Comments on: Is China a good place to learn Chinese? http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm Tips and Strategies for Learning to Speak Mandarin Chinese Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:37:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bamboo http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7469 Bamboo Thu, 28 May 2009 02:29:54 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-7469 kiss, I would recommend you to go to Xi'an or nanjing,both of these cities have a long history and they were capitals in the past,there are still lots of historical sites,after you visit these,maybe you can know much more about China,since your chinese is not good enough,go to visit those with some chinese college students will be a good choice. And in these two cities,there are also lots of top universities.As for nanjing university,it is one of the top universities in China,maybe there is some difficuilties for you to apply for your acceptation. What about Nanjing university of sicence and technology....haha kiss,
I would recommend you to go to Xi’an or nanjing,both of these cities have a long history and they were capitals in the past,there are still lots of historical sites,after you visit these,maybe you can know much more about China,since your chinese is not good enough,go to visit those with some chinese college students will be a good choice.

And in these two cities,there are also lots of top universities.As for nanjing university,it is one of the top universities in China,maybe there is some difficuilties for you to apply for your acceptation.

What about Nanjing university of sicence and technology….haha

]]> By: temptresszkiss http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7468 temptresszkiss Wed, 27 May 2009 16:20:13 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-7468 Hello, I am planning to study abroad in China my Junior year in College - I just finished my first year. I have studied at Beijing Language and Culture University during my high school years. I am currently taking private Mandarin lessons from a man who was born and raised in Beijing. He said going to Nanjing University would be great. I want to explore different areas in China, so I wouldn't like to return to Beijing to study abroad again. I do not really want to go to a main city like Beijing or Shanghai... My goal is to learn the Chinese culture, language, customs etc... I literally want to be dreaming in Chinese (that is how fluent I want to be) Does anyone have any suggestions as to which city/school I should go to? Also, would a homestay option instead of a dorm option help me tremendously in my goals? Hello, I am planning to study abroad in China my Junior year in College – I just finished my first year. I have studied at Beijing Language and Culture University during my high school years. I am currently taking private Mandarin lessons from a man who was born and raised in Beijing. He said going to Nanjing University would be great. I want to explore different areas in China, so I wouldn’t like to return to Beijing to study abroad again. I do not really want to go to a main city like Beijing or Shanghai…

My goal is to learn the Chinese culture, language, customs etc… I literally want to be dreaming in Chinese (that is how fluent I want to be)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which city/school I should go to?

Also, would a homestay option instead of a dorm option help me tremendously in my goals?

]]> By: Shanghai Baby http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7438 Shanghai Baby Sun, 24 May 2009 09:18:54 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-7438 I think the best way to learn chinese is to have more chinese friends. Talk to them more and you will be able to learn easily. By the way, I'm in the midst of building a website to connect China and the world. I hope people from all over the world get to know China people better and make friends with each other. As i am still at early stage and the website is not entirely finished, I would like to invite you to take a look and let me know what you think. The website is http://www.ecpod.com At the moment you can sign up, upload your photo, right something about yourself and make friends with each other. You can browse the current members on the site. Appreciate your feedback. Thank you. Shanghai Baby I think the best way to learn chinese is to have more chinese friends. Talk to them more and you will be able to learn easily.

By the way, I’m in the midst of building a website to connect China and the world. I hope people from all over the world get to know China people better and make friends with each other.

As i am still at early stage and the website is not entirely finished, I would like to invite you to take a look and let me know what you think.

The website is http://www.ecpod.com

At the moment you can sign up, upload your photo, right something about yourself and make friends with each other. You can browse the current members on the site.

Appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

Shanghai Baby

]]> By: beijing.mama http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-7431 beijing.mama Sat, 23 May 2009 11:03:45 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-7431 I just happened on to this site, re another page, and followed the link to this page because the title question seemed downright strange to me. I've lived in Beijing for five years and have had nearly the opposite experience. I can't get anyone to use English with me (though people shout "hello" when we pass). In my early days, I struggled through many conversations in Chinese (try to request or plan something) only to find later that the person I was speaking with was fluent in English. (I even paid a translator one time to find out the person was completely fluent! What a waste of time for him to spend a half hour listening to himself being translated!) Maybe because you are on a campus, it is different, but I've never found a situation where someone wanted to use English with me over Chinese, even in Starbucks. While it's true that many long term expats cannot hold a conversation, I don't know any foreigners who can't get around in a taxi or restaurant or tell time; it's imperative for survival (unless they drive themselves around all day, but I don't know anyone who does this). I have two small children and they are the gateway to talking with Chinese on the street and making friends with parents at their school. So, come visit Beijing to practice your Mandarin or be prepared to have your hotel concierge write your entire itinerary in characters, or you'll be going nowhere. (Taxi drivers here don't even understand the English names for monuments or hotels. Not saying that they should, but that I don't understand this thread at all as I'm reading it from downtown BJ.) I just happened on to this site, re another page, and followed the link to this page because the title question seemed downright strange to me. I’ve lived in Beijing for five years and have had nearly the opposite experience. I can’t get anyone to use English with me (though people shout “hello” when we pass). In my early days, I struggled through many conversations in Chinese (try to request or plan something) only to find later that the person I was speaking with was fluent in English. (I even paid a translator one time to find out the person was completely fluent! What a waste of time for him to spend a half hour listening to himself being translated!) Maybe because you are on a campus, it is different, but I’ve never found a situation where someone wanted to use English with me over Chinese, even in Starbucks. While it’s true that many long term expats cannot hold a conversation, I don’t know any foreigners who can’t get around in a taxi or restaurant or tell time; it’s imperative for survival (unless they drive themselves around all day, but I don’t know anyone who does this). I have two small children and they are the gateway to talking with Chinese on the street and making friends with parents at their school. So, come visit Beijing to practice your Mandarin or be prepared to have your hotel concierge write your entire itinerary in characters, or you’ll be going nowhere. (Taxi drivers here don’t even understand the English names for monuments or hotels. Not saying that they should, but that I don’t understand this thread at all as I’m reading it from downtown BJ.)

]]> By: Albert http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6965 Albert Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:22:09 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6965 Bamboo, I'm sorry I had to remove the first part of your comment about "the island" because my website started showing "this page cannot be displayed" and "connection interrupted." A coincidence? I don't know. Dear Everyone, For the record, Laowai Chinese is strictly about language learning. Please avoid discussions of other issues. I paid good money to get my IP address unbanned and I don't want to go through all that again. Oh and "Catch 22" = a no-win situation (see <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Acatch+22&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enCN263CN313" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>). Bamboo,

I’m sorry I had to remove the first part of your comment about “the island” because my website started showing “this page cannot be displayed” and “connection interrupted.” A coincidence? I don’t know.

Dear Everyone,

For the record, Laowai Chinese is strictly about language learning. Please avoid discussions of other issues. I paid good money to get my IP address unbanned and I don’t want to go through all that again.

Oh and “Catch 22″ = a no-win situation (see here).

]]> By: Bamboo http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6964 Bamboo Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:55:02 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6964 As for taiwan,I think maybe it is a good place to pracitse your listening and speaking,but I don't think it is a good place to learn your writing,as I know taiwanese use more 繁体字(I don't know how to say that in english)than the ppl from mainland.(Maybe I am wrong,by now,I haven't been to taiwan,I know that just from TV and some movies which were producted by taiwanese). I think shanghai,nanjing and hangzhou are good choice to work and live,and there are lots of universities in this three place.To the very south of China,just as guangzhou and guangxi,I don't agree those places are good choices,as you may know,those people speak with a special accent. Albert,may I ask what's the mean of this sentence "It’s kind of a catch 22."in your reply,can't follow you.thx. As for taiwan,I think maybe it is a good place to pracitse your listening and speaking,but I don’t think it is a good place to learn your writing,as I know taiwanese use more 繁体字(I don’t know how to say that in english)than the ppl from mainland.(Maybe I am wrong,by now,I haven’t been to taiwan,I know that just from TV and some movies which were producted by taiwanese).

