Help?: HSK 4~5-level Gal Looking for Intensive 2-4 Week Program

[HilAConway]

Hi there everybody!  (Hi Dr.Nick!... Simpsons reference? anybody? eh? eh?...)  My name's Hilary (康薇) and I'm hoping you might be able to help me out.  I'm teaching English in Haikou this year and am looking for an intensive Chinese language program for next summer.  I'm pretty good about getting around China by now -- I'm mostly used to the food and the toilets and crying at train stations because they always send me to the wrong line and make me almost miss my train -- so no need to ease me into anything culturally.  If anything, if you know a place that might be culture-shock-inducing, bring it on!... so long as they have hot showers there pretty please.

 

I just want a relatively inexpensive intensive 2-4 week summer class to help me hone my reading, writing, and HSK-taking skills.  My google search results so far have been seriously lacking, though I did find "Hainan Premier Language School" in Haikou, which offers reasonably priced group classes.  The thing is... I'll have lived in Haikou for a year by then, so going somewhere new would be nice.  Anywho, THANKS IN ADVANCE, you're awesome just for reading this.

 

Short version:

3.5 years Chinese language study, currently HSK level 4~5, looking for a 2-4 week intensive Chinese language program in China next summer (month of August).  Accommodation included in price is preferred.  Cheaper is better, but not the biggest factor.  Private academies preferred, mostly because of the flexibility.

 

Long Version:

Chinese Level:

I've studied Chinese for about 3.5 years now -- 2.5 in America and one in Xiamen -- and I have to admit that I'm a terrible student.  My speaking and listening skills are actually pretty decent, mostly because I love chatting it up with strangers on the street and going out drinking with them, but that doesn't help all so much when it comes time for the HSK.  I suck at writing, and I'm not much better when it comes to reading.  That's my main focus for this month -- improving my reading, writing, and HSK skills.  I'm hoping to take HSK 5 next year (I recognize most of the words when spoken, I just... can't read or write them).  I'll work on it throughout the year, of course, but I want a "BAM I HAVE NO SOCIAL LIFE OUTSIDE OF STUDYING" 2-4 weeks this summer to really make me feel relieved to use English once the school year starts up in September.

 

Location Preference:

I've been to Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Harbin, Wenzhou, Nanjing, and Xiamen and as great as they were, I'd like to try someplace newwwww if possible.  If not possible, anywhere but Nanjing.  Please give me strange suggestions.  I'm currently living in Haikou, Hainan and love it here.  Then again, maybe someplace that's not so scorching hot would be great since it'll be summer.  HAH, if only such a place existed in China.

 

Budget

QUALITY > PRICE > LOCATION

I think this best summarizes my priorities.  I don't have a super realistic idea of how much I'm thinking to spend, so please help me out here.  2~4 weeks, intensive classes, food... can I spend less than 6,000 RMB?  A shitty dorm in a boring city, eating meals from people in carts, with teachers that have some experience teaching foreigners Chinese and are familiar with the HSK would be fantastic.

 

Or if you knew of a cheap place where I could cheaply hire a decent private tutor, that could work as well I suppose.

 

If I were a stronger woman, I would arrange my own accommodation and try to do a nice self-study month.  But... I'm not.  I need someone to yell at me to get my shit together.

 

So if you know of a private academy that's flexible with starting dates, provides accommodation, and has some halfway decent teachers, please let me know.  Other suggestions are always welcomed as well!   Especially if you have any advice on self-motivation because I'm terrible at that.

 

Thank you so much for your time and hope you have a wonderful, fantasmic day!

[eion_padraig]

I had pretty good luck with Dalian last summer for two weeks just studying on my own. I found a decent place through AirBNB. I spent about USD$24/day on the housing. I paid about 125 RMB/hour for individual 1 on 1 teaching. I have a speaking class with two other people for 75 RMB per hour. I spent 3250 RMB on the teaching with 2 hours of private class and 1 hour of speaking class Monday through Friday. 

 

I don't think they had accommodation though I could be wrong. It was Panda School in Dalian. I was there in June and the weather was quite nice. I think August is still pretty good too.

 

I found the local people to have very understandable Mandarin.

 

I also considered going to Qingdao, which I hear isn't bad either. Good luck.