Bluefalcon Posted April 24, 2005 at 03:46 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2005 at 03:46 PM I'm currently studying in a small city in Yunnan, Baoshan, at the Baoshan Teacher's College. The program is great with all the normal classes like listening ability, grammar, spoken language, reading, character writing, and other extras in the past like Chinese caligraphy and Taijiquan (like a very slow kata in Taikuando). The program is set to have you passing the Chinese Language Proficiency Test (HSK) in 3 years. Right now there are only 2 students. There have been up to five in the past, but apparently no one knows about this unique opportunity away from the loud noise and distractions of the bigger cities. Local people's language is just as "standard" and understandable to practice with as those in Kunming, and 100 times better than the Changsha dialect universally spoken in Changsha where I studies for just over 1 semester before changing. Locals have lots of free time and want to talk. Also, almost no one speaks English and this is a plus for learning the language without distraction. The expenses are incredibly cheap, with nice apartments for around ¥500/mo. ($65/mo.), and taxis (nice Voltzwagens) starting at ¥3 (first 2 km.). Local food is also extremely cheap, although "Western" options are not so appetizing. The airport currently has 2 flights to/from Kunming a day for anywhere from ¥400-550 per way, but the 6-hour bus ride is only ¥150. I encourage anyone who's tired of studying in Kunming for whatever reason to check out this opportunity. Also, anyone looking for a great place to learn Mandarin, check it out. The school's foreign affairs officer is great and will get your student visa from the PSB for however long you want to study. The school's cool web page, Baoshan Teacher's College. Yours, Bluefalcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon Posted April 27, 2005 at 03:32 AM Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 at 03:32 AM Bluefalcon, your description of the program and its location caught my attention. Thing is, I don't read a word of Chinese; I couldn't make head or tail of the school's website. How do I contact the people who run this program? Thanks in advance, Gideon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tradinup Posted April 27, 2005 at 10:21 AM Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 at 10:21 AM Caught my attention too... I read some characters but couldn't find the page with the courses info on it (Chinese is OK) do you have the link? Can you tell me what is the cost for a semester? Most universities seem to be about 9000rmb for 4 months, with about 4 hours of teaching M-F. Just want to compare. I am looking for a cost-effective, but valuable, learning experience as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefalcon Posted April 27, 2005 at 11:16 AM Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 at 11:16 AM Unfortunately, only two students work part-time on the web page and neither of them speak a word of English :-(, and the International Student information hasn't been added yet anyway, not even in Chinese. Anyway, the current rate is ¥7000 per semester (which we actually think is a little expensive due to the small size of the school and city), which includes 12-16 hrs. per week. This semester is only 12 hrs., 2 hrs. Character writing (about 30 per week), 6 hrs. from the main book (grammar/texts/reading/excercises/drills), 2 hrs. spoken language, 2 hrs. listening comprehension. Our text books are all by Beijing Univ. Press, in the Dui Wai Hanyu Benke Xilie Jiaocai series, with Hanyu Jiaocheng, Kouyu Jiaocheng, and Tingli Jiaocheng. Our character writing is just chapter by chapter from the Hanyu Jiaocheng. The official foreign affairs officer (FAO) is Julia, her tel. # is (86)13987571780, but the former FAO whose English is better and actually does most of the work is Qiu Laoshi, tel. # is (86)13330590022. I can post the address of the FAO office also. Right now the actual visa is done on-site by the PSB, and is an unlimited entry student visa for however long as you wish to study. The school is really wanting to build its foreign student program, but with little English ability and even less Internet savvy, they can't seem to get it done. I'm not just saying this, but the environment for studying the language here, and also the climate, which is actually much more moderate and consistent than Kunming, is hard to improve upon without going to Beijing or other larger and more expensive cities. Yours, Bluefalcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon Posted April 27, 2005 at 02:57 PM Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 at 02:57 PM Do either of the contacts you mention have email addresses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tradinup Posted April 28, 2005 at 05:55 AM Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 at 05:55 AM 12-16 hours.. 12 certainly isn't very much. At SZU its 20 hours a week, the tuition is about 8000 I believe. Also, 30 characters a week doesn't seem like too much. Maybe a bit of a laid-back school compared to some others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluefalcon Posted April 29, 2005 at 08:06 AM Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2005 at 08:06 AM I'll check into their email addresses. 30 characters a week doesn't sound like much to memorize to write, but we were doing about 60 a week and couldn't retain them. We have to learn to read (i.e. recognize) more than 30 a week (from the other classes), but with writing we just stick to about 30 a week. After 5 weeks we have a comprehensive writing exam over the 150 or so words. Yours, Bluefalcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryswift Posted May 6, 2005 at 01:27 PM Report Share Posted May 6, 2005 at 01:27 PM i am interested in a smaller city (currently studying in kunming) but the tuition seems too high. i am paying u.s. $610 for 1 sem, 20 hrs per week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingguolaoshi Posted July 12, 2005 at 09:13 PM Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 at 09:13 PM Hi! I'm looking for a study experience in a small town. I tried to call both of those numbers, Julia's seems to be disconnected and Qiu Laoshi's is never answered. Are there email addresses I can reach these folks at or updated phone numbers? I can speak a little Chinese, perhaps enough to call the school directly if the foreign language department can put up with my bad putonghua. Thanks Ivy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.stinky Posted July 16, 2005 at 07:13 PM Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 at 07:13 PM ---> http://www.toptrip.cc/destination/city/yn_baoshan.htm looks interesting.....what are accomodations like? how difficult for a non-speaker to rent an apartment? buy food? where can i get more detail on the program in english? 3 years sounds like the length of program i want to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidegger Posted December 5, 2005 at 04:43 AM Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 at 04:43 AM Has anyone found out any more info about this Baoshan school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liuzhou Posted December 5, 2005 at 06:12 AM Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 at 06:12 AM I remember Baoshan well. Spent a night there in 1998. I always remember the bus station and the lovely girl who made sure I got on the bus OK. I've never been sure whether she just wanted to make sure the laowai was ok, or whether she wanted to make sure I left! Sorry, I know nothing about the Teaching College's program, although I did spend a wonderful holiday in Qingdao with one of the college's foreign teachers, among other people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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