Anyone studying at Peking University (Beida) - Fall 2008?

[fransiska_wiyon]

Hi! I will study at Beida (Chinese Language) on Fall 2008. Is there anywone who is studying at Beida at present or will study at Beida on Fall 2008?

I just contacted the university, they said the student dormitory is full. one left is only Private Room, which costs RMB 200 / day (and for me it is very expensive). my question is, where is the nearest apartment near Beida?

[wiwilove]

Hi Fransiska

I'll be doing the shortterm language course at Beida for a semester next month. Goin there on 6 Sept. I hope to find something close to where i'll be having my classes, within walking distance. Gosh, i haven't got the faintest idea where i'll be staying when i arrive. I'm officially *panicking* now

Have you found your accommodation ? Where will u be staying?

[randydandy]

hi wiwilove,

I am also going next month. I will be arriving on the 7th of Sept.

[fransiska_wiyon]

Hi wiwilove!

Where are you from?

I'm planning to stay in apartment near BLCU, Huaqingjiayuan. I'm searching it now.. in the 'panicking' mode. :mrgreen: I'll be arrive on Sept 1.

How is your preparation so far?

[wiwilove]

Hi all

I'm from Perth, Australia. I got my 5-month double entry F visa and airtix organised. All packed and ready to go but no accommodation yet.. i hope to find something when i get there *fingers and toes crossed* How much is the rental at Huaqingjiayuan?

Do you know what kind of placement test we'd be given? i mean, structurewise (reading, speaking, listening)? multiple choice type or essay? My spoken mandarin is okay but my reading & writing 真的很烂啊！！ 哈哈哈 (nervously)

Fransiska & mrgreen, where are you from? what's your background in mandarin? I hope to see you all when i get there.

Good luck and all the best with apartment hunting. Please let me know how you go. Cheers

[randydandy]

hi wiwilove,

i am from the philippines. same dilemma with you. still no housing until now.. huhuhu

you are lucky!! i only got a single entry type F visa.

you are arriving on the 6th, fransiska on the 1st and i'm on the 7th.

[imron]

If it's anything like it was when I was there several years back you will have both a spoken test and a written test, with the written test entirely in Chinese. Each person is then assigned two levels, one for their speaking, and one for reading/writing, so you could theoretically end up in advanced classes for spoken Chinese and beginners classes for written stuff. Advanced spoken classes will be difficult if you don't have reasonable reading/writing skills because the text book is all Chinese at that level. Likewise, beginner reading/writing classes will be boring if you can already speak reasonable Mandarin, because the........teacher.......will......speak.......very.......slowly, so the other students can understand.

This was all 5-6 years ago now, so it might have changed somewhat since then.

[randydandy]

haha! i'm dead! i can speak and communicate but i have a hard time reading and writting!

[wiwilove]

哎呀, 我也是。。。死定了！

Thanks for the reply, randydandy & imron.

How long were you at Beida, imron? How was your experience studying at Beida or overall experience in China? Are you still in Beijing? Also, is it possible to do work experience under F visa?

[imron]

I was at Beida for about a year in 2002-2003. I enjoyed it, and learned quite a lot.

I was placed in intermediate for both levels the first semester, and advanced for both levels the second semester. If your written abilities are lacking, my advice would be to take the time between now and the start of the semester to study up so you can at least test into intermediate level for reading/writing, especially as only the intermediate and advanced streams get elective subjects (again this was some time ago, so I don't know if the curriculum has changed). Anyway, when I first started, I probably knew around 700-800 characters and initially tested into the top-end of the beginner stream for reading/writing, and mid-intermediate for speaking. However the spoken classes were far too slow paced, as by that time, I'd already been living in China a year, and had decent speaking/listening skills compared to the others in the class. After the first class, I was able to convince them to place me into a higher level.

Anyway, my overall experience in China has been positive, otherwise I wouldn't still be here , and yes, I'm currently based in Beijing.

As for working under an F-visa, technically you're not supposed to, but that doesn't seem to stop anyone.

Edited August 20, 2008 at 06:24 PM by imron
extra info.

[James Li]

I leave on September 7 from California and have an apartment lined up, but do not know where yet. I think that I'll be finding out when I get there. (I'm told that it is about half an hour to Peking University by bicycle, which probably means that it could be almost anywhere in Northwest Beijing.)

Can anyone provide any more specific details about what is asked on the placement tests? For example, do we convert characters into pinyin? Do we write dialog or answer written Chinese questions? For the oral, do we transcribe what is said? Do we engage in conversation? Is the oral part done as a group or individually? Etc.

I look forward to seeing all of you in a few weeks! I'll be the guy carrying the black backpack with the Shenzhou V patch on it.

http://www.spacefacts.info/mission/p_large/english/shenzhou-5.htm

[fransiska_wiyon]

Hello! I'm from Indonesia.. I am planning to study for 1 year, but I only got F Visa. So I need to reapply during my study there.

Wow. the placement test sounds difficult. hahaha! Although I am Indonesian born Chinese, I rarely speak Chinese with my parents.. I must prepare then..

FYI, the apartment in Huaqingjiayuan costs 1500-3000RMB/month. I think it is cheaper than living in the Shaoyuan dormitory / Guest House. :mrgreen::mrgreen:

my email address is fransiska_wiyono@hotmail.com. (if you need to contact me, just send email)

[randydandy]

siska, do you have yahoo messenger?

i do hope that i can stay in shaoyuan. life will be a bit easier. no bills to worry about

[fransiska_wiyon]

Hey Andy!

my YM: meiling_huang_12@yahoo.com.cn

MSN: fransiska_wiyono@hotmail.com

Add me!:mrgreen:

[sayhiku]

ummmm okay, id dint read every thing, but siska are we going to room together still?

I think that maybe if we could find a 3 or 4 bedroom near the uni we could probably room with two other people? and then it would be less stress for those who don't know what they are doing.

however, i will be there for a year, what about you others?

[fransiska_wiyon]

Hey Akua! of course I would like to share the apartment with you.

Hahaha! keep contact!

[randydandy]

any updates here?

siska, you're going already soon hehe

[wiwilove]

Hi all

Hope you're all well.

Randy, have you tried to contact shaoyuan? Can anyone tell me, what is the internet connection like at beida dorm? Or if living in an apartment, how much is the adsl connection fee?

cheers

[randydandy]

hi wiwilove.

I called shaoyuan earlier this morning. I was told that the rooms are already full. so, not expecting to live there anymore i'm still trying to look for apartment for international students. I heard that there is one near the uni which cost +/- 2,000 RMB per month with a/c and broadband connection. (sh)

[randydandy]

just a teaser for everyone..

Multiply is blocked in Beijing.. huhuh

I think Facebook too..