Keats School, Kunming - A Query

[abcdefg]

7 hours ago, Richard_ said:

How is it Kunming with putonghua now?

 

Local people speak dialect when they talk to each other. They will speak Putonghua when they talk to you. Children all learn standard Chinese in school even though they might talk dialect at home with Grandma. 

 

In short, don't worry about it. 

 

Hope you have a good time in Kunming!

[ZhuoMing]

I am also interested in hearing how much the local dialect affects learning the language. I have lived in Chengdu in the past and Sichuanhua was no issue at all (aside from having to second guess every time someone said 40 or 14...), everyone I needed to speak to just spoke putonghua (except the baoan outside my apartment ?) or an accented version of it that was not terribly hard to decipher after getting used to it.  I imagine kKunming is the same, can someone confirm this? 

[ShelbyR]

I have also found that the si/shi and zi/zhe accent is pretty prevalent in Kunming.  Around the corner from Keats school, however, is a Western coffee shop (Pacific Coffee) and in that new building complex (with apartments) they also have a strong English teaching program.  I would walk down to the coffee shop and talk to the parents waiting for their kids.  Their Mandarin was standard with no accent.  I wonder if it's the educational level or income level that has some people speaking pure standard Mandarin?  I have a friend from Kunming with the local accent who speaks no English and I'm getting much better at understanding him, so it's really not an issue for me anymore.

[abcdefg]

On 4/19/2019 at 10:29 AM, ZhuoMing said:

...everyone I needed to speak to just spoke putonghua (except the baoan outside my apartment ?) or an accented version of it that was not terribly hard to decipher after getting used to it.  I imagine Kunming is the same, can someone confirm this? 

 

Yep. Confirmed, pretty much. What happens to me is that the person with whom I am talking starts out trying hard to use standard Putonghua, like they learned in school. They speak slowly and clearly. Easy to understand. Then after a few minutes they sort of forget I'm not their neighbor or cousin. They speed way up and slip into a heavily accented version of standard Chinese sprinkled with plenty of dialect. I have to wave time out and urge them to go back to the way they were talking three minutes ago. 

 

This is one way in which professional teachers are better than ordinary folks for language practice. Teachers tend to be able consciously maintain a type of speech suitable for conversing with foreigners or students. Ordinary folks cannot always do that. They unconsciously slip back into their most comfortable mode of speech. 

 

It's similar to how the foot massage guy will ease up if you say "轻一点师傅，疼了！“ ("Take it easy, that hurts!)" Then three or four minutes later he's back to his usual style of massage and you either have to just wince through it or get up and leave. Corrections don't last. 

 

 

[Richard_]

Hi everyone, has anyone studied in the small chinese group classes? I have a doubt. I payed the deposit and they sent me an email with all the info. Only one thing: I applied for 32 weeks and I thought I had to do it consecutively but it is divided in fall and spring semester. So if I understood correctly there is a period between the end of the fall semster and the begin of the spring where I don't have class. In this period can I stay in the Single room I booked or do I have to find something else on my own?

[ShelbyR]

When I’ve been there most of the small group classes have been attended by residents of Kunming. But last month I met a man who was staying at the school for a few months in the group class.  I doubt that you’ll have a problem but ask.  Maybe you can take some one on one classes during that down time?

[abcdefg]

13 hours ago, Richard_ said:

Only one thing: I applied for 32 weeks and I thought I had to do it consecutively but it is divided in fall and spring semester. So if I understood correctly there is a period between the end of the fall semster and the begin of the spring where I don't have class. In this period can I stay in the Single room I booked or do I have to find something else on my own?

 

Write to them and ask. Keats staff is good about responding to e-mail. 

[Richard_]

So, they said me that in the period where there are no lessons the rooms can be booked separately! They are very accommodating and friendly!

