Nanda vs. Beida dilemma!

[Nyriki]

Hello, all

I will be studying abroad next semester and have to decide between a certain program in Nanjing or one in Beijing. I am so far stuck and conflicted. Here are the details on each:

Nanjing program:

-Located at Nanda

-Dorm with a Chinese roommate or do a homestay

-Courses = 2 language classes, 1 culture course where students design their own project, interview Chinese people about it and present it at the end of the semester. Includes field trips such as: a panda reserve, migrant children's school, 1 week in Chengdu, etc

- Cheaper than the other program

Beijing program:

-Located at Beida

-Dorm with American roomie, only a short 2-3 homestay experience

-Courses= mostly language, maybe 1 on culture if I test into intermediate

- More expensive than the Nanda program

What I am interested in is seeing the real China and getting a sense of its culture, outside of Westernization. Which of these programs would best offer that?

Also, I want to be in a fairly nice, quiet area with a city area nearby. Would it be more like this at Beijing U or Nanjing U? I am also concerned about getting trapped in a little American/other English-speakers bubble. Does this often happen in Beijing or Nanjing? What are the main pros and cons about each city?

Sorry for the long post. I am just trying to get a sense of how it is like living in these cities. Especially Nanjing because I am not finding much about it. Thanks in advance!

[Yang Rui]

I love Beijing more than any other Chinese city - I love the character of the people, the history of the city, the bleakness, the culture, and the way the other foreigners who live there come from all walks of life (rather than just manufacturing or something).

Having said that, I think Nanjing would better serve your purposes. It's less Westernised than Beijing, you get to have a Chinese room-mate (which should make a big difference to how much you practice, depending on how you get on), the work looks a bit more interesting etc.

Whether or not you get trapped in an American/English bubble is up to you. Wherever you go there will always be a group of foreigners that you could attach yourself to if you want. But there are probably slightly fewer distractions in Nanjing than Beijing, so with discipline it will be easier to go a bit native in Nanjing.

Nanjing is a fairly pleasant city by Chinese standards, with some greenery close by in the Purple Mountain park. But I expect that you will be living in a built up area wherever you go - it's just the way most Chinese have to live.

[simonlaing]

Whether or not you get trapped in an American/English bubble is up to you.

I think this is true.

Nanjing is good as a base to travel to places as it is a night train from Xian, Hunan, Beijing. It is close to Zhejiang and lots of cool places in Jiangsu.

It is also further south, and though their heating could be better it never gets as cold as BJ does outside. Also westerners helped the chinese people in WW2 so there is a friendly outlook of most to foreigners.

It has tons of universities in the area as well so has a student city feel, sorta like Boston in the US.

To get out there you will have to make an effort. Join random soccer or basketball games. Go to english corners . Teach some english on the side an make friends with your students.

Join a club. (I play baseball and ultimate frisbee here which a cool and laid back)

They have ultimate frisbee in Beijing and SHanghai but last I check it was dominated by westerners. Nanjing is about half.

Also Nanjing is less dusty that Beijing and easier to get around on a Bicycle.

I am biased to Nanjing living here awhile but I still think it beats Beijing in being less westernized but still having a high standard of living.

Have fun,

Simon:)

[Nyriki]

So is Beijing a better place to visit than live in?

[adrianlondon]

I lived in Beijing for around 6 months and loved it. I've never been to Nanjing.

Your question isn't going to get a consensus otherwise everyone in the worse city would up sticks and move to the better one ;)

[anonymoose]

Both are large cities, with a long history. Of course, each has its own character, but in the end a large city is a large city. What you like about one, you'd also like about the other, and what you dislike about one, you'd also dislike about the other. So if I were you, I wouldn't worry so much about which city, and just decide which program is better for you.

[simonlaing]

Both would be good places to learn Chinese

But I do think there are significant differences. Beijing has a much larger Expat population than Nanjing.

Beijing is more spread out than Nanjing, I has lots of subway lines though one or two of them are slow and the large number of people slow things down as well.

Nanjing's downtown/student area is more closely compact. So it is easier to get around with a bicycle. Nanjing does have one nice subway line and a second coming next year. Both places have bicycle lanes so you don't have to worry so much about cars hitting you.

Beijing does have more museums and tourist spots to visit on the weekend.

Nanjing has a bunch as well as scenic mountain and lake which are free to walk up and around.

I have heard hike along the great wall at undeveloped spots is nice in Beijing.

From friends comparisons Beijing's car traffic is worse than Nanjing. (this goes with BJ being bigger than Nanjing.)

I felt Beijng was a bit more expensive to go out at night in than Nanjing.

But both places would fit your needs to know what China, Chinese culture is about. (I wouldn't recommend Shanghai for this trait).

Good luck,

Simon:)

[wushijiao]

I did a week program at Beida for my MA program in May. I always assumed that Beijing was basically a horrible place to learn, since their are too many expats and the level of English was fairly high. Come to find out, two of my freinds (one from Greece one from the US) went into deep culture shock while in Beijing, and I realized that, indeed, 99% of people working in stores and restuarants, even in Beijing, will speak to you in Chinese. So the daily interaction with Chinese people is equally there in both cities.

As for whether or not you get sucked into an English speaking world, that depends 100% on your ability to forge your own way.

They both sound like great programs, and I know both are great cities, so I think either would be good.

[jbradfor]

Nanda.

Not because of any Beijing vs Nanjing issue, but solely because you will have the opportunity to have a Chinese roommate. While it is true to some extent that whether you are stuck in an "English bubble" is up to you, having a Chinese roommate makes it much easier to pop that bubble.

When I studied in Taiwan, I lived in the dorm (with 5 Chinese roommates!). I learned so much more via interaction with them than I did in the class.

[Lu]

Beijing is a great city and I absolutely love it, but from what you write it seems for you the Nanda program is the better one. Mostly because of the Chinese roomie: provided that he is at all sociable, you'll have Chinese conversations every day.

I wouldn't be afraid of westernization in either place, though. I haven't been to Nanjing, but there's plenty of Chinese culture in Beijing, the westernization barely goes skin-deep, and only in some places. You'll have no trouble finding a McDonalds, but Chinese restaurants are impossible to avoid (to name but one example).

If you're in class with a bunch of westerners it's easy to stay in the English-speaking bubble, but if you make an effort you can come out of it and make Chinese friends in either city.

Whichever you pick, I'm sure you'll have a great time and learn a lot of Chinese. Enjoy!

[gato]

The area near Nanjing University is going to become a big construction area soon, as they are expanding a major road through there, dividing the Nanda campus into two. It's very controversial, but looks like the decision has already been made.

See

http://news.163.com/08/1120/14/4R6U83KD00011SM9.html

南京：要大学，还是要大路？

[小唐hello]

I perfer Beida beacuse Beijing is the center of the politic and culture， meanwhile ，Beida is the best university in China。