Volunteer in China + Study Chinese

It's pretty interesting that you can exchange your labour for food and housing which makes things really affordable here. Spend a few hours volunteering and practicing English with local Chinese adults/kids in exchange for housing and meals. I would say maybe just opt for the housing because meals wise in China its pretty cheap and not worth your labour. About US$10 a day will get you three meals easily in Yangshuo. The program works off the English School so you study in the Chinese School but teach down the rd at the English school Pretty well located almost next to each other. There's a secret yoga studio you can pop into as well if you feel like working out in between classes.

For my first time volunteering solo abroad, Omeida sets the bar high. Yangshuo, China is an absolutely gorgeous place surrounded by mountains, combined with both modern amenities and rural lifestyles. I had the absolute pleasure of spending a month volunteering in their marketing department. The work isn't difficult at all, as the marketing manager works with your skillset and is adept at showing you the ropes. After your shift, you're free to do whatever you'd like. Whether it be bike rides along the river, hiking through caves, board game nights, or dancing in Chinese discos, there's always something to do here. There's an eclectic mix of students and volunteers from all over the world, and there's always new friends to make each week. The staff here is incredibly welcoming, quick to accommodate any requests or take you to their favorite local BBQ spot. Their positive attitudes are incredibly contagious and will always plan fun group activities that make it easy to break the ice. This was incredibly valuable to me as a solo traveler, because I definitely left a family behind in Omeida. The dorms are basic, but there's plenty of storage and space. The food is delicious and family-style, so meals are a different experience each time. I left Omeida wishing I could stay longer, which is probably the best feeling I could have gotten from this whole experience. One thing I do have to say is that because there's a lot of freedom here, your time is here is what you personally make of it. For me, I had the time of my life.

Hello, totally I spent more than half a year at Omeida being a volunteer and learning Chinese. For me it turned to be the most exceptional place for learning Chinese as the education there is very well organised, groups are small (on my level there were just 1-2 students in the class), teachers are very nice, patient, ready to explain and give examples. I loved the place where the school is located as it's just 10 minutes cycling to the countryside, and 20 minutes to the famous Yulong River. You can explore the place by bicycle or scooter as there are many paths leading to different mountains, and lots of climbing spots. Volunteering at Omeida is great as well, nice opportunity to teach English and make more friends among Chinese students. They come from different places of China and having conversation class with them can help you to discover China better. And it helps to save you money as well, if you have one volunteering class a day (Monday-Friday) you get free food or free accommodation, if you do two classes you get both. So I definitely recommend the school for learning or for volunteering, you will love and come back! As I did ;)

I stayed at Omeida Chinese Academy for one month volunteering in the marketing department. I had a really great time during my stay and I can only recommend Omeida to anyone interested in going to China! As a volunteer I would work 4 hours in the mornings Monday-Friday, which was perfect as it gave me time to go explore Yangshuo and the beautiful countryside in the afternoons. During my stay my main task was to help prepare Omeida's summer camp program, which included contacting potential schools and designing a pricing flyer. In return for my work, Omeida would provide free accommodation and food (lunch and dinner). The accommodation was very nice and only a 2 min walk from the school. Every week Omeida organizes social and cultural activities for volunteers and students (BBQ, karaoke, hotpot dinner etc.) which I would usually attend. It's a great opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture and get to know the other students studying at Omeida. The environment at Omeida is really nice, very relaxed and everyone is very friendly! Before my arrival Omeida was also really helpful in providing me information about visa and directions to the school etc., making my arrival very smooth and easy. In the weekends I would usually go explore the surrounding countryside. Yangshuo has some of the most amazing scenery ever! There is lots to do and see, whether its exploring some of the hidden caves and waterfalls, going on bike rides in the countryside or hiking up one of the karst mountains to enjoy a breathtaking view of Yangshuo. I had a really great experience and for anyone considering studying/volunteering at Omeida I can only say do it!