What is PIB?

By David Willard

	It is early morning, and the heart of Beijing is already bustling with the clatter of cars, buses, bicycles, and street vendors. The rising summer sun peeks from behind the landscape of skyscrapers and shiny glass buildings and lights up the city center. Beijing in the 21st Century is truly a thriving metropolis.  On the campus of Beijing Normal University (BNU) -- located in northwest Beijing -- an endless stream of college students fills the winding paths of the campus, and students eagerly file into the campus shops, internet cafes, and classrooms. 

	But there is something unusual about the BNU campus in the summertime -- something quite unique. In the cafes, shops, and classrooms of BNU -- which during the fall, winter, and spring are occupied nearly entirely by Chinese college students and professors -- can be found dozens of foreign exchange students. Many of the foreign college students come from the United States, but others come from England, Germany, Israel, Russia, and many other nations. Even more unusual, these foreign students speak, write, and read Mandarin Chinese very well; in fact, some have nearly achieved fluency in Mandarin. How could mere eighteen, nineteen, and twenty-year olds from abroad have such developed proficiency in Mandarin? Why are these students on the campus of BNU in the summertime?

	Well, the answer is, quite simply PIB! What is PIB, you ask? It stands for Princeton-In-Beijing, an eight week summer study-abroad program sponsored and directed by the faculty of the Princeton University Chinese department. PIB is an intensive Chinese language instruction program. All classes are taught in Chinese, all conversations are in Chinese, all tests are in Chinese, and speaking any English whatsoever is strictly prohibited for the duration of the program. The end result is that students emerge from the eight-week program not only with an amazing proficiency in Chinese, but also with a deeper understanding of Chinese people and their culture, history, and traditions. The program is held each summer, and begins in June and ends in mid-August. In addition to the faculty from Princeton, professors from BNU teach some of the classes.

	There are four levels of instruction: beginner level, intermediate, advanced intermediate, and advanced. Upon arrival in Beijing, each student takes a written examination and is interviewed by the PIB faculty to determine the appropriate instructional level for each student.

	Following my trip to Xi'an and down the Yangtze River, I participated in Princeton-In-Beijing. Needless to say, it was an amazing and very beneficial experience. My Chinese proficiency improved tremendously under the guidance of the PIB faculty. And more importantly, I obtained a deeper understanding and appreciation of China's unique history and culture, as well as the many challenges that confront the Chinese people in the 21st Century.