Manda Chinese School, Hangzhou

[blink]

There are some definite pros and cons to studying here. Due to the fact that they allow flexible lengths of study sometimes the getting into the right level class at the right stage can be difficult, it took three days for me to talk to right person about moving into the level I should be in (I already took a intensive semester in the States). It seems there's usually about four levels: completely new beginner, midlevel beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The intermediate and advanced classes are mostly students who will study for long periods. I joined the intermediate class three weeks ago at just the right time. This week we switched to a new book with no pinyin. If I arrived this week I don't think would have an appropriate class level.

That said if you contact them and get some straight answers about which class levels are where when you'll arrive, this place can be great. Class sizes are small. The accomidation is very nice. I'm staying in a two bedroom apartment with another student. My only complaint about it would be that the couch is a bench with no cushions- a little on the uncomfortable side *shrug*. There's always hot water and it's only a short walk to class. Most of the home stay students I've met have to take a short bus ride, but the bus system in hangzhou is very nice and inexpensive.

I like Hangzhou a lot. The lake area is beautiful. The weather is really nice- it was slightly hot when I arrived in mid-october, now it's slightly cool. Think 70's with mornings of 60's, nothing requiring a real jacket yet. There's a great mix of tea houses and bars where you can go play dice with the locals or expat venues where you can get a slice of pizza if you're desperate for western food. There are local green tea villages and many historic sites and parks, which the school takes trips to some afternoons. The teacher who organizes it is always willign to plan a trip to spots the sudents request. Suzhou, Shanghai, and Huangshan are only a short bus or train ride away. This weekend the teachers helped me plan a trip to Huangshan, which went wonderfully.

The school is small so don't expect a university atmosphere. One half teaches manadrin to foriegn students, one half teaches english to students in thier 20's. Being here will not give you the experience of being a university student in China, but it will give you the experience of living in China. What you learn here is also what you make of it. The instructors are good, but like anywhere if you don't work you wont learn. There's also no language pledge so speaking Chinese outside of class is up to you, but because of the size of the school you also don't have to worry about being segregated into a dorm with tons of foriegn students who want to speak English.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. I would be glad to answer any questions....

[onebir]

I take it you're at this place:

manda

Here're a few questions that would affect my decision to go there:

What about using mandarin out and about?

What materials are you using?

How do/would they cope with people who are interested in speaking and reading, but not writing?

How big are the classes?

[bt1000]

thanks for the post blink. I'm interested in studying there in jan-feb.

I have still several questions i'd like to quiz u on

Just out of interest, what nationality are the students who usually enrol in the classes, and were there any english speakers?

I wont know for certain if i'll be studying there until the last minute, and the visa i will be travelling on will expire just before i start at manda if i do. Is it possible to get it extended/will manda help?

Secondly, I have been studying Chinese for approximately 3 years, will I be able to study with people at my level, or will there also be beginners in the class? I am a bit concerned if there is only a few people in the class, and they cram 2 levels in there at once, especially in the less busy winter vacation period.

Thirdly, I am thinking of studying for approximately 2-3 weeks, can this be arranged?

Also, will i have any problems enrolling as an individual?

And finally - how much stuff do you do as a group, and how much is left up to you as an individual? Are the activities they advertise additional expenses or included?

cheers

[blink]

There are students from all over. Right now we have a guy and gal from Poland, a few from the States, a woman from Argentina, my suitemate is from Canada, two people from England left last week... you get the idea. Most of the students speak at least basic English.

I know Manda has helped a least three students here now with visas, but I hear the process is more complicated here than it was for me in the States and I don't know how long it takes. From what I've heard though, it is not an issue to get renewed visa here, even if it takes some time. Remember to bring passport size photos.

My suitemate is in the advanced class. He'll be here for 6 months. All the classes are small (around 4-10ppl), but the advanced class is the least likely to end up with stragglers from other groups. I know they ran the mid-beginners class with one or two people for a week (some students had to return home) instead of dumping them in the next level. As long as the advanced class is the right level for you I don't think you'll have to worry about being held back.

I could only get a little time off of work, so I'm only here for a month. Enrolling as an individual is easy-- they'll send you an email with the process as soon as you let them know you're interested.

Depending on the interest of the students one of the teachers plans optional outings-- once on a weekday afternoon and once on the weekend. The expenses are covered if you are signed up for the afternoon classes. I know other students join the trips, but I don't know if they pay for museum tickets etc. I paid for the afternoon classes, but don't go to them since they focus mostly on characters, which I learn better on my own. The school did offer to set me up with an afternoon tutor, but I decided I'd rather spend the time studying on my own and sightseeing.

