Looking for a BEAUTIFUL place to study mandarin!

[cyan_sky]

I want to travel somewhere gorgeous with hiking and views and a very relaxing vibe... and in this place I want to study Chinese more-or-less full time, in a fairly structured manner (as opposed to me reading a book by myself or trying to fit tutors into my schedule), for a short time beginning near the end of October. I don't need credit for my study, and am not interested in any more big city life at this point.

I need to escape the stresses of my work. I am burnt out. Gasping for breath.

I have at least a month, it depends on how it goes.

I am thinking of heading to Lijiang, because it's far away and sounds like a beautiful place with a relaxed atmosphere. I found the website of one school there, Shangri-La Learning Centre (http://www.slcchina.com/) but I can't find any opinions on it (on this site or elsewhere).

I've been working in Beijing starting up a new company for almost a year, but I know basically no Chinese -- I need to start right at a beginner level.

When I lived in Guatemala I was once able to study Spanish in a relaxed little town on the edge of Lake Atitlan, an amazing, inspiring lake surrounded by volcanoes, and would like to find something along that lines in China. I don't want to stay in a 4-star hotel and spend a lot of money -- I much prefer backpacker trails and cheap eats and adventures galore. I'm 24, and wouldn't mind meeting a few other young people along the way (I am not a die hard 'immersionist' just yet). A beach with warm ocean waters would be great, but so would mountains and forests and lakes and all other manner of natural beauty.

Any ideas out there?? Any help would be MUCH appreciated !!!!

Thanks in advance,

Cooked Brain in Beijing

[muyongshi]

Li Jiang is a beautiful place so in terms of surroundings you've done good. Not sure what the environment will be like there for you being a foreigner. One of the problems with you try to relax is that if Chinese people staring at you and yelling laowai all the time bothers you, some of those more beautiful areas will be difficult as they are more remote.

[Lu]

Taiwan, perhaps? Nice weather, beautiful mountains, warm sea, friendly people. If you live in Taipei you get the city life as well, so you might want to pick a smaller town, maybe in the south, where you'll have summer weather all through winter.

[adrianlondon]

Wow, I'd never recommend Taipei as somewhere to relax and unwind!

[owshawng]

How about Taipei county in Taiwan? It's a city atmosphere but with the mass transit system you'll have easy access to the mountains that surround Taipei and you can get into Taipei in less then 30 minutes.

Taichong in Taiwan is another possibility. Much more relaxing then Taipei, plus there are many national parks in the area.

[Lu]

That's why I suggest he 'might want to pick a smaller town, maybe in the south'.

And owshawng, please don't copy the transcription mess here, the place is called Taizhong (pinyin) or Taichung (bad W-G), not Taichong, unless you have invented a new transcription method.

[owshawng]

Lu,

1) Have you ever heard of typos?

2) It seems like cyan-sky is looking for a school. I haven't heard of any mandarin schools outside of Taipei area and Taizhong. Doesn't mean they don't exist though.

3) If cyan-sky is a westerner once in the south he/she will be stared at and hear lots of big nose and laowai comments.

[anonymoose]

Have you thought about Yangshuo near Guilin? It's a very small town (by Chinese standards), and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. It is quite a tourist attraction, so you definitely won't be the only westerner there, but nevertheless, still retains the 'rural China' feel to some extent (at least when I was there about 4 years ago).

[abuck]

I second the vote for Guilin/Yangshuo. I don't know what schools exist in that area, but I swear I saw signs for some university when I was cycling around Yangshuo. Touristy, yes, but definitely beautiful and relaxing, especially outside of the town itself!

Also, if you're looking for a beachy/mountainy area, Hainan island has both of those elements. Again, not sure of the education scene there, but whilst looking for programs myself, I saw at least one university exchange program sends students on exchange there. Be advised that it is HOT and sunny, so bring plenty of real sunscreen (a lot of fakes sold in the area) and an umbrella to shield off the sun. Things were a little pricey, but you do get to practice haggling

That's all I can think of thus far :o)

[simonlaing]

Hi a couple of other places you might think of

Kuming, Yunan, - Since it is acutally a university you will get more of the formalized material but within a weeknd trip of LIjiang and Dali.

Xishi huanbana, Yunan has a school that teach chinese as well. It is basically in a rainforest on the border of Thailand. This also means the accent is influenced by Thai greatly, so could affect the pronunciation. But talk about a pretty place.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang province though touristy is also a pretty place and close to other pretty places, qiandao hu, Putuo island, an hour out of Shanghai will also serve those cravings for western life you might need. It is also a very bikable city which I like.

have fun,

Simon:)

PS. I have heard of schools in YangShuo/Guilin as well. I liked biking, boating, mountain climbing and caving there.

[mr.stinky]

simon,

would you have a link or other info on the school in xishuangbanna? i've been looking

for something in that area but have found nothing as yet. closest i've found is the

uni in hong he.

[simonlaing]

I don't even think it is a really uni. I think it is a poli tech school. My friend mentioned it when he was travelling down there.

