Go Abroad China

Go Abroad China scam you and take your money. Do not recommend at all! I am a student who wanted to do an internship abroad to gain experience and immerse myself in China however due to Coronavirus I was not able to go and they refused to refund me the money. In January 2020 I asked if the situation of coronavirus would be an issue and they said no but I was hesitant so I didn鈥檛 book my flights or accommodation, three months later I said I would not be able to go as I cannot get a visa and all flights were cancelled and they said I can still go which was not the case since the government did not allow it. I messaged, called and emailed everyday and was told the same thing that they would not refund me since it鈥檚 my decision to cancel when it wasn鈥檛 my fault that I couldn鈥檛 go! The replies were slow and rude often I would get ignored by mentor on WhatsApp who before when asking me to pay would be very quick to reply. I hope other students don鈥檛 make the same mistake as I did trusting this company that scams young people.

I decided to apply for the Beijing Language and Culture University program in Beijing, China for one year through GAC. The classes were so engaging, everyday I came to class I was so happy and eager to increase my knowledge of mandarin. Though at the start it seemed like an impossible task, but the satisfaction of learning new words each day and understanding the Beijing dialect made it a rewarding experience. GAC were really supportive. They took care and guided me through the application process and when i arrived, they made me feel welcome, comfortable and made sure I had all i needed. There were so many activities GAC organized every weekend, there was a new place to visit each time, I made so many friends too . China is really amazing, i got the challenge and experience I wanted and im hoping to return sometime in the near future.

Though I enjoyed my time in China, it was no thanks to this company. The only good part about booking through GAC was Robert, the guide who helped me while abroad. Other than that, the company overexaggerates how much they do. It says the price includes visa assistance, sim card, transportation, etc. ,but in reality, they do nothing to help with your visa (and you still have to pay for that on your own), they only pay for 1/3 of the price of the sim, and they cover transportation for a week, and no more. They did pick me up from the airport but apparently taking me back for when I go home was not included. For how much I paid, I expected more from this company, but communication was horrible when I was trying to get everything straightened out. I do not reccomend GAC.

I was in Beijing from June 1st until June 27th. I was living with a Chinese family just outside of Central Beijing and had a private tutor for four hours a day. The home and family were very nice. The apartment was spacious, air conditioned, and I was given my own room and bathroom. Whenever I was at home, I would eat my three meals with the family. The neighborhood was very very safe. I had no issues or worries at all. I asked to be in a neighborhood where not much English was spoken, so I would be able to practice my Chinese. I was living in a community of 30,000 Chinese, where I made many friends during my stay. GAC provided me with exactly what I asked for.

I had 20 hours of Chinese language course and I think 20 hours is plenty because that鈥檚 4 hours each weekday. After 3, I started to lose focus because they are private classes are kind of intense. I would not suggest taking more. After class, I suggest you go practice Chinese on the street with random people, who are all super friendly. That really helps too, because you aren't prepared for the conversation or the accent. Random people used to come up tome and make conversation all the time.