The Harbin Mandarin School, Harbin

[NieBoming]

I studied at Mandarin Workshop for about 8 months off and on in 2013 (May-Dec) and was extremely satisfied with the experience.  I studied with some of the other people who posted here (Hi Guys), and I definitely back up what they said about the quality of education, housing, helpfulness, etc…  I had two really great teachers while studying at Mandarin Workshop who were excellent at determining my Mandarin level, where I was strong, and what I needed work on(I really had no idea myself), and how to design a class custom to my needs.  I spoke a little Chinese when I got there, but by the time I left, I spoke Mandarin almost all the time rarely needing resort back to English (still have a long way to go, but I'm definitely happy with my progress).   In Harbin, very few people speak English, so it really is a true immersion experience. 

 

I had previously worked in Sichuan province for about a year and needed a break from working, so I decided to go up to Harbin really having no I idea what I was walking into (I wish I had read this form first; it would have helped a lot).  To all of you who are trying to decide where to go to study and have no idea what you are doing, yeah, I know the feeling.  I had studied two semesters worth of Chinese in the U.S., but found (like most people who go to China after studying Chinese), that Chinese is not a single language, but a collection of languages.  Many Chinese people cannot understand other Chinese people speaking different languages/dialects.  However, people (in addition to their native dialects) also speak Mandarin, which is based on the Beijing and northeastern dialects.  After living in Sichuan (where I had previously worked) for about a year not being able to understand friends talking among themselves, I was shocked and when arriving in Harbin the first day and found that I could understand that Harbin people as their pronunciation is very clear and they speak Mandarin on the street.

 

At first, like all foreigners, I needed a lot of help, and the school was absolutely wonderful.  They went way above and beyond in helping me get settled (paperwork, apartment stuff, banking, shopping, going to the doctor, showing me around).  The extent that they went out of their way to make me feel at home was outstanding.  I strongly agree with the other posts that eating lunch at school is a must.  阿姨 (the principal) is a phenomenal cook, and I definitely miss阿姨’s cooking.  And for those of you like me who sometimes eat an embarrassing amount of food, don’t worry, she has you covered.  And yes, there is a massage place in the neighborhood that gives great massages for about $10/hour (trust me, just go), and the school went with me the first time to help. 

 

Harbin is a great city.  People are very friendly if they know that you speak Chinese, especially if you go to the small, local restaurants.  I had the benefit of being there both in summer and winter.  The summer was beautiful, but honestly I enjoyed the winter more.  Harbin really is a winter city, so if you can put on some warm clothes and get over the low temperatures, you’ll really enjoy the unique winter culture.  Harbin people are not afraid of the cold.  Really, it doesn’t stop them.  You see them enjoying outdoor activities and walking the streets in -20 degree temperatures just as they would in the summer.  Harbin has an entire city department dedicated to building snow and ice sculptures (often with lights inside of them) as well as hauling the dirty snow out of the city to keep the city looking white and beautiful in the winter.  The Harbin people eat ice cream outside in the winter time.  Yeah, weird at first, but you can eat slowly (or get it in a plastic bag to go) and it doesn’t melt.  You’ll learn to love it.

                                                            

If I ever find myself with some free time, I would definitely go back, and a lot of students have returned to the school multiple times.  It is a fun place, but you study hard.  Students are from all different backgrounds.  This is the only Chinese immersion school in China that I have been to, so I don’t have much to compare it to myself.  However, while at the school, I talked to several students who have come back to the school multiple times.  Many of them have been to other Chinese immersion schools and have told me that Mandarin Workshop is one of the best.

[themtc]

Hello, and thank you for the wealth own of info in this thread. New member here and I have a few questions.

 

Let me give you a quick run down of my situation as it seems a bit different than most posting here. 

 

I already live and work 20 hours a week teaching english in Harbin. However, most of these 20 hours is on the weekend. I only teach about 6-8 hours monday-friday. I have my accommodation and can find my way around the city pretty well. Speaking on the other hand is an issue. I am pretty much a complete beginner at Mandarin. I know how the pinyin should be pronounced (I say should be because actually getting it right is a whole other issue for me). I know the numbers pretty well 1-999 and can say the most basic of phrases such as standard hello/goodbye, what is your name/surname, and i am from the usa. I make transactions by asking how much and by limiting myself to places where i can say I want and point at something or a picture of something. Like a said, very much a beginner. 

 

My questions are:

 

Will I be able to handle something this intense even though I have a job? I will have the time to attend the morning classes everyday and still some time to study outside of class during the week, but will i struggle if I cannot dedicate most of my free time to outside study? Most people posting seem to have come to Harbin specifically to study at this school and nothing else. I suppose I could take vacation time to do a week or two of classes but I would like to get started as soon as possible and not wait. Is something this intense even suitable for someone who is a complete beginner as myself? Would I get much out of it if I could only commit to 1-2 weeks at a time at first? For now I am just looking for a basic foundation to be able to do basic things like eat at small local places even if they dont have a pinyin/picture menu. And basically just do my everyday things around town without seeming like a complete tourist as well as providing a nice foundation for further learning in the future. 

 

And assuming there are positive answers to the above, does this school offer lower prices if I do not need the accommodation? The website seemed unclear to me. They mentioned a 50 rmb per hour rate for people who did not need accommodation or textbook, but it was just a small bullet point at the bottom of the price page so any further information you could offer would be appreciated. Obviously, at my level, I would still like to use some sort of textbook. I would prefer the full experience just without the apartment. 

 

Thanks!