The trip the school took to the tea village here in Hangzhou was wonderful. We ended up drinking tea and playing mahjong with some of the farmers into the evening. It is definitely not an experience I could get going there on my own. The school provided transportation and enterance into the area, along with introducing us to their tea contacts in the village.

Speaking Mandarin around town here is not difficult, but you will find people here who speak a local dialect especially as you move farther from the city center. Most often in means they drop an H. Sometimes ten is not shi2, its si2. Learning the hand signs for numbers is really helpful, especially if you want to play dice with the locals:mrgreen: . I don't have trouble speaking in resteraunts, shops, or with taxi drivers beyond my own pronounciation problems and people who speak too fast for me to understand.

As for learning speaking and reading over writing, I would suggest not taking the afternoon class which focuses on writing, but still expect to need to write characters for homework especially in the advanced class. Most of the time you can tell from context what what you mean from pinyin, but I've seen some pretty funny mixups.

Did I miss anything?

Oh, if you're looking for really rigorous bootcamp type learning, this is probably not the place unless you're willing to enforce that on your own.

[onebir]

thanks for the answers blink.

i just have one comment/question on this:

but you will find people here who speak a local dialect especially as you move farther from the city center. Most often in means they drop an H. Sometimes ten is not shi2, its si2.

others may correct me, but i think this is just the local accent in mandarin - not the dialect, which most different enough from mandarin that most (all?) speakers of northern dialects would struggle to understand at all...

have you noticed whether people speaking to each other in the street sound like they're speaking mandarin or something completely different? it's quite rare to overhear people speaking mandarin in shanghai. maybe hangzhou is different for some reason though...

[blink]

My teacher says both-- that there's a local dialect and that when people here speak Manadrin that there are some differences. I am not thruroughly educated on the culture of the area, but she lives here so *shrug*

[bt1000]

hi again blink

ok, and I'm getting very close to registering but still am a little concerned.

first of all did you pay online when you first registered? They ask for a deposit of 1000RMB, which is pretty steep considering I don't even know if they exist or not, and whether they provide decent tuition. Even BLCU doesn't ask for that much deposit. any comments?

Also I emailed them and since I have been studying for 3 years, they said they weren't sure if anyone would be up to my level, and i should consider private tutoring (which is a bit more expensive than the group classes but only half the number of teaching hours). You're in the intermediate or advanced class? Whats your take on your class and what else have you heard about the advanced classes? Are you being challenged? Also, what are the textbooks they are using - are they from BLCU and what do you think about them?

In your previous post you said its not a "really rigorous bootcamp type learning"... i take it that its not very immersive and/or challenging? I am looking to be challenged, and because I will be spending sometime with foreigners in Beijing, I am going to try not to speak English too much when I study at manda. Possible?

Another thing, accommodation seems a bit pricey, 2400 kuai for a single for 4 weeks. Its 3600 kuai for a shared double room for 4 weeks but it says on the website that is "limited to 2 people coming together". From your point of view from staying in the accomodation, is it worth it? Where do most of the students stay and what are other options besides staying here?

And finally, why did you specifically choose to go to Manda - i know your reasons of not wanting to be in BJ and too many foreigners, etc, but there are other private colleges in other locations like Kunming. Why here?

really appreciate your answers. Sorry for the number of questions, but i'm really interested in going. thanks blink!

other people are welcome to post answers too

[blink]

Most of my reasons for choosing Manda had to do with timing. I'm currently working full time and trying to finish up grad school applications. I couldn't do a summer program and Manda offered short term programs throughout the year. Their program was also less expensive than many of those I found in Beijing etc. I realize now that I didn't make my decision on enough information.

To be honest I would not suggest Manda to anyone who is interested in more than casual study. The text books are out of date and the instruction was not at all up to par with the class I took here in the States (George Mason University, VA). I do like some of the teachers, but it was not at all the intense rigorous instruction I was hoping would prepare me for grad school.

Most of the students there are just brushing up or are taking a long break from undergraduate study, while they figure out what to do with their lives. There's nothing wrong with that, but in a way the school embodies that lack of direction, ambition, and organization. It doesn't seem like a place for someone who is serious about learning Mandarin.

I think there's something to be said for the fact that Manda is not well known. If I could choose over I would pick a school with well-founded qualifications, plenty of good reviews, and that demanded intense study. Manda is definately not that school.

I don’t know much about the apartment situation in Hangzhou. I hear it is less expensive to rent on your own, but it is difficult to rent for less than 6 months or a year. Their may be other barriers involved, but I’m sorry, I don’t have any information on it.

I hope this information is helpful and that it keeps other students from making the same mistake I did. This is not to say that Manda is a completely horrible place, it's not, but it definitley was not the right school for me.