Advice sought: summer courses for those with intermediate level Chinese

[icebear]

I lived and worked in Beijing for almost 2 years during 2007-2008, and during that time didn't have a ton of time to study in any way except independently, but managed to get to something like a low-intermediate level - comfortable in casual conversations, nothing technical, around 800 characters that I could recognize and use more or less correctly. Since leaving I've tried to keep up with it, but suspect my spoken Chinese has suffered a bit, while my comprehension is perhaps steady (thanks to podcasts) and reading around the same too. I have a holiday this summer from my masters program and am really interested in spending 2 months or so in Beijing, partly to visit old friends and a city I love very much, partly for a wedding taking place in September, and finally (a big part!) to refresh my Chinese for my own personal interests.

• What are my options for intensive study in Beijing during August and September (4-6 weeks of courses) which are suited to my level of Chinese? What are the costs of tuition?
  
• What are costs of living like these days? I recall eating out frequently at small hole-in-the-walls for lunch for under 10-20 RMB for lunch, dinners for twice or thrice that at decent places occasionally, rarely big splurges; and rent back then was around 2500 RMB for a pretty good one bedroom apartment on the east 4th/5th ring corridor, although this summer I'd want to room mate with Chinese if possible, or otherwise with some old friends. I'm aware that nights out partying at clubs/bars can be significantly more expensive, but I typically was more of a Yanjing's at a big dinner kind of guy.
  
• If one goes the route of private school vs public university, does this significantly change the visa considerations/complications?
  
• Any thoughts, pluses and minuses, of home-stays?
  

Cheers for any advice, particularly on which programs would be suited to my level and time frame.

[JenniferW]

I've just got back from a 4-week trip staying in Beijing, having Chinese lessons at Live the Language, which has its base in Chaoyang, but who will also send a tutor out to wherever you live (inside the 4th ring road). My experience was excellent. I'm at the bottom end of the intermediate level, taking the New HSK 4 exam next month (in the UK), and I asked for classes where I could focus in particular on that - and got exactly what I wanted (one-to-one). I also asked for some oral classes. I realised that in my real-life conversations I have the same simple level conversations over and over again, never tackling using more complex grammar, etc, and I thought that oral classes with a teacher would move me on from that - and again I got exactly what I asked for. I had 15 hours of tuition a week, and it was more than enough. I could have done with a bit less input and a bit more time for reviewing the lessons, etc. I was also trying to fit in a bit of meeting up with friends again and having a few days off. The rate per hour was no more than many private tutors advertise at (120 RMB / hour), and I very much came away feeling I'd had my money's worth. They also sorted out accommodation for me, in the price range I wanted, at a location which worked really well. They were a pleasure to deal with, too.

As regards visas, I did this all on an L-visa because I was only there a month. For costs, for accommodation, the whole range is still there, from cheap hostels up to whatever you might dream of, and Live the Language will also arrange homestay though I have no idea where that fits in as regards costs.

As regards food and meals costs, everything goes up every few months, it seems, and even the cheapest of restaurants is no longer so cheap. But for a specific comparison, I have a couple of Chinese friends who I regularly have meals out with. The year before last, I think we typically spent around 50 RMB on what we considered a good meal (for two). Last summer it was a bit more. This month I'd say we were paying 80 to 90 RMB for just the same sort of meal, in some of the same restaurants, even.