[Chester22]

Hey themtc

 

For a while I was working as a teacher on the weekend and studying during the week so I should be able to answer most of your questions. I'm also currently studying at 1to1Mandarin, though only for 1 hr a week right now.

 

Firstly, your administrative questions-

 

Yes it is possible to study at the school but not stay at the accommodation they provide, in which case the tuition fee will be proportionately less. Best contact them to get the exact figures. 

 

It is also possible to not study their standard 4 hrs a day program. If you still want one-to-one tutoring, the fee is 100RMB an hour, or you can do it in small groups as per the small bullet point on their website you mentioned. You can use a text book for these sessions if you want, but you'll have to buy it yourself, i.e. the 50RMB does not cover the cost of the textbook.

 

As for your other questions-

 

If you are concerned about not having sufficient time to study outside of class, then 1to1 tutoring is really the best option since it allows you to set your own pace. It will also mean you can learn exactly what you want and get started straight away on studying those useful day to day phrases you want to learn. 

 

I guess everyone's study endurance is different but I think 4 hrs a day should still be manageable while working on the weekends as well. I was doing that myself for a while (though only up to 8hrs of work) and know other people that have done it. You'll adapt to it pretty quickly I think, but you can always try it for a week and see.

 

Hope that answers most of your questions. If you have anymore, feel free to ask.

[grawrt]

Hey guys Roddy asked me to post up a review about the early-stages of studying with 1-to-1 mandarin workshop. I’ve been here for a month now so here goes:

Registration:
About a month before I planned to leave I emailed the school to ask questions about the program, living arrangement, etc. The responses all arrived quickly and when I finally decided to study there I had to go through four steps. One-- To fill out the attached form. Which has some generic information like name, date of study, age, and your background in mandarin Chinese. Two-- Submit a 1000 RMB cash deposit. After this you will be mailed an invitation letter so that you can get your visa (third step), and lastly to book your flight. About a week before my planned arrival I was asked to provide a copy of my ticket so that they could pick me up at the airport.

Arrival:
Once we got to the apartment we were greeted by the nice ayi who showed us how to use the daily necessities (the washing machine, the shower, how to turn on the electric stove, etc). Actually I found out later that the Ayi is actually the owner of the school, and Ma Chao was to be my teacher (also the laoban of the school). They then explained about the safety of the apartment. For instance, the key you are given has a chip in it and will take you directly to your floor from the elevator. Without it, you are unable to arrive there (ie; can’t press the buttons, unless of course you decide to take the stairs). There is also a security guard out front. The doors lock by themselves too so there’s no need to personally lock it with a key. The hallways around my room are a bit dim but all the lights are sound sensitive so if you clap or say something they’ll turn on. There’s also a convenience store in the same building (of the lobby) that is open 24/7 and has things like drinks and snacks so that you don’t need to leave the apartment so late at night. I always feel funny going in there though. It’s silly but every time I seem to go there's always the same group of people just chillin on the couch and the lady in her pjs watching me shop. D:

After we took a short rest Ma laoshi took us outside to show our way around in order to familiarize ourselves. I suggest bringing a notepad + pen. There was a lot of important information that I had to keep mentally noting not to forget. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Every time I asked about something (like drinking water, banks, etc.) I was taken there and shown personally, or explained in detail. He took us out to eat lunch at a nice halal place. He explained to us that all places that serve Halal food have blue backgrounds on their signs. I’m not super religious but I don’t eat pork so this was a relief to hear. We then went to the bank because it was my first time in a foreign country by myself and I wanted to learn how to take out money myself (just in case there was a problem, which there isn’t.) He later kindly took me to purchase a cell phone which took forever but he was nice enough to stay with us throughout the process.

Later we met up with my other teacher, Zhang Laoshi and the owner of the school, Yang Ayi, and we all walked to the school. They first explained the plans for how the classes would be run and stressed that these weren't set in stone. For my first teacher he explained that I would go over the lesson points, learn new words and go through the practice points. For my second teacher (Ma Chao himself) he would practice the new grammar with me and add extra words. He then gave me the textbook I would be using. There was no placement test hat I needed to take and this might have been because during the time we spent walking around I was spoken to in Mandarin and asked some questions probably to gauge my understanding and figure out how to sort me out. This was also the time that we discussed what time I would have my classes.

Afterwards we met up once more and he took us to the night market. You can buy pretty much anything here not just food. It opens at 4:30 and closes at 8. They also have a morning market too which opens at 4 or 5 and closes at 7.

Classes:
The classes are great. Both teachers are quite different but both beneficial. My morning class is mostly structured and focused on grammar points and reading. My second class is more informal and focused on listening and speaking. Both are pleasant and the teachers are quite intuitive so be prepared to get corrected and asked to repeat things until they sound right. Even though the classes are 4 hours, I often found us working past the scheduled time, sometimes by 10-20 minutes. I think this is nice because I don’t feel rushed in the last 2 minutes or so to finish reading or understand a grammar point or even to make a sentence etc.

Outside class:
The teachers are really nice outside of class too. Even after one month they're still willing to take me to see different places or go out to eat or anywhere that I was planning on going. On my first weekend I planned to go to Beijing with my mom and they were nice enough to help me get a train ticket and give me advice on things to avoid and places to see. On the second weekend we went to Lao Daowai district which is one of the few preserved towns in China, we were also taken to visit the mosque that my grandmother grew up by.

Location:
The school is located in a very convenient area. There are several malls, eateries, parks, etc. that are within walking distance of the school. There are also buses too that are nearby that can take you to some of the other districts.

