Ask a Carolina Grad

cloying
Tue, 12 Jun 2012 06:58:00 +0000

Hi! I’d love to. It’s funny, I’m writing to you from China right now. I’m working as a translator at a medical clinic in Huining (a small city outside of Lanzhou, in Gansu province) right now and this is the first time I’ve been able to check my email in a little bit.

Carolina’s Chinese program is fantastic, but the most important part of your Chinese program will be your study abroad opportunities. If you’re serious about immersion/accent, do CET Beijing’s language pledge program (not Xiamen). Carolina has a good relationship with CET and so anyone interested in the program gets in. Check out the Phillip’s Ambassador program, as well. Not so hard to get, makes paying for things easier.

I have to run to dinner so don’t have time to go into more detail right now, but I’d suggest signing up for a Chinese culture class that falls under the major in addition to Chinese 101 for your first semester. But I recommend against Chinese history courses for now, until you have time to learn more. Maybe a Post-Mao Industrial Art course or something similar. But they’re all great. I love Eric Henry. He’s a dinosaur but he gives a fantastic lecture.

Ask more question if you have them!