The one million $ question..where to study and live? i reallny need advice.Important.

[spanishfly]

Hi to all.

This is my first post.I readed lot of posts before write...but i still have confused ideas.

First of all i will tell you all some info about me:

Im a spanish boy of 33 years old, i dont have a degree (i was busy working) but still i like to continue studying , and my current diploma allow me to enter university in europe (i studied in Italy)....,now that i have time again.

I speak italian and spanish (i am native of both languages) and i speak littlebit of english (i dont know the level i have because i learned it by reading computer books and web pages (i love build up pcs and fix them)...but if you all can understand me i will be happy enough)...i studied also japanese in Japan during 1 year.

Becoming esceptical about the european dream....i have in my mind the idea to move again far from the EU.

I navigate across a lot of internet pages of universities and private schools....and i get totally "drunk" reading soo much data.....

I will like to find the cheapest way to study and live in china (learn mandarine) during a long term course..can be a university (can be 5 year course of less) or any other kind of school that allow me to have a regular long term student visa. As far as i saw in the forum seems that little cities far from big metropolis are the best choice. If i like the country can be i will think about to settle down there (can be i will find a princess there!?hehehe).

For the project i will have a budget of about 20.000 or 25.000 Euros, the savings of lot of time of work...will be enough for support me some time? How i can bring this quantity of money to China? Bank transfer? travel checkes? use my credit card? put in my pants, (hehe)?

I am very worry about the cost because i need that money last for a big while, can be i can raise up some money more if it is necessary. Can be my intention will be to settle here if the environment and the peope are nice. I am used to deal with other cultures and people so i dont have problems with culture shock...and in the long term vision...what kind of jobs will be possible to get there? Any kind of job will be great for begin.

-So what can you recomend me? University or school?

-which cities? nice enviroment, nice people and place where i can learn mandarine

-How the visa works? i need sing up school and then submit the documents that they send to me to the chinese embassy in Spain (i will travel to London soo,can i do there the application also without come back to Spain?).

Is a big decision and a big economic effort ....living in the place i think i can learn faster, specially if i can practice language outside school.

Thank you in advance for your attention and your time.

I am totally beginner in chinese language.

A big salutation to all the readersof the forum!

[Xiao Kui]

Quizas Kunming es una buena opcion. El costo de vida alli es muy barato y hay menos contaminacion que en las ciudades en el este. Hay muchas universidades alli, y la matricula es barata. Creo que tu plata durara mas que 2 anos, y aun mas si comes fideos. Puedes sobrevivir en Kunming por $400 US por mes, puedes vivir como rey por $600 por mes. Puedes llegar alli con una visa turista y cambiarla a visa estudiante despues. La universidad puede hacer esto para ti. . No voy a recomendar Kunming a todos, porque ya hay suficientes extranjeros alli, pero no es cada dia que puedo practicar mi espanol en los chinese-forums. Despues de leer mi espanol nunca vas a tener verguenza sobre tu ingles otra vez.

http://www.icis.cn/

http://www.kmust.edu.cn/en/index.htm

[spanishfly]

Hi Xiao Kui, i will post the reply in both languages.

thank you for your reply, i though nobody will reply me...specially after i saw newer posts received replies and my one nothing....i see your spanish is good enough to understand you perfectly. Dont worry i dont feel ashamed for my english at all, i never studied it seriously just few hours in the school (i was playing chess during the lessons)...and is a language we dont care so much for our daily life....remember we re 27 countries in europe and only 1 speak english.....anyway i manage english enough for be understood in an international environment and due to my computer job.

I see the name of Kunming so much times...around the posts but i think this city must be full enough of foreigners...and i dont wish to stay so much in contact with westerners if i want learn faster....also cities where so much foreigners are present sometimes local people get tired of them. Have you any other sugestions? other equivalent destinations?

Im worry more about the cost of the courses and the visa problem...is easy to switch form tourist visa to student one?

Thank you for your attention and your fast reply.

gracias por tu respuesta, pensaba que nadie iba a responder, especialmente cuando he visto que preguntas mas nuevas tenian mas reapuestas y la mia ninguna. Veo que tu español es lo bastante bueno como para entenderte perfectamente. No te preocupes no me averguenzo de mi ingles para nada, nunca lo he estudiado seriamente, solo unas horas en la escuela (y jugaba al ajedrex durante la lección)...y es un idioma del cual no nos preocupamos mucho en nuestra vida diaria...recuerda somos 27 paises en Europa y solo 1 habla ingles....de todas maneras domino el ingles lo bastante para hacerme entender en un ambiente internacional y debido a mi trabajo con los ordenadores.

He visto el nombre de Kunming muchas veces en sl foro pero pienso que esta ciudad tiene que estar llena de extranjeros...y no es mi deseo estar muy en contacto con los occidentales si quiero aprender rapido. ¿Tienes alguna otra sugerencia? ¿o destinos equivalentes?

Sobre todo estoy preocupado por el precio de los cursos y el problema del visado...¿es facil cambiar de visado turistico a visado de estudiante?

Gracias otra vez por tu atención y por tu rapida respuesta:)

[mr.stinky]

kunming doesn't have too many foreigners, at least compared to the big study centers.

with a population of around four million, i think we have somewhere around 3000

furriners. maybe less....not sure....just heard that number somewhere. if you spend

most of your time around the universities, they're everywhere. shopping in the main

downtown high-rent shopping centers, also. you'll find them in the expat coffee shops

and bars, also near the universities, and probably at the big 'kundu' disco, although i've

never been there. other than those locations, i never see any white faces.

[Nathaniel Brown]

1. Maximise Stay with only savings – Got out into the country somewhere and go to a public uni.

2. Maximise Stay – Get a job teaching English for 10 to 20 hours a week. Generally they provide accommodation, flights a working visa and free Chinese classes. The wage is generally higher than the local average wage but less than you'd expect back home.

3. Focus on speaking – Go to a private school at one of the larger cities. The public university courses focus more on writing and reading which takes a lot longer to learn than speaking.

4. Focus on writing – Go to a private university as it will be cheaper.

My Recommendation

* Do a TESOL or TEFL course before you leave the country so you can teach English. It's a 4 week intensive.

* If you don't speak any Chinese then I'd start off with about six months at a private school in Beijing. I'd also do Pimleur or a similar coarse at the same time at home. This can be done on a F visa.

* After you have a basic grasp of spoken Chinese and Chinese culture. I'd get a contract out in the country. Since you are already in China it's not to expensive to check out the city before you sign the contract.

* In the smaller country town you want to continue your learning in three main ways.

** Formal - Often English teaching jobs come with free Chinese courses otherwise sign up for one somewhere. The teaching style won't be super effective but it will still help and give you dirrection.

** Personal Study - Get some high quality resources from overseas or the internet. They'll be more effective than the formal study exspecially if you get a tutor but it's hard to stay motivated by your self.

** Language Exchange - Get to meet the people. Help them with english and they can help you with Chinese.

If you used this method you'd be able to last for years if you had a bit of money saved up beforehand.

Anyway good luck.