Short bu t extensive Mandarin courses in Hainan?

[atitarev]

Hi guys,

Finally, there is a chance for me to make it to China.

Can someone recommend short (2 to 6 weeks) but extensive (about to 4 hours a day) Mandarin courses in Hainan? The cost is important too.

Not sure about the city, probably somewhere on the coast, Haikou?

Is the cost of living in Hainan more expensive than in other places? How about the courses?

I am aware about the dialects but I am still hoping to get enough Mandarin practice outside class.

[studentyoung]

Here are two choices for your reference.

1. Hainan Normal University (海南师范大学)

Please check the link below for more details.

http://www.hainnu.edu.cn/ctcenter/y6.htm (in Chinese)

2 Hainan University (海南大学)

Please check the two links below for more details.

http://www.hainu.edu.cn/guojiwenhua/asp_hainu_show.asp?id=35697 (in Russian)

http://www.hainu.edu.cn/upfile/2006/05/wanghua_2006619120056-0.doc (in English)

Thanks!

[pandaxiongmao]

I have lived in Haikou and am there fairly often.

Compared to Kunming (where I have also lived), it is generally more expensive to buy things. There is not any Carrefour (yet, though they have been promising it will be opening soon for the past six months), Wal-Mart, TrustMart, Metro, etc, so there is little competition in retail. Haikou does have something called "Nanguo Supermarket", but they are not very cheap. There is also RT-Mart, but prices there are more like what you would find in Hong Kong.

You can buy fruit and other kinds of food on the street in Haikou. Much cheaper than any of the stores.

Tuition in Haikou is equivalent to other places in China. Hainan University and Hainan Normal University cost the same if you pay by semester. If you pay for a year in advance, Hainan Normal will give you a discount. Short-term, I am not sure about the costs.

I can't speak for Hainan Normal University, but the foreign student's dorm at Hainan University is pretty expensive. It is something like 25 yuan/day, and that fee does not include any utilities. Your money will go much further if you rent an apartment off-campus. Decent apartments start at around 300 yuan/month, though you may have to look around to get an apartment that cheap that doesn't have a few problems.

If you stay on campus at Hainan University, there are plenty of people to practice Mandarin with. Also quite a few Cantonese speakers. On the street, many people speak Hainanhua. Many street vendors have very poor Mandarin (so if you have studied Mandarin for awhile, it is likely to be better than theirs). Some street vendors charge lower prices if you bargain with them in Hainanhua.

Fortunately, Hainanhua is quite different-sounding to me (compared to Mandarin), so I don't confuse the dialects. I sometimes confused Kunminghua with Mandarin when I lived in Kunming.

As for beaches, the Hainan University website makes it seem like the University is right on the beach. However, it is more like 20 minutes away. Sanya has much nicer water. Either way, the air quality is far better than the mainland.

[atitarev]

Oh, thanks for the detailed info pandaxiongmao, studentyoung! I am actually looking for short courses - a few weeks. I'll check the links, studentyoung.