If you had 6 months and no money constraints, what would your dream 6 month Chinese language program look like?
Here is mine:
– Start with 2 months of learning Chinese in Chengdu. I went there recently for the first time and loved the pace of the city. The people were super nice and the food great. I think 2 months here would be a perfect start.
– 2 months of learning Chinese in Beijing. A place to me I can call home having lived there for 3 years. The food, the people and the accent are all super familiar to me and it’s a place I attribute to making great progress.
– 2 months of learning Chinese in Chengde. The two times I’ve been to Chengde before were the two moments I truly push my Chinese to the next level. Immersive environments don’t get much better. I feel after 2 more months here I could push to new heights.
I’d start in June and finish at the end of November just in time for Christmas back in the UK
For me, my dream would absolutely be to study Chinese in Shanghai for 4 months (definitely during the summer!) and then 2 months of studying Chinese in Chengdu so I can experience the pandas, the city and of course - the hotpot
I actually previously studied in Shanghai and stayed with a homestay for one month, but it wasn’t nearly long enough! So I’d love to study in China for a few months and really get settled into local life.
Here’s what my previous homestay experience looked like if anyone is curious
I would love to go study Chinese in Beijing again! My last time there was a blast and made lots of progress with my speaking skills, I also like that in Beijing they have a standard accent so it was easier to understand people.
My ideal program would be:
2 months of learning Chinese in Beijing
2 months of learning Chinese in Shanghai because I’ve only been there for a few days and would love to see what life looks life in such a big city
2 months of learning Chinese in Beihai for the language immersion and also the proximity to the beach
The beach in Beihai is definitely a strong point in favour! Also a nice, relaxing atmosphere after a couple of months putting your brain through intensive Chinese
I’ve really been considering this question a lot - as my student advisor, Mojca, will tell you… I’ve been totally bombarding her with questions! (Honestly, she probably needs a raise after dealing with me )
With no constraints whatsoever except for the 6 months and (I’m assuming) only LTL locations, I’d totally go for 4 weeks in Shanghai, 6 weeks each in Chengdu and Xi’An, and 4 weeks each in Beijing and Chengde.
Of course - if LTL were to do a full immersion “Rails & Trails” package … as in 1-1 study on trains and walking/bicycling around with stops at various historical/cultural spots in cities and towns all over China… then that would be my dream language program. So - anything like that in the works???
Your Shanghai/Chengdu dream trip seems pretty great, too. I see that many people love Shanghai… What is it that attracts you to that great city? And where else have you been in China that you might like to recommend?
My language learning dream plans usually always involve me wanting to do something - especially if it means that I get to learn more about history/culture of a place. It isn’t that I don’t like the classroom. I do love a good grammar book and language drill practice! LOL But I like applied language learning so I’m drawn to things like “practice language X while learning about Y” In the case of China, that might be practice Mandarin while learning how to do calligraphy / play the guqin / make jianzhi / weave traditional brocade / etc. Honestly - my dream China language learning trip probably needs a lifetime.
These are the things that make a language trip so special.
I find nothing more satisfying than learning about the culture when studying a language. They are the moments that stick with you for years. I’ve found this with Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Korean.
I can also relate to your last sentence, Bethany! There is never enough time.
I totally agree! Learning Chinese in a class is great and useful for sure, but having the opportunity to practice the language on a real life situation that allows to immerse yourself in the culture of the country is all another story!
In China I have been to Shanghai and Beijing. I absolutely love Shanghai, it probably is my favorite city in the world. The vibe there is just incredible, there’s always something new and beautiful to see and every district is so unique.
Beijing is beautiful as well, tho. I think in Beijing you can really feel the culture and the history, while Shanghai is a little bit more international.
Before I went to Shanghai, I was never really a city person. But Shanghai totally changed my mind, it felt like (and still feels like!) a city from the future. The Bund area is stunning (the best backdrop from a bar or restaurant) and the French Concession area is beautiful. It’s really got everything: great food, great shopping, great architecture. It’s also a great travel hub to other areas of China (either by high speed rail or plane).
As for other cities - Hangzhou is HUGELY underrated. It’s a super beautiful/modern city with lots of nature (home to the west lake!) and also well connected by rail to other cities. It’s also less international than Shanghai, so it’s easier to have a more immersive language experience, but still possible to find English-speaking circles if you want
Contrary to Hannah above, I am not a big fan of Shanghai I am more drawned to cities with rich heritage and cultural/historical places to visit such as Beijing.
I saw all the major places of Shanghai in two days, and as I am not fond of nightclubs or shopping it felt like there was not much to do in that city, although a beautiful one.
Yes to Shanghai for visiting on a very short trip, not to live (for me, my personal opinion).
I would recommend to visit Hangzhou and Suzhou that are really not far from each other, and close to Shanghai. Apparently Suzhou and Shanghai are even connected through a metro line since last year.
They are two beautiful modern cities on a small scale, that have kept their ancient towns and historical/traditional vibes. They also both have great sites to visit and a quieter feeling compared to Shanghai.
谢谢
I love hiking and bicycling. Plus - LTL is already doing great teaching experiences without a classroom (Safari, Discover, Chengde) so this seems like it could be a natural extension. I’ve met a lot of language teachers who are in it for the travel experiences. I’m sure you could find folks who would love to teach in this situation. I know I would (and have!).
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