One of the great things about the school is how much they care about their students well being. Yang Ayi always asks me how I am and if I need anything to just ask her, Ma Laoshi always offers to go to places with me whenever I ask for directions, etc. My parents were really worried about me studying abroad because I’m the baby of the family, and also because I’m a girl and kind of young  but after my mom left she told me she felt much better because of how much the school looked after me.

Uhmmmmmmm Yepp. That’s all I can think of so far.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Update~ (06/10/2014)
I've almost met my halfway mark (3 months) with 1-to-1 mandarin and just wanted to update how things have been going.

The school has really become like a second home to me. Ayi and both Ma Laoshi and Zhang Laoshi are both so much fun to chat with and I look forward to each day of class, the school also really cares about their students. I always almost give them a heart attack because of one thing or another. When I went to pick up my mom from the airport by myself they were worried I got lost when I didn’t answer my phone or texts (I forgot my phone was on silent), I was greeted later personally by my teacher (at night) who was worried to death that something had happened. I still feel really bad. But I guess it’s important to mention because they really go above and beyond and care about their students even outside of class.

Class time:
The classes are very flexible here. I met a few students who changed the class times, or reduced them if they felt like they were too much. I'm guilty of thinking that I can get through things when I really can’t though. For instance when I had my classes switched to 8 AM -> 12, I really couldn't get used to it and it stayed like this even after my mom left. That day I was really tired and not really feeling it and after a while Ma laoshi told me to just take a break if I was that tired or tell him if it’s too much and he'd stop, Ayi said the same. So don't be afraid to end class early if it’s too much or ask for a break, it’s still hard for me to get into the habit of saying it’s too much but I'm still trying to remind myself this. As a side note, 4 hours of class straight is really hard to sit through. I think the best timing if possible is to split it up with a break in between. I think I’m more refreshed that way. Usually by the fourth hour my brain is fried and I’m totally incomprehensible, can’t read, can’t speak, etc. It's a real mess.

I also wanted to mention that the teachers and Ayi are very intuitive on areas that I'm weak on. The directions of the classes change when I encounter these. For instance when I kept messing up with using the grammar we learned, my classes with my second teacher were mostly focused on making my own sentences with the grammar. We started from the very beginning of the textbook until present so that I could both refresh my memory and also work on using the grammar. I also remember in the very beginning I was really bad at answering questions (I’m not perfect now but I’m much better than before) and my first teacher would begin every class asking me what I ate for dinner, things I did, etc. She started to make things more challenging for me when she asked me how I made a certain dish because I cook by myself and cooking terms are all foreign to me. lol. Right now, even though they didn’t tell me straight out but I think my reading out loud skills are terrible which is why the last week or so of class have focused on me reading out loud. It's really painful to hear my own voice but I know this is the only way to improve.

 

I also wanted to mention that if you don't feel like going to class one day the class isn't completely lost. You can have a make up class another day like the weekend or maybe add on extra time per your normal class time. Sometimes  the teachers might not be able to make it but again its not a lost class. The school is also still open during holidays so you wont find yourself unexpectedly losing days of class because of a holiday. The school really takes their classes seriously, I always forget how many classes I still have to make up but they're always reminding me and asking me if that was the amount. I'm like uhmmm I guess so. I really never kept track but then again I never felt the need to because they do a pretty good job at it on their own.

Textbook:
I'm almost done with the textbook, think I just have one more chapter left and then we will be starting the next text book with a focus on 口语. A few weeks ago a new book was added to my class time to cover its a book on Chinese idioms. The book is called:

"Chinese Idiomatic Phrases for Foreign Students" (外国人说熟语）by Beijing Language and Culture University Press

The book is divided into four parts, colloquial idioms, idioms, common sayings, and allegorical sayings. We usually work on one page per section, and typically spend about half our class time on this, sometimes less sometimes more. After we go over reading the content and examples, my teacher will give me an example using the idiom and then ask me to. Sometimes I might start with an example and then he may correct or tell me why it doesn't work, or make my sentence sound slightly better lol. I think this is good practice for enforcing these idioms. It's quite challenging in comparison to the textbook and it's also a lot to remember, but equally important in any language study.

Other class related stuff~
Every now and then my teacher will give me quizzes to reinforce or see if I understand the grammar points, new words, and general content of the matter. I know he did this with other students as well but I'm not that much of a fan. Maybe because school itself traumatized me so every time I hear the word 'test' or 'quiz' uttered I feel this ridiculous amount of stress weigh down on me. Which might be why he hasn't given me a quiz in a while The quizzes are usually oral, no written and just questions to answer. Most of his questions aren't too textbook, for instance whenever we go through the textbook he usually adds 'supplementary' vocabulary, or different meanings and uses, or even better words to say and so for the quiz he might ask "whats another way to say this" or "Make a sentence with this word using both their definitions".

He also might assign you to write a passage but again, this too made me feel like it was too schooly so I only did this once. But I thought I'd mention it in case you're not a psycho like me and can just take these things normally. After going over some vocabulary the assignment would be to write a story using these new words and new grammar points. I remember with the other student he did it a little differently and gave him a list of 10 words to write a story with. So I really think it depends on you but the gist of the assignments are basically the same. Afterwards you'll have an option of reading it and having him correct sentence by sentence OR he could read it first, correct and explain why after. I preferred seeing the full corrections rather than getting stopped sentence by sentence.