[JenniferW]

On 4/21/2019 at 7:00 AM, abcdefg said:

... What happens to me is that the person with whom I am talking starts out trying hard to use standard Putonghua, like they learned in school. They speak slowly and clearly. Easy to understand. Then after a few minutes they sort of forget I'm not their neighbor or cousin. They speed way up and slip into a heavily accented version of standard Chinese sprinkled with plenty of dialect. ... This is one way in which professional teachers are better than ordinary folks for language practice. Teachers tend to be able consciously maintain a type of speech suitable for conversing with foreigners or students. Ordinary folks cannot always do that. They unconsciously slip back into their most comfortable mode of speech. ...

 

That describes my own experiences well. Living in China for 6 years (Anhui, Yunnan, Gansu and Liaoning), it was always like that.

 

I'm interested in hearing about current experiences of Keats in Kunming because it's one place I'm wondering whether to go to for around a month in the spring next year.

[Richard_]

Hi guys, I am in a  difficult situation, maybe some of you can help me. I already payed 11 months of course in the small group class starting this september and already bought the flight ticket. I have a problem with the Visa. The embassy said to me that keats needs to send the admission letter and Jw202 document to them which they did but the embassy didn't receive it and they can't start the procedure without these document. I think the problems could be related to  the way and the method keats use to submit  the confirmation documents to the embassy. I don't know how to "unlock" this situation and I am a little bit worried that I won't make in time for september 

Until now the experience I had with them for the payment,  ask for information, document and mailing has been perfect, this is the only problem!

[SunnySideUp]

Can they not just resend the documents? Either to the embassy or straight to you? September is still plenty of time to get your visa sorted!

[Richard_]

They sent them two times but the embassy still didn't received any documents. I have these documents scanned but the embassy said that they must obtain them trough some kind of "digital channel" that only university, schools and embassy know. I don't know if someone experienced something like that ?

[abcdefg]

14 hours ago, Richard_ said:

I think the problems could be related to  the way and the method keats use to submit  the confirmation documents to the embassy. I don't know how to "unlock" this situation and I am a little bit worried that I won't make in time for september 

 

You need to get on the telephone and talk to Keats. You need to do that right away. 

[Jan Finster]

How are language schools in China holding up at the moment. Is this school, for example, closed?

[roddy]

It was "closed temporarily" as of March 14, was the last I heard. 

[abcdefg]

I attended an open house there in January (during CNY) to see their new facilities and make dumplings, eat dumplings. Even then, many of us were wearing face masks. 

 

Just now looked at the website and didn't find any information about current status of classes. If there was a small announcement I could have missed it. The website is so "slick and professional" that it sort of sweeps you along. Difficult to navigate to specific information. 

 

If someone is interested in attending, suggest a direct e-mail inquiry or a phone call. 

[ShelbyR]

I take an online class with Keats every week and my teacher is still teaching out of her apartment and the school is still closed to students.  That could change pretty quickly so just email them when China is open to foreigners and ask when classes will restart.  

 

My teacher sent me pictures of the new facilities with the coffee shop/study area/cafeteria and it looked great.  I hope the vaccine gets rolled out in the next year or so and I can go back!

[abcdefg]

9 hours ago, ShelbyR said:

My teacher sent me pictures of the new facilities with the coffee shop/study area/cafeteria and it looked great. 

 

Agree. I thought these improvements looked excellent. Xue Laoshi (the owner) told me they have started a policy of having one table at meals be a "Chinese language only" table. It is designated with a pennant and sign. And a teacher will dine there with the students. Teachers will take turns. I thought that was very good idea. 

[ShelbyR]

On 4/3/2020 at 6:40 PM, abcdefg said:

Agree. I thought these improvements looked excellent. Xue Laoshi (the owner) told me they have started a policy of having one table at meals be a "Chinese language only" table. It is designated with a pennant and sign. And a teacher will dine there with the students. Teachers will take turns. I thought that was very good idea. 

Last year when I was there they had those designated tables.   A teacher sat there at lunch and/or dinner, and it was great.  I always sat at that table.  In the previous years I'd gone they had the table and sign, but no teacher, so no Chinese being spoken.