Omeida Chinese Academy

Program Reviews

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Fabián
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Expectations vastly exceeded

When I told a friend I was learning Mandarin, he told me about Omeida. Another friend confirmed it being a positive experience. I wanted to see China for the first time so why not. Not only were the classes really good and the progress fast, but also the two weeks I spend in Yangshuo were also my favorite part of my 4 week trip to China. The region is full of cultural sites, entertainment and astounding nature, particularly the mountains, unlike anywhere I've been to. Besides the quality of the lessons, the school provides a really friendly, helpful and positive environment. They helped me with all sorts of chores to enjoy my stay to the max. The staff is always ready to help and they organize plenty of nice activities with all the students so you never get bored. I can't recommend it enough.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come for as long as you can and try to book the full day intensive program, it works and it's the most cost effective way
Pros
  • Course quality
  • Friendly environment
  • Surrounding areas
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Gerhard
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Es ist nie zu früh und selten zu spät/It is never too early and rarely too late

Aufmerksam auf Omeida bin ich durch ein Werbebanner während einer Rundreise 2016 geworden. Nachdem ich schon einen Online Kurs absolviert hatte bekam ich im Frühjahr 2023 die Gelegenheit die Schule während eines Arbeitsaufenthalts zu besuchen. Das war unmittelbar nach dem Lockdown ende, der Schulbetrieb lief auf Sparflamme, aber mein Interesse war geweckt. Dieses Jahr war ich drei Wochen hier und beabsichtige auch nächstes Jahr zu kommen. Die ganze Organisation, Unterkunft, An- und Abreise, Schulbetrieb ist, klasse. Es ist IMMER jemand erreichbar.

English version:
I became aware of Omeida through an advertising banner during a tour in 2016. After I had already completed an online course, I had the opportunity to visit the school during a work trip in the spring of 2023. That was immediately after the lockdown ended, school operations were on a low budget, but my interest was piqued. I was here for three weeks this year and plan to come again next year. The whole organization, accommodation, arrival and departure, and school operations are great. There is ALWAYS someone available.

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Mads
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great for both beginners and more advanced students

I had a fantastic experience at Omeida Yangshuo during the summer of 2024. I spent a couple of months in China, initially exploring various cultural sights. However, when I arrived in Yangshuo and enrolled at Omeida, I ended up staying in one place. Although I originally booked the course for just one week, I enjoyed it so much that I extended my stay to a full month.

The experience at Omeida was exceptional, not only because of the high-quality instruction and small class sizes—qualities you might find at other language schools—but because of the unique language environment and the rich cultural experiences they offer. What truly sets Omeida apart is its integration with the adjacent Omeida English school, creating a vibrant community where students from both schools can connect. There are numerous opportunities to interact with native Chinese speakers, whether it's playing mahjong, sharing meals at local restaurants, or participating in the school's cultural nights and weekend activities. These events often bring together native speakers and Chinese language learners, providing ample opportunities to immerse oneself in a Chinese-speaking environment.

There's never a dull moment at Omeida. I spent four weeks there and hope to return in the near future.

Also, If you enjoy rock climbing, you'll find that Yangshuo is one of the best places in China for this.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I was i Yangzhou on my only with the main purpose of learning Chinese. Next time, I hope to bring my partner, to let her also experience this wonderful place. Even though, she does not speak any Chinese, Yangzhou has the benefit of having a large international community, which makes it easier for a non-Chinese speaker to make friends.
Pros
  • Lots of language practice with native speakers
  • Many activities on all days of the week
  • Beautiful environment - suitable for climbing, hiking and exploring nature
Cons
  • Price - I do find the price step compared to public institutions, however it is also worthwhile
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Jovell
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Jovell's Yanshuo Review

If you are going to come to get a proper walk through of Chinese, then Yangshuo is definitely the best place to learn. It is filled with friendly people that are willing to communicate and a relaxed environment to enjoy your time. Personally, I wanted to practice speaking more and with the option of doing 1-on-1 class, really helped with my williness to communicate and has really motivated me to continue self-studying and pursue the language much more!

The language partner program is a really great addition to the school especially if you are motivated to practice speaking much like I was. I would do it again and perhaps stay longer!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would definitely stay longer and have more free time to practice.
Pros
  • Cultural Activities
  • Language Partner Program
  • Weekend adventures
Cons
  • Book vocabulary words can be hit or miss
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Valerie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience

It was my first trip to China and I wanted to improve my Chinese skills. I booked this 2 weeks class and it was a great choice. Not only the city itself is beautiful, but the school is amazing. My only regret is that I haven’t booked a longer class. I took mandarin classes in the morning and Taichi classes in the afternoon, I had a language partner to practice with everyday. I improved my Chinese and discovered the culture too. I met tons of new people from everywhere. All the staff members I met were helpful and I felt home everyday. Thanks for these beautiful two weeks!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would plan to stay longer than 2 weeks.
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Riho
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience!