 

School Payments:
For school my parents usually pay every month but sometimes they're a bit behind if the bills are too high that month etc. The school is nice enough not to hassle students into paying and are very relaxed about this. My parents still feel bad and try and pay right away but sometimes its not convenient at all. I know some students pay week by week, or just pay the whole tuition at once. Everyone's circumstances are different but the school is patient with all. I usually pay for lunch every week, but sometimes I might forget to bring enough money, again this also doesn't seem like a problem even if I feel crazy bad. It helps that I don't feel additional guilt from the school.
 

I think that's it so far.

 

Update~ (September 13 2014)

Almost 6 month's later (5 months & 2 weeks to be more accurate)

 

Studying at the school has really been a blast. Starting in around July the school began taking in more full-time students like me. It was a fun group of people, and a pleasure to meet them all. Although I noticed starting in July that the teachers became more busy and had less time to devote as before. But it wasn't so bad because I spent more time grouping up and going off to places with the other students. Also it taught me to be less dependent on them for things I could easily do on my own. It was a nice change of pace for me and kind of prepared me for setting out on my own later in Beijing. But enough of that.

 

Classes~

One of my teachers schedules became very busy around that time and so I had a new teacher in her place, Yu Laoshi. She's a really great teacher, and her approach was different than the last teacher I had. She was more stern with me and really drills you on things to make sure you know them. For instance, when we learned 把 sentences, she literally had me make sentences using that form with everything in the room. Because of her I will never forget how to use this structure, and also the names for the things around the room. Maybe im a masochist but I really liked her as a teacher I'm very laid back and tend to take the easy way around things, but she isn't fooled easily. You can tell her you understand as much as you want, until you can prove it with a proper sentence she wont believe you.

 

Because I already had a new teacher, I later on wanted to try switching up my other class with ma laoshi, with another teacher. The school was happy to bring in another one of their teachers, Fan laoshi. I wanted to work on my grammar or differentiation between synonyms, etc. She was the perfect person for this. This type of class however, relied heavily on my preparation. So I usually jotted down things I came across that I didn't quite understand and brought them to class to ask her to help me with understanding how to use it, what the difference was between a similar word or structure, and when to use them. Later on it turned out we liked the same singer so we spoke freely about her music style, and broke down some of the lyrics to understand the meaning. It was fun, I really enjoyed her as a teacher. Like most of the teachers at the school they all have their strong points.

 

I think about 3 weeks before I stopped classes she wanted to go on vacation with her family so I had a different teacher in her place. OH, also Yu Laoshi unfortunately had an accident and her foot was burned badly, so I went back to Ma Laoshi. In her place I had briefly Wang Laoshi, who was one of the new interns at the school, I only had her for I think a couple days but she was still a great teacher. We had a lot in common with each other and spent a lot of class time gossiping about walking dead or other such things

 

I then got a more permanent teacher, Shi laoshi who was also really great. We usually spoke about a topic and I gathered new vocabulary and such. Her ears are much more sensitive to mispronounced tones so if you need a teacher who isn't afraid to fix your tones then shes perfect. I had some laughable moments with her after picking up on her confusion, and trying to test out the word with different tones until she understood lol. I later found out she can speak korean and so she gave me a mini-korean lesson which was fun.

 

Having tried so many teachers I can comfortably say this school is very good. The teachers are all excellent no matter who you get. If you're not satisfied with one you can easily ask to try a different teacher, But I think you should give it a week or so before deciding since some of their strengths might not be so obvious during the first class. Also if you're not happy with the direction the class is going you can just explain to your teacher how youd like things done. This is certainly a plus about one on one classes.

 

Outside-class trips~

The school was kind enough to help us plan two trips. Ayi actually found the first one for us when reading the newspaper. It was a weekend trip to the mountains with a group. It was a fun trip and I went with one of the other students at the time, the price was good too, it was about 400 kuai and that included everything, the bus ride, hotel, breakfast and dinner, and the entrance fee. The place we went to was nice but maybe not one for natural photos. My classmate was a bit disappointed after hauling her heavy cameras with her. The path has stairs so its an easy hike up. Still, it was beautiful and a refreshing break from class.

 

The next trip was kind of uhmmm horrible, I'm not gonna lie. But it was done so last minute and not the teachers fault. We first went on a tour group to Inner Mongolia which turned out horribly. In the middle of our trip we desperately called the school to see if it was possible for them to try and help us find a private driver so that we could somehow redeem the trip and escape the tourgroup from hell. The school was so helpful, they spent many hours on  Saturday trying to find the driver I had originally found (but forgot his number on my laptop), then contacting him and negotiating a price. They didn't have to do this but they were nice enough to help. We all really appreciated it, even though we were a bit agitated from the trip.

 

Also went to the Tiger Park with my classmates. FUN but I think winter is probably a better time to go. They all looked like my dog on a hot summer's day. My teachers didn't come because they had already gone but it was still fun.

 

On one of the last weekends we all had left we all (teachers included) went to check out the newly built area, which looks a bit like the old hutongs. It was a nice last- time for us all since we were all headed back home or to other parts of China.

 

Other~

My mom came about 3 days before I planned to leave to help me move to Beijing. She wanted to buy tea and a suitcase, and even  though we only had 2 days, Ayi was sweet enough to take us shopping. She was literally with us the whole weekend. Again, she didnt have to but did so anyway. She's also great at bargaining. When we found this type of spice, she made it possible for us to buy a small amount instead of the normal 1 jin, despite how much the store keeper didn't want to.

