Studying Chinese in Beijing. Interaction with locals.

[okay_lah!]

hi guys

need some advice on studying chinese in beijing. i've studied elementary chinese in singapore before, but that was just as an elective and i didn't take it all that seriously. however, now that i've finished my degree i was planning to go to china just studying chinese.

i've been to china twice earlier, and for me i think beijng is the most interesting place to study. but what is important for me when choosing a place to study is interaction with locals. i know, of course, that is highly dependent on what you make out it yourself. still, i think some places are more conducive to this happening.

so, what do you think, is it worth steering away from the most popular places in beijing to avoid large crowds of western students, or will that just compromise the quality of the program? i would highly appreciate it if you could refer to any specific places if you any views on this.

thanks

[confucius]

The only places in Beijing where you may encounter large groups of Western exchange students is Starbucks and the foreign student cafeterias. This is not a problem you should be concerned about.

Instead you should try to make as many local friends as possible that can not speak English and have no interest in learning your native language.

You will swim in a sea of locals who will try to occupy your precious time with their English conversation drills. "Hi, can you teach me Engrish?" This is a strong undertow that you should politely avoid. Invest in a bicycle (bring your own lock from abroad) and visit those off campus locals in Beijing who will provide you with the optimum language learning environment.