pool, ping pong tables) have reasonable fees, ranging from 5 to 15 RMB an hour.
Managing Mental Health
Mental health resources in Harbin are limited and often only offer services in Chinese. Students can make an appointment with an English-speaking doctor at the Beijing United Family Hospital. They could also seek assistance from the U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang, depending on their availability. There are a few online resources that may be available to students seeking mental health services.
Dietary Restrictions
Special dietary needs can be accommodated in China, but require patience and persistence as many local people are not used to the idea of dietary restrictions or severe food allergies.
Vegetarian students have found Halal restaurants to be more receptive to requests like not adding meat. Vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free students must be patient and clear when ordering food in China. Students with stricter dietary requirements are recommended to consider cooking their own meals in the dormitory’s shared kitchen.
Resources from Alumni
Perspective pieces
These are alumni-written essays that reflect upon how their own identity affected their time abroad in China (both good and bad) and what it was like to navigate another culture in their position. We encourage you to read these to better understand what studying abroad in China could be like for you or your future peers.
- Navigating China as a Black Woman: The Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice
by Denise Jackson, CET Beijing | Fall 2019 & Janterm 2020
For “Students of color” - CET Shanghai: Heritage Essay
by Anonymous Contributor, CET Shanghai | Summer 2019 - Support at CET Harbin
by Tatiana Wade, CET Harbin | Fall 2018
For “Students of color, low-income students, and those who want to go to China” - Black in Beijing
by Minnie Norgaisse, CET Beijing | Spring 2018 - Japanese-American Experience in Shanghai/China
by Anonymous Contributor, CET Shanghai | Summer 2018
For “Japanese (Japanese/American) in China”
CHINA Alumni Insight
In final evaluations, we ask students how their identities affected their experience abroad. The following are a few select quotes from recent program evaluations to help you understand what life in China may be like for you or your future peers.
TALK TO ALUMNI
Chat with alumni about their experiences abroad. Once you start an application, your CET Compass account will give you access to the following resources:
- Alumni Support List: A directory of students who have volunteered to chat about their experiences abroad in Harbin.
- Identity Abroad Support Network: A group of students who have volunteered to discuss their identity-related experiences in Greater China. This is a volunteer-based program that started in 2019. Volunteers can also opt to have their contact information kept privately by CET staff and only shared when certain lived experiences are asked about.
Don’t see anyone listed for the Identity Abroad Support Network? Call CET for more information and resources. Consider joining after your program to support other minority students abroad.