Academic Explorers Blew My Mind

It's impossible to capture how amazing this program is in 200 characters, but I'll try. I went abroad to China with ZERO experience in either Kung Fu or Mandarin. Sabrina Cohen's program is what I point to when people think it's "too late" to learn a language or new skill. I left feeling confidently conversational in Mandarin after 3 months, and still practice my kung fu forms today.

The experience is completely immersive, which is what makes the biggest difference. That, and the amount of time you spend with other members of the program means that you make meaningful connections during your time there. You are truly free to live in Beijing and explore the city around you in your spare time. That, and different trips and specialized classes about different topics (Tibet, alternative medicine, Taoism) make the experience one that I will never forget.