I think shanghai,nanjing and hangzhou are good choice to work and live,and there are lots of universities in this three place.To the very south of China,just as guangzhou and guangxi,I don’t agree those places are good choices,as you may know,those people speak with a special accent.

Albert,may I ask what’s the mean of this sentence “It’s kind of a catch 22.”in your reply,can’t follow you.thx.

]]> By: Albert http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6954 Albert Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:40:23 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6954 Bamboo,First of all, your English is great! Don't worry about mistakes here. We are all language learners so everyone should be very tolerant. Secondly, you've got a good point. It's kind of a catch 22. If we go to a small town or village to learn Chinese there won't be many people speaking English. But, as you pointed out, there also won't be as many people speaking Mandarin (which is what most foreigners want to learn). The other problem with avoiding universities and big cities is we need some way to 1) get a visa, 2) make money. Teaching at a university or working in a big city is generally better for those two things. Bamboo,First of all, your English is great! Don’t worry about mistakes here. We are all language learners so everyone should be very tolerant. Secondly, you’ve got a good point. It’s kind of a catch 22. If we go to a small town or village to learn Chinese there won’t be many people speaking English. But, as you pointed out, there also won’t be as many people speaking Mandarin (which is what most foreigners want to learn). The other problem with avoiding universities and big cities is we need some way to 1) get a visa, 2) make money. Teaching at a university or working in a big city is generally better for those two things.

]]> By: Bamboo http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6952 Bamboo Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:32:58 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6952 I don't dare to write in english,cause you guys are all native english speakers.sorry. maybe I can try to write more in english,hope someone can point out my mistakes when you read in my post,thanks in advance. I don’t dare to write in english,cause you guys are all native english speakers.sorry.
maybe I can try to write more in english,hope someone can point out my mistakes when you read in my post,thanks in advance.

]]> By: Bamboo http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6951 Bamboo Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:29:47 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6951 我是中国人，呵呵。 在这个网站里我虽然没看过多少文字，但有一点我可以跟你们讲，如果你们真的想找一个好的环境来学习中文，不要去大城市，去小城市多好。。。。。不要去大学多好，去初中去高中教英语多好。。。。去这样的地方就不大会有你身边都是能够用英语跟你交流了，有这样的感受吗？ 当然了，去农村我想是不行的，因为平时人民都不怎么的说普通话滴...... 我是中国人，呵呵。

在这个网站里我虽然没看过多少文字，但有一点我可以跟你们讲，如果你们真的想找一个好的环境来学习中文，不要去大城市，去小城市多好。。。。。不要去大学多好，去初中去高中教英语多好。。。。去这样的地方就不大会有你身边都是能够用英语跟你交流了，有这样的感受吗？
当然了，去农村我想是不行的，因为平时人民都不怎么的说普通话滴……

]]> By: 大羽 http://laowaichinese.net/is-china-a-good-place-to-learn-chinese.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6949 大羽 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:59:05 +0000 http://laowaichinese.net/?p=49#comment-6949 Albert, I think the best way to reply all you guys should be in Chinese. I hope I was that Tennise teacher or Cabbie. 我还以为那些拼音是自动加上的，呵呵，全部写成拼音还是很费事儿的。所以，这次还是让我自己来加拼音注释吧。 wǒ hái yǐ wéi nà xiē pīn yīn shì zì dòng jiā shàng de, hè hè, quán bù xiě chéng pīn yīn hǎi shī hěn fèi shì(er)de. suǒ yǐ, zhè cì hái shì ràng wǒ zì jǐ jiā pīn yīn zhù shì ba. Albert, I think the best way to reply all you guys should be in Chinese. I hope I was that Tennise teacher or Cabbie.

我还以为那些拼音是自动加上的，呵呵，全部写成拼音还是很费事儿的。所以，这次还是让我自己来加拼音注释吧。

wǒ hái yǐ wéi nà xiē pīn yīn shì zì dòng jiā shàng de, hè hè, quán bù xiě chéng pīn yīn hǎi shī hěn fèi shì(er)de. suǒ yǐ, zhè cì hái shì ràng wǒ zì jǐ jiā pīn yīn zhù shì ba.

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