Tsinghua Spring / Feb Semester 2010 [Chinese Learning Program]

[hichew]

@malgnohp: thanks for the info! and excited to meet you and the other fall students who are still around. let us know if any other good to know points come up

@ving2010: won't be there on the 15th, but am touching down on the 17th - would love to meet-up some time after then!

@canon: i called them before too about the single units and also didn't get anything helpful out of them. they did say that there's a lot more single rooms than double rooms, but i couldn't get a sense of actual units available or ratio ...

looking forward to meeting everyone soon!

[aikidavid]

Hey everyone! My name is David. I am going to be moving in to Qinghua on the 16th or the 17th. I hope we can all get together and hang out!

[Cherrieberrie]

Hi everybody!

I'm going to Beijing on friday to celebrate chinese new year with some relatives and then I will be going to Tsinghua, so excited!

When is the first day that you can register for a room? and do you think that there will be plenty of the single rooms?

by the way, I have a friend who were at Tsinghua in this programme in autumn 2008. She told me that in every house there is a person and at a "service" desk who you can go to if there is any problems, and that person also checks who you take with you in to the house. There is also no visitors allowed after 11 pm. Just some info!

[Ving2010]

You can get a room any time but the cheaper rate for the room will only apply, a week before registration.

Can anyone recommend a decent gym near the campus?

[snaid]

Hi all! I am also doing the program this semester and am really excited to find this thread!

I just started a facebook group so that everyone can get acquainted. We should def hang out before the program starts!

[admin]Link removed. Please keep all discussion on-site where possible. If you really want to join a Facebook group, suggest you search for one that already has members[/admin]

I am scheduled to arrive on the 23rd, but am also slightly worried about the single room situation. How does the A/B room work? How equipped is the kitchen? And does anyone know if pillows/blankets are provided? Someone posted earlier that there is a Walmart near school, perhaps we can do a big grocery trip as well!

Edited February 10, 2010 at 06:12 AM by roddy

[luanova]

@Snaid:

Yeah, facebook won't work once you're at Tsinghua, so you should do what we did last semester and arrange the meet-up here on the forum, or use another non-facebook medium. (On a slightly random note, Google Documents also doesn't work in China)

Of course, private info like phone numbers and whatnot are gonna have to be sent through PM, but as far as I know, this forum is safe from being firewalled.

AB rooms are two single rooms joined by a narrow strip outside the two doors which links the bathroom and a kitchenette. The rooms are equipped with blankets, pillow, sheets, and an electric kettle. There's are supermarkets on campus, so maybe you'll want to save yourself from the experience of figuring out the buses and routes while carrying an enormous amount of stuff.

[Ving2010]

I believe you can use some software to access f.book etc. More info here.

We should definitely arrange a meet up when everyone arrives. Pm me for my number.

@snaid

I've joined your f.book group.

Can anyone recommend a decent gym near the campus?

[luanova]

@ving2010: Tsinghua isn't one of the best technological institutions in China for nothing, the firewall will scorch everything it touches Not even some private (as in, paid) VPNs can access facebook.

[Ving2010]

@luanova

bummer.

[roddy]

Sorry folks, but can we ask that you don't do any more promoting of, or requesting links to, Facebook groups, mailing lists, etc, particularly when they were only set up yesterday and have two members. You're welcome to go to Facebook and search there.

[misachan]

Hi all!

I'm quite excited to find this thread ^^

I'll be joining you all for the spring semester at tsinghua...

and if you guys are going to do a meet up, I'm definitely interested in joining!

I'll be arriving on the 19th.. (wondering now if that's too late when I saw your posts about arriving a bit earlier than that)

Is everyone of you staying on campus dorms?

[Cherrieberrie]

I've found the FB group and joined now! Hm how do we arrange a meet up if nobody can access FB while we're in China?

[roddy]

Gee, if only there was some kind of website where you were all already members

I'm sorry if we're seeming unreasonable here, but a lot of you are going to lose Facebook when you get to China (VPNs don't always work, some of you won't have them); and I really don't see what you can do on Facebook that you can't do here. Plus, on here you're likely to get current students and long-term China folk adding advice, while a new group or mailing list is going to be all newbies.

Compare the Fall intake - their meet up got about 30 or 40 people. There's also a lot of good info there if you haven't read it already.

[Ving2010]

I will be in the Tsinghua dorms from the 15th so if anyone is around, we could meet up.

As roddy has pointed out, we can can arrange a meet up using this site instead although I'm not sure if the office that enables your internet for your room will be open due to the holidays.

@roddy

does the PM feature work on here?

[roddy]

Yes, although (to stop PM spam) it's only turned on for people who've made a couple of posts - doesn't take long to happen. You can also opt to allow people to be able to email you here.

[Cherrieberrie]

@ Ving2010 - I will also be arriving rather early (18-19) so what about we meet up?

[Ippokun]

I'm ready! Is everyone else ready?

Currently packing and I'll be touching down on the 16th.

I hope I don't forget anything. Wouldn't be cool to find out after I arrive.

If anyones got packing tips its welcomed. First time I'm leaving my home country for

such an extended period. I'm strapped in for 1 year. So yes I need winter clothes AND summer clothes. =P

So we'll meet up when we get there, most likely a shopping trip. =)

My real name is Joey btw and I'm male which might not be apparent with my name.

So in case we randomly meet in the dorms you might know its me.

Good luck everyone with the last minute packing. See you in a week.

PM me your extensions when you start arriving. =)

[Ippokun]

Quick question. When you ppl applied for your visas did the office take your original jw202 form? I presented them with an original and a photocopy, they took the original.

Now looking thru the application documents I read you have to bring the jw202 form to apply at Tsinghua. But the consulate here ate mine or something. Well I'll call them to check but yeah. Did you ppl have to give them your original jw202 and did you get it back? PLMK. Thanks.

Joey

[misachan]

I did my visa using the original form too.. but they gave it back to me.

Maybe you ought to call the consulate again.

I'm excited too! ^^

Btw... how old is everyone? Where is everyone from?

I'm 22. Just got my BS done in the US.

[sangbhs008]

Does anybody have any info on the placement test? Relative importance of writing/reading/oral/listening? I'd like to begin preparing, I want to place into classes that will be sufficiently challenging.

BTW, 23 yr old American male here. Can't wait to start.