It likely doesn't have a webpage. You might be able to look it up or ask the Yunan dep. of ed for the schools down there. Then use the 114 (CHinese 411) to get the information and call them about it. If you're in Yunan a trip down there would probably work as well if you have the time.

Good luck,

Sorry I don't have more details on it.

have fun,

Simon:)

[slcchina]

Sorry, I have just seen your post. As you mentioned, my school, Shangrila Learning Centre (SLC) is offering short term Chinese courses in Lijang. But there is another college, Lijiang Normal College has full-time Chinese courses so you may study with them for one semester or longer. If you need help, please contact me through our website (the one you mentioned in your question). Hope this is helpful.

By the way, Lijiang is a small town, but it is a very international tourist city. You don't have to worry to be bothered as a "laowai"--foreigner. Lijiang people have seen too many "laowai" everyday!

[jeffofarabia]

Nice location, but very expensive. Study in Kunming and go there on the weekend.

[Crivens200]

Have you thought about Yangshuo near Guilin?

Yangshuo is a joke. It's full of backpackers thinking they've found the real China, when in actual fact all they've found is a fake rebuilt street with a load of pizza places to attract the idiot tourists who think they're doing something alternative. Full of nobheads and fat old American and German tourists.

[liuzhou]

Crivens! I love you! I thought it was only me!

I live near Yangshit and I'm often congratulated on this! "You must go every weekend!"

No! I avoid it like dysentery! It is a fetid hole!

Although, it was beautiful during SARS when all the dickheads scarpered back to mummy in suburbia (carrying the virus with them).

You remind me to finish my long promised blog on why Yangshuo is the armpit of China.

[Crivens200]

Haha. Let me know the address of the blog when you finish it Liuzhou.

Have to admit I wasn't expecting any support on my views - was expecting a backlash from the Beijing studiers who spend their overseas year in Blah Blah bar, have a week in Yangshit before going home wondering why they can't speak Chinese.

[adrianlondon]

was expecting a backlash from the Beijing studiers who spend their overseas year in Blah Blah bar, have a week in Yangshit before going home wondering why they can't speak Chinese.

What forum did you think you were posting in?

[fireball9261]

How about Suzhou in Jiangsu province? It has Suzhou University, which is one of the top universities in China. I am sure they have some language programs for foreiner students. The school was famous for its humanities programs. The city is very beautiful. It's like a big garden with lots of traditional Chinese gardens. It also have beautiful hills for hiking I believe. The feeling of the city is very relaxed and the food is good. It's also fairly close to Shanghai and Hangzhou. In the weekend, you can go to Shanghai or Hangzhou very easily. I think the prices there is also cheaper than Shanghai and probably Taiwan. In addition, all three cities are also famous for their pretty girls. When Suzhou girls started talking to you in their native dialects, your bones just melt. I am a woman, and they have that affect on me!!!

If you go to Taiwan, definitely don't go to the south to learn Mandarin. The environment for speaking Mandarin is really not there. If you want to learn good Mandarin, you must go to Taipei (or Taichong maybe). They also have a lot of language schools and plenty of private tutors. Most importantly, in Taipei (possibly in Taichong), you won't be stared at or followed around like you would be in mainland China as a foreigner. The two cities also have good night life, and the food is great and international.

[simonlaing]

A few years ago I lived in Suzhou, and I must say for a nice scenic place it's just eh. mediocre.

It has become much more built up and is on the Chinese tourist trail as well westerners so the traffic is quite hectic. Add a lot of not-so-fresh canals and biking is not easy either.

Most of the scenic places are ancient gardens that have an entrance fee and are not quite that big. Most of gardens interest comes from their preserved architecture, stories, artiwork, random Suzhou opera singers etc..

Being a tourist town (with SIP, a factory suburb of Shanghai basically) it is not such a good time for students in my opinion. There is one bar street in the South which is mostly frequented by tourists and well to do EXPATs.

The food is almost all sweet, so finding a spicy restaurant can take awhile.

I think they made some parks by some of the canals , but the few times I went back the traffic was a real issue.

If you want a tourist town near Shanghai, choose Hangzhou. The traffic is also bad but at least you can ride you bike around the city for the most part. It is pretty just as a pretty Chinese city can be. It's lake and gardens are mostly connect so it gives a much better scenic feeling. But night life and student life is still limited. There is a bigger redlight district in Hangzhou than suzhou, I think this is because Zhejiang is poorer than Jiangsu, and the influence of Ningbo.

If you don't care about being near western comforts and expats you might look to ZhangJia jie in Hunan. It's about a pretty as Guilin with sandstone pillars, but it is in a poor province not near a big city.

Most places will accept you as a student on very little notice a wee before classes start. The Second term usually starts in mid february, You could travel to these places first an check them out before deciding on a school to stay in. Any school's letter of invitation will give you a visa to go there or a tourist visa, but just because they give you the letter of invitation doesn't mean you have to study at that university.

Have fun,

Simon:)