 

The school also helped me call about my inquiries to BLCU. Even though I was going to a different school, it didn't make them want to help me any less. In fact I feel like they spent a greater about of energy getting my things in order here. Once I got to Beijing I had a load of problems. Although they told me to contact them if I had any problems I felt like they probably just said it to be nice and instead posted on Chinese-forums. They found my message and skyped me almost immediately and were very concerned, then spent the next week trying to find a solution to my Visa problem. It was with their help that I finally got things settled, even though they were all the way in Harbin.

 

Overall~

I think this is an excellent school to come to if you want to improve your Chinese. Even after you leave the school they still treat you as if you were their student. This was my first time studying abroad, and also my first time living in another country on my own and they made me feel very comfortable with it. I'm now in Beijing and miss that kind of warmth that Ayi and the teachers bring. Harbin is a nice low-key area, still bustling but not like Beijing and just the right environment for studying chinese. Here I need to struggle to just speak in Chinese because some servers would rather speak english, never had that problem in Harbin. D: I'll definitely come back to study one day and I'm already planning a trip back there for the winter.

[edelweis]

Thank you for the write up Grawrt.

Could you please tell us which textbooks you are using? and perhaps how long you intend to stay in Harbin? (well it's probably none of my business but I am curious.)

[grawrt]

Sure no problem. I'm currently using 汉语教程 Hanyu Jiaocheng  第二册 by BLCU press. Though I think if you're not totally satisfied with the book the teachers would be willing to change. I know on the first class they asked me to look through it to make sure I felt comfortable with it or if i thought it was too easy or hard. But I think its just about my level.
 

I planned on staying here for 6 months, so about five more months to go

[edelweis]

ah thank you Grawrt and good luck with your studies

[JimmyJones]

Hi there, I have been considering studying at the 1to1 Mandarin Workshop and this thread has been very helpful for me so thanks to all the posters.

 

Would someone be able to answer for me what kind of visa I would need to apply for to study at the school? I am from the UK and would be looking at studying for somewhere between 2-3 months. Would I be able to simply apply for a 30 day tourist visa that I would then get extended once in Harbin?

 

Or does the school provide documentation for you to get a student visa?

 

Many thanks in advance,

Jimmy

[Zander]

Hey Jimmy,

 

I'm from the UK also studying for around the same time as you (2 months) and the Visa I am on is a student Visa. The Chinese embassy in London told me they don't really give out student visas for privately run schools so the student visa is what you should apply for. I did have to provide them with evidence of how long I planned to stay in China (I gave them a receipt of my flights back to England) but after they got this I had no problems at all getting the visa. I applied for a 60 day student one, so I didn't need to extend it at all.

[JimmyJones]

Hi Zanders many thanks for your reply. I'm a bit confused when you say "The Chinese embassy in London told me they don't really give out student visas for privately run schools so the student visa is what you should apply for" - I'm guessing you meant the tourist visa is what you should apply for?

 

Do you mind if I ask you a couple more questions seeing as you studying there? I have a basic level of Mandarin as I have only studied part time at home through evening classes but I am hopeful that given the intensive study it should help me make some decent improvement. Do you think you can are seeing a noticeable difference after being there?

 

I know that accomodation is provided but would like to try and work out a rough budget. How much on average do you need a day to live on? I'm not very extravagant and happy to eat at local places.

 

Thanks again in advance!

Jimmy

[Zander]

Hey yeah sorry, I meant to say apply for the tourist visa!

 

My Chinese has improved significantly while I've been here, definitely noticably so. I can definitely notice the difference in my Chinese conversation skills, particuarly in listening which I used to be absolutely terrible at.

 

In regards to your budget questions, Harbin is pretty cheap. I end up spending around 500rmb per week, and I eat out for every meal. You could definitely spend less than this if you wanted to by going to big supermarkets and buying stuff in bulk, but I'm really not bothered and prefer to buy water and snacks and stuff individually in the convienent store in the apartment building. Conversely you could definitely spend a lot more, particularly if you were planning on going out drinking a lot. Harbin is much much cheaper than the UK for alcohol, but as always it's relatively expensive. Similarly, Western restaurants are much more expensive than the Chinese ones.

 

If you have any other questions please let me know! Happy to help.

[JimmyJones]

Many thanks again the info is really a great help!

[MarsBlackman]

I'll add my experience with 1to1 Mandarin Workshop in Harbin because my situation varies slightly from the majority of posters. Unlike many people who come to Harbin to study at this school exclusively, I was already posted in Harbin for work and attended class at night. I was already aware of the school because of this forum from when I studied abroad in China a few years ago (I chose Dalian for various reasons). So when I began working in Harbin, this school was flexible enough and willing to meet with me in the evening once I was done with work. Instead of the standard 8-12 or 12-4 schedule like many schools in China teaching Chinese, I would meet for 1-2 hours in the evening a couple days a week. 

 

Class structure is your decision. Study material is your decision. The pace of class and learning is your decision. It is what you make of it. If you want to casually study words and phrases and pick up some Chinese for fun, you'll benefit from this school. If you want a rigorous course of study to maximize your time in China studying Chinese, you'll also benefit from this school. Just explain your goals and the teachers will then hold you accountable. I've had the pleasure of studying at this school on and off for the past 2 years.

