Meet the CETCA Team
Get to know the 2019-2020 CET Campus Ambassadors (CETCAs)! Connect with these program alumni and learn about their experiences abroad—chat about classroom environments, local roommates, or even what it was like to intern in another country. There’s no better way to learn about studying abroad than to strike up a conversation with someone who has been there.
PAIGE ALEXANDER
MIDDLEBURY SCHOOL IN CHINA: BEIJING
2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE
“Around three months in, the language started to feel like my own. I felt powerful with my abundant resource of words, so ingrained into the mechanisms of my brain that they would spring up immediately when I was interacting with people. I stopped having to look for the words: they were just there. Speaking Chinese turned into another form of self-expression, one that was constantly challenging everything about me, from my level of adaptability to my notions of the world and myself. I now see Chinese language as an innate part of myself, symbolizing a year of growth, struggles, friendship, pain, and beauty. Contact Paige >
CET Shanghai was one of the most amazing and rewarding things I’ve ever done. They not only taught me about Chinese culture and language, but they also gave me the confidence to apply that knowledge into building real and lasting relationships in China. Contact Nicky >
“She who returns from a journey is not the same as she who left.”
— Chinese proverb
After returning from China I had an deeper understanding of the Chinese language and an immense new appreciation for Chinese culture that I would not have experienced had I not studied abroad in CET Harbin. Contact Laura >
My study abroad helped me develop deep, complex intercultural knowledge which has fundamentally changed the way I view the world. Contact William >
The language, the traffic, the pollution, the population density; life in Beijing is, in every way possible, the opposite of my hometown. I thought I would find pockets of similarity, and for the first two weeks, that was all I was looking for, or so I thought. Looking back, it was not similarity that I was searching for at all, it was a sense of home. However, by the end of the program, that’s exactly what I had found, a second home. Contact Abigail >
When I arrived in Beijing, I was worried that my Chinese was not good enough to tell a taxi driver my address. By the end of the semester I was able to hold complex and prolonged conversations in Chinese with my roommate, teachers, and friends. I got to the point that I sometimes wouldn’t realize I was speaking a foreign language because phrases came to me so naturally. Contact Ellie >
Getting the chance to spend nine weeks in foreign country, living with a local roommate, and fully immersed in the language in a truly unique experience. Often, when American students study abroad, they live with other abroad students and stick to English whenever possible, because it’s easier. CET provides the opportunity to shift your perspective and become more familiar with the local culture, language, and everyday life. Rather than feeling like an abroad student, you are treated more like a local. Contact Katie >
Through CET Taiwan, I was able to apply what I learned in the classroom to my internship, which helped me grow academically and professionally. While living in Taiwan, I was able to explore and experience a culture different from my own, which led to personal growth through observing different religions, foodways, and lifestyles. My experience studying abroad was the highlight of my undergraduate career because it enabled me to put into practice what I had been studying in my language, religion, and culture classes for the past several years of undergrad. Contact Victoria >
Studying and interning abroad in Shanghai with CET opened so many doors for me by pushing me out of my comfort zone. Contact Gabriela >
Studying abroad in China allowed me to understand myself through learning about my cultural roots, explore my career interests, and develop lifelong friendships. Contact Cindy >
Studying abroad in China has helped my personal development as well as broadened my horizon to life. Not only did I meet many people whom I consider as my lifelong friends, but studying abroad has opened my eyes to many doors of opportunities and knowledge. Contact Li Li >
Going abroad was akin to taking advice from a wise philosopher. At first, I did not know what I had gotten myself into, and it was very stressful but soon I saw the copious benefits that I would receive from it; this experience gave me invaluable skills that I did not even known existed before acquiring them. Contact Karla >
Though I faced challenges in adjusting to a new culture and life abroad, the people I met were always there to support me and made my study abroad experience unforgettably wonderful. Contact Eric >
Studying abroad is the best way to broaden your perspective-expand your horizons. Contact John >
Studying abroad allowed me to improve my language skills, gain career experience, and explore foreign history and culture. And, because it all happened simultaneously, it connected my language studies with my career which will impact my future plans as I hope to work where I can continue learning Chinese. Contact Ben >
Studying abroad was an unforgettable adventure. I met so many influential individuals, saw breathtaking views, drank enough bubble tea to last me a lifetime, and learned so much about my heritage. I am already planning for a trip back to Vietnam! Contact Nina >
Europe
While I was abroad I learned how important it is to remove oneself from a familiar context in order to understand more about themselves. In Siena, I was constantly speaking an unfamiliar language, interacting with people from various backgrounds, and trying new foods and activities. In pushing myself in these ways, I learned a lot about myself and the importance of travel and adventure. Contact Andy >
My CET experience was very unique and something I will never forget. Through CET Florence, I gained a better understanding of cultures different than I’ve ever interacted with. The immersive classroom setting was a great way to retain more knowledge. Contact Summer >
With the help of my professors and the CET staff, an experience that seemed intimidating at first became incredibly fun and rewarding. Learning Italian was especially difficult but I made so much more progress while abroad and the cultural learning was invaluable! Contact Nicole >
You never know what you don’t know. Going abroad was the most eye opening experience I’ve ever had. I learned so much about different cultures and discovered a lot about myself as well. It sounds cliche, but it was hands down an unforgettable and life changing experience! Contact Jennifer >
As an international student in US, I thought I already knew what it would be like to study abroad, but studying in Florence was a totally different and amazing experience! Contact Yi-Chia >
CET Prague not only gave me the opportunity to step directly into the history I studied, but guaranteed that I did. Through frequent excursions and each traveling seminar, I was able to seamlessly blend academic with personal enrichment. The CET staff are unfailingly kind, supportive, and dedicated to ensuring each student has a great experience in Prague. Contact Elyse >
Latin America
My experience abroad with the CET program allowed me to fully immerse myself in the language and culture of Brazil in a way that encouraged and stimulated me. I initially struggled to push myself beyond my comfort zone, but the program and wider community provided a support that allowed me to grow beyond what I expected both in regards to language and my personal character. Contact Jade >
CET Brazil opened me up to new experiences of collective joy, experiential learning, challenging conversation, and authentic interaction. Through this program I gained abundant knowledge about Brazilian history and current social movements which altered my perception of my identity and perspectives in life. Contact Isabel >
My time abroad reinvigorated my commitment to global issues and illuminated the importance of building an international community to tackle tomorrow’s crises. Contact Jeffrey >
Middle East
Learning Arabic and studying abroad is a humbling experience. Go ahead and make mistakes. Just start speaking and you will learn from those around you. Contact Maddie >
Isabel Morford-Cheibub
CET JORDAN:
INTENSIVE LANGUAGE, FALL 2018
INTERNSHIP, SPRING 2019
TULANE UNIVERSITY
Studying with CET was a fantastic and challenging experience that exceeded all of my expectations. Throughout the year that I spent in Jordan, I pushed my mind to function completely in a new language, and I gained perspective about both Jordanian culture and my life in the U.S. that I would not have if I hadn’t left the American classroom. It was hard to leave Amman and CET, but on the bright side, I am constantly seeing the benefits that this experience has given me in the personal, academic, and professional aspects of my life. Contact Isabel >