Studying abroad for one full year next year in China... but where...?

[gabergook]

I have been studying Chinese through a private tutor for about five to six years prior to being an undergraduate student at a University in the U.S.A. I am currently a sophomore with a dual degree in Chinese and Hospitality.

I have gone to Beijing Language and Culture University （北京语言大学）before in my Sophomore year in high school. I was only there for a month and a half for a summer program they offered; although I didn't speak that much Mandarin, the flow of my Chinese when I got back improved significantly.

Now, I am planning to go to China for one full year next year and did not want to go to Beijing again because I have already been there. I was pretty much dead-set on Nanjing University until I spoke with other people about how I should go to Xian because I will learn more Chinese there than in Nanjing. But now I don't know...

I want to gain the confidence to speak in Mandarin. I want it to flow off my tongue like it did four years ago. I want to actually be somewhat fluent. But I honestly do not know where to go. Aside from gaining fluency (or near fluency) in Mandarin, I want to go and see sites, learn more about Chinese culture (i.e. Plum Blossom Festival and Confucius Temple in Nanjing or Terra-Cotta Army in Xian) and the people.

I am directly enrolling into a school in China. I was told it is much cheaper than going through a company my university is affiliated with and you learn a lot more. The only bad thing is that I can not stay with a family - but I will make do.

I do not want to go to Beijing or Shanghai... it is too big of a city and I feel that I won't be able to speak as much because there will be more foreigners. I have never been to Nanjing or Xian so I do not know what the foreigners situation is like there. Are there any other suggestions that you would make?

Lastly, my Chinese teacher at my university lives in Nanjing and she suggested that I should be an English tutor for students that want to speak with a native English speaker. This way I could make a little extra money and pay for apartment rent or dorm fees. Could this, in any way, hinder my learning/speaking of Mandarin?

P.S. What tips do you guys have to keep up the fluency you have retained when you get back?

[wushijiao]

Could this, in any way, hinder my learning/speaking of Mandarin?

It depends. If you have a limited amount of time to spend in China (ie. a semester) I'd strongly recommend spending as much time as possible on Chinese, not English.

Where to go? Xi'an and Nanjing are both very good, and I'm sure you'd enjoy either place. For my 2 cents, I'd recommend a 3rd tier no name city. Some place with around a million or less people that no one has heard of. I'd suggest Dongbei (if you don't mind the cold), or the southwest, since they have the best food, climate, scenery...which might fit in better with your love of traveling.

[Mouseneb]

If you want a 3rd tier city with nice weather, come to Hainan! I work at a school that has Mandarin classes, generally one on one so they can tailor the level to your needs. Plus, did I mention it was beautiful here?

Anyway, here's info on my school:

http://www.omeca.cc/Article/Mandarin/200907/15.shtml