has anyone experience with goabroadchina?

[carriepsl]

Hi! I'm thinking about do an internship program with GoAbroadChina. The newest reviews seems nice but I found a bunch of very bad reviews from 2015-2017.

Has anyone did the internship or school program with them?

Thanks!!

[Elihu Conant-Haque]

Hey there!

 

Sorry for being late with the reply here.

 

I just finished a program with GAC over this past Summer. Had a genuinely great experience! They were able to offer everything I asked for, all the info and support, and above all made sure I was safe and living comfortably. That's the long-and-short of it. Here are the details:

 

I'm an aerospace student, and also a proficient Chinese-as-foreign-language speaker. I wanted to get an internship in the aerospace industry in China, so I told them that's what I wanted. They responded promptly and professionally. They connected me with a few partner companies, and made sure I knew all the details about all the companies. They connected me to the companies via WeChat, helping me to get off on the right foot with all the HR and recruiting people I spoke to.

 

One of these companies offered me an interview. It was a phone interview in Chinese over WeChat. They liked me and subsequently sent me the internship offer. GAC negotiated with them on this to make sure I wasn't getting scammed. GAC kept me in the loop through this whole process. From me reaching out to the confirmation of the internship was about two months. 

 

GAC then found several housing options near the company, within walking distance. They were very clear about the details, the pros and cons, etc. I picked the one I wanted, and they took the rent from my Program Fee Payment. Considering the amount of communication and support I got from GAC, I find the program fees extremely reasonable. Well worth it for a safe, memorable stay in China. 

 

GAC also introduced me to my roommates over WeChat. They explained the situation -- that I was an American who wanted to get better at Chinese and do some work in China -- and that I'd be living with them for the Summer. They really jumpstarted the friendship among me and my roommates. 

 

When the internship and housing were figured out, GAC helped me decide on my flight US->China, and helped me work out a safe plan to get from Beijing airport to my Tianjin apartment. They showed me how to buy subway tickets, how to set up AliPay and MeiTuan and all the other important services. And they did this all in advance. I felt very supported and safe. 

 

While I was living in China, GAC regularly checked in to ask how I was doing, whether I needed any assistance. and if I had any travel plans or things I wanted to do. Eventually they realized that my Chinese and my understanding of China was good enough for me to work, travel, and find fun things to do all on my own. I didn't need their help as much as they expected. But the point is, they were there for me. If I had ever needed anything, all I would've had to do is ask. 

 

GAC were also very insistent on offering weekend outings, trips and travel opportunities. Mostly I traveled on my own, planned things myself and used my internship salary to pay for things. But several times GAC were able to offer some info, some travel tips, or some assistance that I absolutely needed. And every time I went traveling, they were ready and willing to plan the whole thing for me. 

 

I've not even mentioned the best part yet. The best part was my dear friend Xiaohai Shang. He is a local college student whom GAC employed to be my guide and assistant while I was in China. GAC has a careful process for selecting multilingual, knowledgeable, highly competent people in the local area to assist every program participant. As a Tianjin local, Xiaohai was my guy. Xiaohai knew all the best places to go, the best things to eat, and where to have fun. His salary depended on how many outings he took me on, so at least once a week he would text me enthusiastically "Guess where we're going this time!". We had a whole lot of fun, and it made my experience of China better than I could've imagined. Xiaohai and I are now close friends, and likely always will be. 

 

For anyone who does not already speak some Chinese, I know GAC has wonderful language classes that are available at their Beijing HQ for a very small extra charge. Judging from how clear and supportive their communications people were, I imagine their language instructors would be similar. 

 

Chinese is very different from English, and complete immersion is basically the ONLY way to really achieve fluency. Even though I had good Chinese before going to China, I still underwent massive improvement due to immersion and exposure. So even if you're a Chinese beginner, I still HIGHLY recommend taking the opportunity to go to China, study the language while you're there, and experience the Chinese life. 

 

And I genuinely believe GAC is the best way to do that. When I was originally looking for ways to go intern in China, I emailed back-and-forth with a lot -- A LOT -- of different programs offering opportunities to travel to China. GAC was by far the most clear, communicative, supportive and accommodative. 

 

Let me remind you -- living in China is exceedingly, exceptionally, EXTREMELY safe. But it is also an entirely different culture. So the shock is huge. Society there is different than in the US or Europe, and you will be challenged. You may feel like the change is too much and you can't adjust. Of course, eventually you will, and you will love it. But the adjustment is hard. And you cannot -- CANNOT -- do it on your own. You need support and guidance. That is precisely what GAC provides. They are genuinely there for you. 

 

If you want to spend some time living, learning, or working in China, go through GAC. End of story. There's no better way.

 

 - Elihu Conant-Haque, RPI