Language Programs in Beijing, China

I’ve been at LTL Language School Beihai for 3 out of 6 weeks now. My speaking skills have improved a lot and I really enjoy all the activities we do after school, like martial arts, going to the beach, going to neighboring cities like Nanning, and going to the movies and night markets! Everyone in Beihai can speak Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese). They also speak Baihua (Cantonese). The teachers here are really kind and it’s a super close knit community here. The teachers are extremely receptive to your needs. Whether you only want to focus on speaking and listening comprehension, or you want to follow an HSK textbook, all are welcome options and the teachers are very adaptable. I’ve been here for three weeks and been studying Chinese for 9 years already, including 2 years of intensive college level classes in Boston. But, within three weeks, I’ve made insurmountable progress due to the immersive environment—progress that I wouldn’t have been able to make back in the States. The LTL language school helped me find my homestay, who eats with me every night and brings me to several events every week. She is so kind and fun, and even taught me a bit of Cantonese! I highly recommend a homestay. I use a motorbike to get to and from school every day. It’s cheap, easy, and the most commonly used form of transportation here. The beach is 20 minutes from the school by motorbike. It is 3 RMB (50 cents USD) to recharge your motorbike, and I generally only have to recharge it once or twice a week. Anyways, my greatest tip is to download the apps that the director says to download on your orientation call (like Alipay, a VPN, etc). Other than that, it’s easier than you think to acclimate to Beihai life. Beihai has quite good weather in my opinion, although it’s definitely on the hot side in the middle of the year (June, July, August). The people are kind but be prepared to be asked for photos since you are likely the first foreigner they’ve met.

The teachers are very kind and help a lot! The classes and material are great, we have an online platform that helps a lot! The facilities and classroom are very new and clean, there is also coffee and tea for free!