 

From the beginning, I've used my own textbooks and learning materials. Although the HSK is important for many people, I believe studying HSK material exclusively can actually hinder your progress in Chinese. There are plenty of words, phrases, and topics used in everybody settings, from formal to casual, that are outside of the HSK curriculum (In the end you have to know it all right?). The school is plenty willing to recommend textbooks and course material. The teachers have lots of quality experience and are more than capable of designing a curriculum for you. However, it really is up to you. I simply go to the bookstore, pick out textbooks I like, and bring them to class. Anybody who has experienced the rigidity of Chinese university curricula can appreciate the flexibility and willingness to work with students that you'll find at 1to1 Mandarin Workshop.

 

The teachers do a good job of correcting your Chinese. If they were to correct every error in grammar, usage, and pronunciation, you wouldn't make any progress. There is a delicate balance when it comes to correction that only comes from experience. Unlike, Chinese university classes with 20+ students, the teachers at this school learn intimately the roots and causes of mistakes made by foreigners speaking Chinese because it is 1 to 1. This helps when correcting errors because it can get to the systemic root of a error, rather than its simply right or its wrong. Depending upon your native language, the errors you make when speaking Chinese vary. I had an interesting conversation with my teacher about the errors made by students from various countries. They realize those subtleties and it really helps in the long run. Like I said before, it really is what you make of it. 

 

Finding a teacher/tutor that your really "click" with and enjoy meeting with is tough, especially one on one because it is so intimate and intense. Although I'm not currently in Harbin, I continue to attend class via Skype. Because the school does not have all of the textbooks I'm studying, I scan the pages and email them ahead of time. This method seems to work pretty well. Despite a teacher in the flesh being more advantageous, I prefer quality over availability. Many other students continue to attend class via Skype after their time in China is completed. 

 

The quality of instruction suited to my own goals and the flexibility to attend class remotely have really helped my Chinese despite me working full time. I really can't say enough good things about the school and its teachers. They're more than willing to help you with anything outside of class as well.

[Zander]

I've just finished studying at the 1to1 Mandarin Workshop for just over 7 weeks, and like all the other posters here was very satisfied with the experience. I will try and do a basic run down of things, but if anyone has any other questions feel free to ask.

 

Accomodation: My room was pretty good, I've stayed in worse, I've stayed in better but for the price the school offers it's rather excellent. It has an ensuite, air conditioning, wifi and a TV as well as a kitchen. I never used the kitchen (I cannot cook to save my life), but I know one of my class mates used it reguarly and she seemed pretty satisfied. The location is super convenient, about a 2-3 minute walk away from the school and located in a nice modern central part of the city with plenty of good restaurants. Also for 1kuai you can take a 15min bus to Zhongyang Dajie and really be in the hub of the city. It's well worth getting well acquainted with the bus system (the school will be happy to help you) as not only is it much cheaper than a taxi but is often more convienent at times when it it is also impossible to hail down a taxi (like when it is raining!).

 

Classes: I studied every day monday-friday from 8am-12am, which was the time initially offered to me. I was given the opportunity to change times but I chose not to as I prefer being forced to get up early in the morning as I know if I don't have something early I will simply have a lie in! My classes were great. On the first day I told my teachers that I didn't want to use textbooks (I've always hated them) and would prefer class to take the form of a discussion. Initially this involved me telling my teachers a topic I would like to discuss the day before (e.g. dating) and they would prepare some vocab likely to come up and some structures etc, but as my Mandarin got better it increasingly took the form of a discussion where we would talk about whatever I fancied. This style of teaching does require a lot of individual impetus, but I cannot think of a better way to learn, and the improvement in my Mandarin testifies to that.

 

In my time here I had a total of 4 teachers, as I would sometimes request to switch for a change of pace and a new outlook. The school are happy to do this, if you want to change just ask! The previous poster wrote this as well but it's worth stressing; the school is literally happy to do whatever method of learning you prefer. I know some people while I was there were using textbooks, its just down to the students preference.

 

Staff: This I cannot praise enough, and is probably one of the main reasons why I will definitely return to Harbin. The teachers go above and beyond the call of duty to help their students, and are always willing, no matter how small. The attitude is much more like a family than a business. When I had a friend visit Harbin, Ayi organized her apartment and everything for her when she arrived, which was so helpful.

Speaking of Ayi, her food is to die for. Anyone who doesn't take up her offer of lunch at the school is crazy in my opinion, honestly some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. Right now I'm done with lessons, but I'm still in Harbin and so coming in for lunch haha.

 

 

[schen24]

I studied here for about 2.5 months thru the summer of 2014. My level is elementary - I started with very basic listening and speaking skills, no writing or reading. I shall break down this review by lessons, living arrangements and finally customer service.

Lessons
I had two teachers at any one time. The standard program is 20 hours a week, 4 hours per day. The teachers were (loosely) in charge of different areas of development ie one concentrated mostly on speaking/listening while the other went thru the drills/textbook/grammar. If you start from the beginning like I did, they bring you thru elocution the Mary Poppins way. As well, they go thru the meanings of each of the four tones for each word. They did this a few times and soon, some words began to stick. I liked that there were two teachers, because they offered diff perspectives on the usage of certain words and you can play to their strengths once identified.

The school first aims to improve oral skills; how far one wants to go in written Chinese Is largely up to oneself. And indeed, there pretty much isn't any other way to learn the characters other than by rote, so pain cannot really be shared in the classroom.

