Trip to China 2025 - ideas?

[matteo]

Hey all, 

 

I'll join the ranks of people asking for advice on trips to China. 

I'm probably getting a period off work in 2025 - it would be 3 months, from start of May to the end of July. 

I don't have a precise plan yet and unfortunately I won't be able to spend the whole time in China, as I have many other family commitments (which means flying from NZ to Europe) to fit within this period.

I would like however to start jutting down possbile alternatives, and try to understand if it's feasible - and this is where I need ideas. 

I have the following constraints:

1) Where: I'd be very keen on visiting Taiwan, as I've never been and is appealing  from the cultural point of view and possibly because of the activities (hiking, climbing, sailing). Also the visa waiver simplifies things quite a bit. That said, I'd be open to alternatives. 

2) When: flexible but June/July preferred 

2) How long:  I'd say 3 or 4 weeks, flexible

3) Budget: limited, as I'm already flying to Europe to visit family. So I won't be able to afford expensive private schools. Maybe some group classes but would be a stretch. This is probably the main constraint.

4) What do I want to do: ideally, I'd love to study but given that I probably can't afford a private school, I'm not too sure how. I don't want to travel around heaps but at the same time, it seems a bit pointless to stay in a hostel by myself for a month in the same place. Maybe a week here and a week there and find private tutors? Couchsurfing? Looking forward to hear what you people have come up with in your travels. Is there a cost effective and fun way to explore a place and learn Chinese at the same time?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lordsuso]

This maybe doesn't apply to Taiwan because it is smaller, but from my personal experience in China, the good old-fashioned slow trains are the way to go for exposure and conversation. They are long and boring, so your neighbours will inevitably want to chat with you at some point, specially if you are alone. Also people tend to be loud (much louder than in the fast trains) so you can eavesdrop on what other people are saying. They are also very cheap.

[Lu]

On 7/30/2024 at 1:54 PM, lordsuso said:

This maybe doesn't apply to Taiwan because it is smaller, but from my personal experience in China, the good old-fashioned slow trains are the way to go for exposure and conversation.

In my experience, in Taiwan you don't need slow train circumstances in the first place. Taiwanese people are just really friendly and nice in general. I've made friends on the metro, on a bus (on Jinmen, with a very bored soldier), when deboarding an airplane... I do think you might need a certain level of Mandarin before you'll manage discourage people from wanting to speak English with you.

[lordsuso]

On 7/30/2024 at 3:36 PM, Lu said:

discourage people from wanting to speak English with you

This is also more common in Taiwan right? My guess is that if you avoid the bigger cities in China, you will find less English learners than in Taiwan.

[abcdefg]

On 7/30/2024 at 4:39 AM, matteo said:

Is there a cost effective and fun way to explore a place and learn Chinese at the same time?

 

Given the uncertainty regarding your schedule and your limitation of funds, I would not plan to attend classes at all and would use this holiday to see places of interest in Taiwan and interact informally with local people. One tried and true method is to go sit in a coffee shop with a textbook and a notebook. Be friendly and people will soon ask about your language studies. Cultivate some of these connections to help you with your language learning. "Is there any chance you could meet me here tomorrow or the day after at the same time?"

 

I have also found it fruitful to get plenty of foot massages and chat with the technicians as well as other customers. The staff are usually sociable and bored. If it's a small shop, treat everyone to lunch, bring in a sack of hamburgers or such. 

 

(Body massage, not so good. Easier to talk sitting up.)

 

You will soon have lots of conversation partners to help you with your informal studies. Ask these same people for advice on local things to see and do. Often leads to, "Hey, I get off at 4 and I'll take you there on my scooter. I've been intending to go anyhow."

 

Good luck. I'm sure you will have a wonderful time as long as you set easy expectations and are outgoing and personable. If you are painfully shy and withdrawn, this approach might not work well. 

[amytheorangutan]

Oh I’m so jealous! I was planning to do a 3 months study at NTNU a few years back before life got in the way but I remember when I researched it the cost wasn’t too bad. If you don’t plan to attend classes though, as everyone already said Taiwanese people are super friendly and nice. You could also go to places to hang out and join activities that local people do and connect from those activities. I went to a few live bands in Taipei when I was there and a few people just talked to us and initiated conversation. We also went to see a film there, we queued for 

the tickets because it was a bit special that the film we were going to watch was filmed in that same old cinema and we also got to talking to a couple of women behind us who were also excited being there.

 

You can also join some kind of workshops that align with your interests and not particularly touristy for more chance to talk Chinese. I actually found a leather making workshop in Taipei that was super cute, too bad I wasn’t there long enough to join the workshop but we talked with the 老師 for a while and we got a few stuff from her and she even added me on Line. You can join maybe cooking class or other arts and crafts type if you are into that kind of things. If you are into sports you can try and go to some indoor wall climbing or something like that where you can spend a bit of time there and connect with the people doing the same activities then there will be more chance to build friendship. 

[Jan Finster]

I would take italki lessons on the move. This will be cheaper than any school. I am afraid June/July is not a great time to visit Taiwan weather-wise, but it does not sound like you can choose 

[zhouhaochen]

On 7/30/2024 at 6:54 PM, lordsuso said:

the good old-fashioned slow trains

Oh wow, those were the good old days. Do they still have them? Definitely fun, but you need A LOT of time (and toilet paper).

 

@matteoWhats your nationality? If you are getting the 2 weeks visa free entry, then for example 2 weeks mainland China and 2 weeks Taiwan could work out well. If you are budget conscious, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Taipei are expensive. Everywhere else is cheaper. If you want to study while being on the go and dont want to spend too much money, taking online Chinese classes might be a good option.

Weather wise May is great for Beijing, but July is super hot and rainy there. Taipei is also rainy then (but it is in general quite a rainy city). 

 

Wherever you go, it wont be a wrong choice. I like the slow train above, but I am old and from a very different generation of China travelers, so not sure if that suits you.