My Experiences to learn Chinese language and cultures in Beijing
Student name: Ms. Hannah Caspar
Nationality: British
Time in
Global Exchange Center: 6 weeks from Apr. 11, 2011
Question1: Why do you learn Chinese here and how do you find us?
Hannah: I learnt Chinese because I thought it was being useful in the future as Chinese is a growing economic force. Even if my Mandarin would not be at a high enough level to work in China, experiencing the culture firsthand and knowing some words means (I hope) that I would be more likely to be offered jobs that work with Chinese companies or that operate in China. I selected this centre because I wanted somewhere with a mix of nationalities and ages, for a reasonable price and a flexible schedule. I found your centre through recommendation by Beijing Gateway Academy, a similar school.
Question2: How do you feel our lessons?
Hannah: I definitely think the lessons have improved my Chinese. I like that there is a short break between them as it allows you to relax and refresh your mind before the next class. I really like that the lessons are flexible - you can ask the teachers to focus on different areas (like speaking rather than writing), you can change class times around, you can play a Chinese game if you are too tired to concentrate anymore, you can choose if you have homework or not! This is great as you really get the most out of the tuition.
Question 3: Do you enjoy the life here in Beijing and why?
Hannah: Life in Beijing is fun - there are a lot of varied activities to do, no matter what your interests, whether it's eating/drinking, cultural activities or shopping. People in Beijing seem so happy when you attempt to speak Mandarin that it makes you more likely to practice! The size of the city does limit how much you can do/see in a certain amount of time though as it is hard to get around and school is quite far out of the town. I have been happy with my time here, a lot of which I think is due to the nice people on the course, the teachers and also the staff at the office.
Question 4: Do you have any suggestion for our center?
Hannah: I'm overall very happy with the centre, the only suggestions that I would make would be with regard to the accommodation. I don't think the dorm/shared apartment would appeal to older students (for example my 35 year old friend is considering coming over, however I would mention to her that the accommodation is more like young student accommodation, not what older people may require/want/be accustomed to.) The dorm isn't very homely at all. The apartment is much nicer (also because it is quieter and shared with friends), however I think it still needs a proper clean and spruce up.