The teaching is quite flexible and tailored to the student's needs. The biggest problem is, most beginner students don't really have an idea what they want or need until they go thru the learning process. I changed my class hours a few times and switched teachers as well (due to scheduling issues). It is a little disorientating at first to keep changing teachers but if you intend to stay for a longer period it allows you to find the right 'fit'. For potential students, i guess it is very important to speak up if something does not work for you - for example, the finer points of grammar (subjects, predicates etc) were lost on me and i found it much easier to learn by example. That worked just fine but i wish i had figured that out earlier, or that the teacher had picked up on it. Similarly, i ditched the second textbook when i realised that making sense of all the words i learned before (ie using them in actual sentences) was the more pressing issue, given my time limit.

Flexibility is the key differentiator between private lessons and group classes/lectures. 4 hours a day is very intense, but can be very rewarding as well. The teachers are passionate about what they do, and this helps make the dry boring stuff bearable. I chose harbin because they are supposed to speak the most standard mandarin in the country. And indeed, this may not be fully appreciated until you venture into some other province where standards are not as high. Even on the streets you will hear mandarin (and not some regional dialect) spoken. The beauty of the classes is that they teach current and relevant mandarin for situations in everyday life which you can put into practice when you literally walk out the door. 

Now, most importantly, as to whether my 2.5 months have yielded tangible results. 

A) In the weeks prior to leaving China, I travelled alone to some pretty hole in the wall places (on public transport) and planned everything online, using a combination of Chinese and English websites. Many times website info was inaccurate or insufficient so I had to ask a lot of questions and read a lot of signs. Bottom line, I would not have been able to do it before I started the classes. 

B) I managed an entire evening of conversation in Chinese with a Chinese friend (ex-colleague) and we covered such topics as life in china, food, the economy, housing, work etc. Before, I could hardly understand a word she said and we would always speak in english. 
C) Back in Singapore, where I now live, I can totally manage giving cabbies directions, ordering food, buying things, making reservations and seeing the 中医 in Mandarin. They have the annoying habit of mixing English with Mandarin here, so the challenge for me is not to revert to using this crutch!

Living arrangements

You have the option of taking the school’s all-inclusive package of accommodation + lessons, which i highly recommend. Getting your own apt anywhere in the world is a challenge, and a particularly difficult one in china given language barriers and somewhat dodgy rental practices that stem from a lack of enforcement of the law. The apt is just across the road from the school, making it extremely convenient to go back and forth. For a fee, lunch is cooked at the school and is quite hearty, for those of you who are big eaters like me 

 

The apartment itself is pretty spacious and fully furnished. Mine could have used a thorough cleaning but overall, it was acceptable as a short-term rental, esp for the price. Apt keycards only allow you to alight on your particular floor, and doors have pretty fancy locks. There is air-conditioning and heating, but since i was there in summer only experienced the former. There are cooking facilities and a microwave. TV and wifi are also avail, but the latter was rather hit and miss. Be ready to subscribe to VPN if you can’t live without your facebook and gmail. 

 

The school and apt are located in Daoli district, which is considered the most modern district in harbin. There are quite a few restaurants within walking distance of the apartment, and a little convenience store on the ground floor (which, incidentally is home to the cutest dog i have ever seen!). The cost of living is pretty low compared to international standards, so you can eat and live pretty well even on a tight budget. 

 

Customer service

The above deserves a section of its own because i cannot say enough about the sterling standards maintained by the school. I think what’s often overlooked in the success of any venture is the people behind it. The principal and vice-principal, in particular, are amongst the nicest and most genuinely helpful people i have ever met. 

 

They are operator, telephone directory, moving service, concierge, housekeeping and building maintenance all rolled into one. Relocating to a new country and city has its fair share of challenges, and thousands of small details need to be addressed. My being able to study and improve at such a rapid pace had a lot to do with the school helping make my transition as painless as possible, thus freeing the mind from worry.

 

So overall, highly recommended and just in case anyone’s wondering, i was not paid to write this. I myself had doubts as to whether the school was legit as (independent) information about it only seems to be available on chinese forums. That hasn’t changed, but hopefully this gives more insight to the experience. Personally, this has been the most useful and practical formal learning experience i have ever had (as i studied economics this includes college as well). Lol.

[Chester22]

I studied here during my stay in Harbin, though unlike most other students posting here I didn't do it full time but only an hour or two a week to supplement my study at Bincai. My teacher was Ma Chao and he obviously knows his stuff as a teacher and was great at picking up my conversational slack and keeping things going when I floundered. He was also one of the more knowledgeable Chinese that I met and very suitable for those wanting to practice discussing more advanced topics etc, though unfortunately my chinese only began to reach that level towards the end of my studies there.

 

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend checking out their services for anyone studying in Harbin that wants to improve specific aspects of their chinese that group instruction is of limited help with.

[James W.]

I thought I would add my $0.02 to the conversation about Harbin Mandarin School.  I’ve been studying for two years – mainly through Skype classes every morning at 8am – with Ma Chao at the school.  I certainly agree with Chester22 – he knows his stuff, and is always learning, in particular about history of the language and of China.   I spend 3-4 months of summer in various cities in China, but typically interrupt my Skype lessons during that period because I can practice with my colleagues.  

 

My only other experience with language schools was at BLCU for a 3-month introductory course.  I wasn’t particularly happy with the BLCU experience.  I liked my teacher, but didn’t much care for BLCU’s materials or pedagogy, which seemed spotty and perhaps a bit random to me.  I’ve found better materials at Amazon.   Most importantly, the classroom environment is not all that conducive to language learning.   You are always competing for time and attention with the other students in the class, and since they are learning as well, they aren’t the best partners to practice with.  I’d rather go to the Zoo Market and haggle or chat with the vendors – they are happy to instruct as long as they think they might make a sale.

