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Marianna Italy

Coming to Beijing through LTL Mandarin School for me was not just a study experience but above all a life experience. As soon as I arrived at school, I found a welcoming environment where people will make you feel at ease straight away.

At LTL one thing is for sure, you will never feel alone. The entire staff are always available. As for the lessons you will be followed step by step, and everything is very flexible according to your needs. The teachers are well qualified and at the same time they are able to create a relaxed atmosphere in the classroom.

The bonds that we have established with them go beyond the simple teacher-student relationship. At LTL Mandarin School I have had the opportunity to integrate myself into everyday Chinese life thanks to the many organized activities that allow you to relate with people from different countries. At the end of your journey, in addition to achieving your goal of study you will feel enriched on a personal level. Sure, there will be initial difficulties due to the linguistic and cultural differences. However, all the friendships that you can build will transform what is a simple study trip into an experience that you will carry with you forever.

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Franzi Germany

I had previously studied Chinese as an optional subject at the University for two years in Germany. After my graduation, I wanted to go to China for a while to improve. In particular I wanted to work on my listening comprehension which was often neglected in my university course with about 15-20 students. After my arrival in Beijing, my worst fears came true, I did not understand a word…! The pronunciation of the real Chinese is very different from the perfectly pronounced recordings I had learned at home.

I had opted for the intensive course and thus I had four daily lessons in a small group (with four Italians) and then two hours of private lessons. Looking back, I underestimated how exhausting six hours of lessons are in one go (in such a small group or even alone). For the last few hours, I used to be a bit tired and heavy-handed, but luckily my teachers adapted to my pace of learning. I really liked that the lessons were entertaining.

In addition, I had decided to take the exam for an official language certificate (HSK3) in Beijing. I feared the “listening comprehension part” of the exam and I toyed several times with the idea of ​​giving up and resigning from the exam. Luckily, my teachers had a lot of understanding and faith in me. They rebuilt me ​​and systematically prepared me for the exam. Although I walked calmly, but not very self-assured, I took the HSK test. For me, coping with the test anxiety was a big step forward. Unfortunately, I do not have the result of my test now, but I am confident and feel that it went well.

Working with native speakers has helped my listening skills both at school and in everyday life. I still do not understand everything spoken in Chinese (even if I have to know the vocabulary), but compared to the first day, my understanding has improved a lot.

In everyday life I can make myself understand one way or another. I’m sad that time has gone so fast. Here I had not only made linguistic progress but also met many nice people and made friends. I will continue to work on my knowledge of Chinese and, if time permits, I will gladly return to China one day.

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Maggie Maine, USA

Hello! I am a recent college graduate from the USA. I did a 15 week intensive study program with LTL in all 3 cities. I did 5 weeks in each location, starting in Shanghai, then to Beijing, and ending my adventure in Chengde. I started from an absolute zero level and now I can use Chinese conversationally with my host family and in day to day life.

I am very glad to have found LTL, and that I chose to do the 3 city program. I found LTL on the Internet and decided to do all three cities because I wanted as many experiences as possible, and wanted to see more places in China. LTL is great for this because their staff give you insider information on the cities and recommendations on how and when to go to a site. They also organized trips to places I never would have found on my own, like a hike to a remote part of the Great Wall and the Shanghai Marriage Market.

When I arrived in Shanghai I had no idea if I had set myself up for months of pain or an awesome experience. Luckily, it turned out to be the latter, and the supportive, all inclusive atmosphere at LTL made adapting to the culture shock much easier. That and Shanghai’s international ties made getting around the city a great place to start to study Chinese. LTL Shanghai’s Alex and Fu Lala were so supportive. I never felt lost or alone despite being in a city of 24 million. The other students were wonderful, and we all commiserated on the daily 40℃ (104℉) weather. I took 4 hours of group classes and 2 hours of individual a day, so I not only had the opportunity to learn at my own pace, but also learned in a group which was often more fun and cooperative.

Five weeks flew by and I found myself taking the bullet train to Beijing and my new school. The summer was coming to an end and my classmates changed from college students to travelling professionals. Over the course of my trip, my classmates ranged from a 17 year old Spanish girl starting college that autumn to a 68 year old former German diplomat who had worked in the Beijing Embassy. I’m glad I chose to go to Beijing because, though Shanghai is amazing and looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, Beijing has all of the classic sights and so much history! My classes were once again excellent. Instead of hot weather, we commiserated about how crazy the subway was in the mornings.

Chengde was again a big change and a great experience. Chengde is different because there is no actual school location and all classes are individual. That being said, my homestay was great and I saw huge improvement in my Chinese. In my 5 weeks there I saw 3 other foreigners. It really is a true immersion, and after my first week I was tired using all Chinese all the time. But after a week I started to become comfortable. I would recommend Chengde to anyone looking to focus on their Chinese culture and language study, because the isolation forced me to stop using English speaking classmates and independently work on my Chinese.

All in all, I have had a great experience at LTL. I leave China with a new skill, friends from all over the world, and the ability to live and travel comfortably in one of the biggest, most influential countries in the world. Thank you LTL for an amazing language and cultural experience!

To find out more about Maggie’s experience with LTL you can watch her video interview she kindly offered to take part in. She discusses the Multi City program in further detail alongside her other experiences as she studied Chinese throughout China.