China Study Abroad
 Written by beyoonce
September 17, 2009
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How CSA works
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Review
| The Good |
The China Study Abroad (CSA) organisation is valid. To all those out there who have come across it but are skeptical, it does indeed exist and they're not a scammer! They help you to get registered with your university without any hassles, but all because you are paying for it in your package. They organize lots of weekend activities, of which is good for those who can't plan on their own. You need assistance especially if you can't at all converse in basic Mandarin, and they're there to provide help at anytime. The airport pickup is overwhelmingly great unless you could tell the cabbie where you are heading to exactly or have it written clearly on a piece of paper. Having CSA sorting out your apartment is good as you won't have to be cheated by any landlords. |
| The Bad |
Sometimes they can be messy though, and at times appear to be professional but I honestly don't think "efficient" is the best word to describe them. When it comes to handling trivial matters (but probably important!), they tend to ignore it, I don't know why - are they shorthanded or they probably don't think that it's important.
Examples are like
1)forgetting to hand you the access card to the alternative door in your apartment (certain standard apartments actually have their main doors locked past 11pm and you have to enter thru an alternative underground door to the main lift). This is important if you are new and you are out for some late-night activities with CSA like their welcome dinner/karaoke. Some ended up having to try their luck waiting for other tenants to return home around midnight. But the point is, they shouldn't make you rely on your other flatmates who may hold the access cards.
2)some luxury apartment's windows not working well and they didn't get the landlord to fix it. (If you are paying for USD5k for a 12-week course you wouldn't want to do unimaginable things in a luxury apartment fixing your own problems)
3) mixing up some participant's apartment from a standard to luxurious one. One guy I know had to move out from his to a sub-standard apartment.
4)What sucks the most in every apartment is the BATHROOM. Almost everyone just can't stand the bathroom condition in Chinese apartments - either it's too small or it looks horrid.
5) The package they tailor especially to your needs/requirements is overwhelmingly expensive, not to mention subsidizing others in the lower level categories (I guess).
6) Extremely heavy marketing and stuffs to prematurely excite you!
7) Not knowing exactly your assessment exam time (hence you got up extremely early so that you don't miss the exam) or when exactly your classes are starting (they reasoned that it won't be out until the university announces it officially).
8) Clash in cultures for some?
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| Overall |
Learning Mandarin and experiencing life in Beijing is truly a unique experience one would not forget. Be extra careful of cars while you are on the road, otherwise, Beijing life is relatively safe even though at night. Not many security issues like rapes, break-ins or snatch thefts.
If you are in Beijing for 1 year, you are better-off to get yourself an apartment without going thru them and apply directly to your choice of university. Stay in the student's dorm or the university's hotel. And remember in China, you have to NEGOTIATE and never take the face value of anything quoted though it appears cheap. Ask for the BREAKDOWN of the cost and you'll find out soon if you have been fooled. Be careful of unscrupulous landlords who can't speak in English, but best go thru a property agent who can communicate in English with you.
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| Would You Recommend It? |
No |
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