Summer camps 2011

[lameri]

Hello,

I'd like to go to China during the summer to spend ten days traveling and one month learning Chinese. My level is lower intermediate. I'm looking for something intensive, 4-6 hours a day of instruction. I have learned five languages (other than my native and Chinese), so I know how important it is to learn well from the beginning, especially if you don't have a whole lot of time.

I started researching schools/universities in Beijing, and then considered other cities. I have been researching them for days, reading reviews here, on the beijinger, and on other web sites. You can find my research attached. If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks.

tripToChina.doc

[nickpellatt]

I can only comment on one, because I worked for Omeida last year as an English teacher. I only ever attended one Chinese lesson there, but I was quite impressed with the teacher. During my time working for them, they never had many students though. This can be a good thing of course as you are far more likely to have a lot of contact with the teachers. I dont think you will ever got lost in a class of ten students there. 2 or 3 at a time seems far more likely.

Yangshuo is also a pretty decent place to stay, and lovely for a short trip. Omeida teaches English to adult students, so you are never likely to be short of friends either. You might have to work hard to get them to speak nothing but Chinese to you, but I am sure you could find willing language exchange partners on your first day there.

A final note on their price...it might be negotiable, and I did have an email from them recently that offered a one month stay incl accomodation for 4000 RMB. Sounded like a bargain to me!

[imron]

Yangshuo is also a pretty decent place to stay, and lovely for a short trip.

Opinions on this vary.

[nickpellatt]

Haha, I just read the linked thread, hadnt seen it before!

Well, Im firmly in the 'liking Yangshuo' category. Ill be going back there and working there from late summer until 2012. I dont like Chinese cities, and hate the hustle/bustle, noise and impersonal feel they have.

My preference is always for small towns, and comparing Yangshuo to Wenchang City in Hainan (the only other small place I have lived/worked in) is a no-brainer. Unless of course, you want to revel in being the only foreigner in town, and I know some people like that. Its fair to say that due to the amount of foreigners in Yangshuo, you will never feel 'special'.

Going to a popular bar during one of the quiz nights is my idea of a nightmare and so I avoid such things in Yangshuo. I ate pizza once in 6 months, and I spent 95% of my time there with Chinese people. I found Yangshuo a pretty easy place to live, with everything I needed, including lovely countryside 3 minutes from my doorstep.

The backpacker types are in Yangshuo, but I didnt see that many...and they are easily avoided. I always had Chinese friends and we spent most of our time in places that short stay tourists dont frequent so much. It gets a big thumbs up from me :rolleyes: , I actually couldnt imagine going anywhere else in China!