My 3 kids joined the summer camp for 2 weeks. Through this camp they learned not only Chinese but also learned a life skill. Such as communication skill,self management skill and being considerate for others. They shared a room and spend 24 hours together with friends.
They could mix with friends from different countries and different ages.
Omeida provided Chinese lessons in the morning and exciting activities afternoon like cave exploring,kayaking and cooking classes etc.
What I appreciated a lot was they kept phones away most of the time. So that kids could connect well with each others,became very close friends such a short period.
Thank you to all the dedicated and friendly teachers and very helpful staffs! Thank youuuu

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MOISES
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience learning Chinese at Omeida!

Hello everyone! One week now that I came back home! The trip to China was wonderful!
I study Chinese at the Official Language School in Valencia (Spain) and wanted to visit China for my first time. My colleagues will travel to Omeida next September, I couldn't do it in September, so I decided to go by myself now in July. Great idea!

Omeida English and Chinese schools are very well organised. Besides the classes, having a language partner (50/50 English/ Chinese) was great! Mine even took me to make some tourism around and helped me shopping too! Volunteering to speak English with Chinese people studying English was fun too!! (Doing that Omeida provides hosting!)

My main purpose was to learn practical chinese and improve general fluency. I only stayed two weeks, but I could see how it improved. Not only because of the classes, but also thanks to the language partner and speaking at local shops and restaurants!
Yangshuo, with its spectacular lanscape, is the perfect small-medium size location for that! Omeida also favor meeting people from all the world, with the nice common lounge and their cultural activities. Omeida staff are all very nice people, always trying to help you.

Overall a fantastic trip! 👍

What was your funniest moment?
Trying to understand and make myself understood at local shops.
Pros
  • Affordable academy and city
  • Omeida nice staff
  • Beautiful landscape
Cons
  • The hot and humidity in July
  • Housing (in general under western standards)
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Walter
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great experience learning chinese and making new friends

Went to Omeida with the purpose of learning practical chinese to travel within China and improve general fluency. Over 3 weeks learnt lots of new vocabulary, made some great friends and saw some of the most beautiful views in YangShuo, well worth the time spent!

During the afternoons and nights you can choose to spend time with fellow chinese students or venture out to the English school where you will meet chinese native students learning English. It’s a really immersive experience where you will meet a diverse range of individuals.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Beautiful caves and mountains
Pros
  • Low cost and affordable city
  • Friendly teachers
  • Gréât community
Cons
  • Housing
  • Access to airport
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Guy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Absolutely perfect combination of learning and volunteering

This program was amazing! On the learning side, I made huge progress in Mandarin over my 2 month stay. My teacher was excellent, the staff was great and very supportive, and my fellow classmates were so much fun to be with! Omeida has a great formula here: with the two schools (Chinese learning and English learning) right next to each other, it creates an incredible atmosphere of interaction and as a result we make great strides in learning not only the language, but also the culture! Part of the program includes paring students up as "language partners". This enabled us to continue learning outside the classroom (while hiking in the evening, having dinner together, hanging out in the evening listening to live music, etc!) and also created lifelong friendships! The volunteering opportunity at Omeida was perfect, allowing me to help the Chinese students improve their English conversational speaking and listening abilities in a relaxed and fun manner. And I also learned a lot in the process! Yangshuo is a great place and perfect setting to enjoy and learn Mandarin 24/7. Perhaps one of the best indicators of how great Omeida is: the number of people who keep returning year after year! That speaks for itself! And after my first time at Omeida this past Spring, I fully intend to be yet another of those returning students and volunteer next year, and the years after! Thank you Omeida for this wonderful opportunity!!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come to Omeida with as much flexibility as possible. I originally planned to stay a little more than one month, but decided to continue on for a second month. That helped me make leaps and bounds progress! Plus, I honestly was enjoying it so much I just didn't want to leave!!
Pros
  • Perfect way to learn Chinese or English in an immersive fashion
  • Amazing times with my language partner
  • Great volunteering opportunity is a perfect compliment to learning in parallel
Cons
  • The weather (high humidity especially) took a little getting used to
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mariana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My volunteering experience in China couldn't have been better!

I volunteered for 9 months at the marketing department helping with social media channels and communication tasks while taking mandarin classes. The team is helpful, welcoming and open to listen to new ideas. I had a flexible schedule and the job was clear and easy to do.

The accommodation provided was clean and convenient, with a private bathroom and common laundry area. As a shared room with a Chinese student, I had many opportunities to interact and learn about language and culture. The school organizes weekly cultural and outdoor activities that make this a real immersive and fun experience. They also have a comfy student lounge where you can meet people, play mahjong, or just chill with a coffee.

The location is great, in a small town among beautiful fairy-tale-like mountains. It's easy to rent an electric scooter or bicycle and explore the river and countryside nearby. It is also very safe at all times.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The people were extraordinarily welcoming! From inviting me to numerous meals and gatherings, to learning Tai chi chuan, and passing through a waterfall, an ancient bridge and quaint small villages, I met many people who treated me like family and took me along to explore all around. The Chinese genuine warmth was what made my experience special and I wouldn't have had half the fun without them.
Pros
  • Great team and volunteering/studying environment
  • Immersive experience in small town China
  • Beautiful scenery surrounded by nature
Cons
  • Weather can be difficult in some seasons (winter was super wet and cold)