 

So what was the alternative?  It took me a few years after my BLCU experience to decide how to approach Chinese language pedagogy.   I am a believer in the ‘flipped classroom’ approach, where you spend time on study materials, watching Chinese TV and movies (I have a 小米盒子 and a Chinese VPN at home in the US) and trying to read things on the Internet.  Then I practice speaking, new words, new topics, new sentence structures – essentially any place that I can make a lot of mistakes and learn – when I am with Ma Chao in the Skype sessions.   Initially when we were studying, Ma Chao would come prepared with a particular set of lessons for the Skype class.  Now, I’m sure he has something ‘in his back pocket’ for whenever conversation lags.  But I try to drive the sessions with whatever I am interested in, reading about, or trying to figure out in any particular day.  He has a depth of knowledge that works very well for me.   But I need to add that most of the teachers you find in China simply don’t have the depth of knowledge (or perhaps motivation either) to be able to accommodate my style.  This is what I especially like about Ma Chao and Harbin Mandarin School – they are flexible.  That flexibility really only comes with a high degree of competence.

 

One other thing to mention about Harbin based programs – Harbin is the center for Standard Mandarin.  The character set is simplified (vs. Taiwan and Hong Kong), the dialect is what you hear in movies and TV (well, unless you are watching Hong Kong movies, where the Mandarin is fast and somewhat accented).  You can deal with these problems if you choose to study in other places, like Taipai, or (worse) Chengdu which has a heavy accent and mixes up ‘n’ and ‘l’ and probably other sounds as well.  But why the additional effort and frustration?    Learning Chinese is challenging enough to begin with. 

[rsej]

G'day all, just going to chime in with my own experience as well.

 

Had the pleasure of studying at this school for 1 month during August to escape the Shanghai heat (Harbin is absolutely pleasant during summer).

 

From the moment I arrived, Ma Chao picked me up from the airport and made me feel very welcome. He showed me to my apartment during my stay, and a local place to get quick food. During my stay, I found the bed to be quite hard even by Chinese standards, and Ayi (the principal) gave me some extra quilts. Also when I had issues with internet, how to use the washing machine, or even when I lost my key during a drunk night out with some other students, they were ready to help me immediately. They are certainly attentive and caring, without a doubt.

 

The apartment I stayed in was decent - TV, bed, washing machine, internet, a desk, and a cool view of Harbin.

 

Lesson format is 4 hours per day, 5 days a week. Some other students opted to split into 2 hours in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. I preferred to do all 4 in one hit, which can be tiresome after a while. Flexibility is the key word here - if you ask Ma Chao or Ayi to change it up a bit, they will usually accommodate. Also, as far as I know, you can have a rotation of teachers if you wish. I had 王老师 during my entire stay, and was happy with her.

 

BYO books or they can also provide you with books. If you wish to sit there and talk with the teachers for 4 hours, they'll do that. If you want to study grammar out of a textbook, they can do that too. The choice is ultimately yours and the pace at which you want to learn. I learnt a lot more in 1 month in Harbin than I did studying 1 year back home.

 

Also, do yourself a favour and stay for the lunch at midday. Ayi's cooking is fantastic.

Harbin grew on me and also the warmth of the group at the 1to1 school. Without a doubt I will return in the future for more lessons.

 

Rod

[MilesM]

Well, after reading all of these thoughtful reviews, I'm definitely sold on going to MW to study next year! I really appreciate that you guys took the time to talk about your experiences at the school!

 

Just one quick question: Is there a nice bar within walking distance of the school? I used to live at a university in Shanghai, and my favorite thing to do in the evening after class was walk over to a popular bar called Ellen's. It was always lively with both Chinese and international college-age people. If there's something like that close to MW in Harbin then I would be sooo happy!

[James W.]

Miles, just following up on your question about college/expat bars around the MW school area.  Ellen's in Shanghai as I understand is sort of your average college dive bar.   There are any number of counterparts in the Harbin area you would be living in (though in general Harbin is not as Westernized as Shanghai, nor is anyplace else in China).  Close to MW are Cosmo Disco & Club, which is not truly a disco (fhewh!) and gets a mixed crowd, Love Angel Pub, LINX Bar, U&Bar, JV, 德澳酒吧 (German-Austrian?) bar, etc.  Crowds are mixed expat, students, Russian, Korean.  I've seen some get pretty wild (say compared even to college dives) so it depends on what you want.   The main area for college bars is around HIT across town (10-15 minute taxi ride, or the metro should be open this year between your area and HIT).  There are tons of college beer bars and coffee shops in that area.

 

Which brings me to coffee shops -- this is where Harbin really distinguishes itself.   Maple leaves, Soul Cafe, Zoo Cafe all have big coffee shops in the MW area (Zoo is really interesting with life sized stuffed animals on two floors).  The HIT area must have 50 coffee shops.  I tend to visit Mellow on HIT campus.   Harbin is the only place I've found in China with Western style espresso shops, serving good beans and strong expresso.  Even Shanghai's Starbucks want to dollop sugar into your $4 cappuccino.  Hong Kong, Chengdu and the West have a coffee culture, with many shops serving $5-$10 coffee drinks (usually instant coffee with Redi-Whip on top) like Goodwood and Pokka Coffee.  But Western and Southern Chinese coffee is simply awful, watery and bitter.   This is important to me, and one of the reasons I like Harbin (I tend to spend a lot of time in coffee shops).  The coffee shops are social centers as well, and you can meet a lot of students and expats when you sit around and study in a coffee shop.