CLI: Chinese Immersion Program in Guilin, China

Last month my partner and I travelled to the CLI and lodged together for their two week minimum duration. (Note: shared rooms offer a discount.) My partner's online teacher at CLI, in his ineffable kindness, offered to pick us up and drive us directly from the train station to the CLI campus. We were welcomed by interns who did not have conversational English, though they were able to read certain essentials from a script in English. Interns and their accompanying scripts (including anything from icebreaker questions to questions about your experience at CLI) are used to help the integration process. Because we arrived on a Sunday that overlapped with a Chinese national holiday, this may have impacted who was available to orient us to campus.

Your acceptance into a group on WeChat offers a further layer of contact with staff and interns. This group chat is updated on weekdays with the lunch menu. It also serves as a hub for invitations to local events and to alert students/faculty in case of any urgent matters. My partner and I did not receive a proper CLI orientation for another two days, which meant certain details on the campus were not included from interns. Despite this, pressing questions could always be answered in the WeChat. Example: we received several vegetarian restaurant recommendations in WeChat soon after asking.

My partner suffers from chronic pain from osteoarthritis. His request for a 3rd floor room was honored. Please note your own accessibility needs in your application--a 5th floor room with luggage will not be tenable for certain bodies. To the best of my knowledge, CLI does not have wheelchair accessibility. I wouldn't be surprised if they could provide alternative solutions if ground-level boarding could be secured.

An outdoor soccer pitch is near the CLI. It is not unusual to hear enthusiastic cheering and all skill levels of live music performances. An active neighbor cat with a pathetic meow could also be heard. Personally, we loved these things and found neither too distracting with the window closed. Smaller classrooms may receive more sound pollution from hallway activity. Students with misophonia should consider earplugs and/or headphones. Classrooms with windows are equipped with blinds and/or drapes, for students with photophobia or photosensitivity. For fragrance-free lifestyles, I can't recall if bathroom soaps were unscented. I did not recall strong synthetic fragrances during my time at CLI. I have invisible disabilities that make studying, communicating, and physical navigation challenging. Again, communicating these needs was always met with support from my instructors. To make accommodations easier for the CLI to implement, I would encourage prospective students to apply well before deadlines and to stay responsive in correspondence leading up to your stay.

Rooms were upgraded a season before our visit. From the photos and videos I saw, it's a welcome difference. Our room itself was sufficiently spacious and clean, including the bathroom. The bathrooms wet bathrooms are stocked with a good squeegee and mop. The medicine cabinet holds extra toilet paper and tissues, which you may need for your bathroom trips outside of the campus. Laundry facilities are provided, and laundry services are available if you don't have the time to handle laundry on the roof of the floor. Trash is collected daily. For those with longer than 2 weeks of residence, expect regular room cleaning. House slippers are provided, though both kinds did not fit my US 12 M shoe size. The wardrobe for clothing was sufficiently spaced but the hinges produced an impressively loud squeak. Air conditioning, window, and beds were all comfortable for me. My partner is not adjusted to firmer mattresses. A quick on/off repetition of the main light switch changes the colour temperature between, cool, warm, and combination lighting. The ceiling fan made things more comfortable for sleep, but was also unfortunately too loud for me to enjoy without headphones. Because a floor fan was also available in our room, this was mostly a non-issue.

In our dormitory room, a city/province map and an orientation materials--including a list of useful Chinese vocabulary, a nice pen, and a blank notebook--were waiting for us on our nightstands. These are good materials, especially for an HSK1 student like myself. Knowing most of the vocabulary may place you above HSK2, and familiarity with the list would offer a sufficient basis for most of the important discussions I couldn't have that first Sunday. (If I dedicated this vocabulary packet to memory before arriving to CLI, it would have made a big difference.)

Certain printed / digital material before in-person orientation discouraged drinking tap water while further discouraging drinking too much of the potable water dispensed in the dining room. Text encouraged students to purchase drinking water from local businesses rather than relying on CLI's water reserves. During the in-person orientation, I was relieved to hear we were permitted to drink as much water as we liked. I heard an earlier online CLI review shared disappointment over a lack of electric kettles in student rooms. In the middle of our stay, an electric kettle and usage instructions were waiting for us in all the bed rooms. The kettle was absolutely a quality of life improvement, and its inclusion is one of many examples of CLI implementing suggestions for a better experience.

3 days into our stay at CLI, we were able to receive direct help registering Chinese SIM cards for our new phones. The need for a VPN changes based on a given app, which can complicate things (like an absence of digital on-the-fly translations). That said, the help with the SIM card made a big difference for the remainder of our stay.

The kitchen is available for personal use outside of CLI-provided lunch meals. The lunch meals on weekdays at the CLI were always delicious. At least half of the options were always accessible to vegans. The practicality of discussing lunch menu items with instructors was a nice feature of my classes.
CLI encourage you to attend at least one lunch per week, not only for the practicality of language practice, but to socialize with your fellow students. Students are across a wide spectrum of ages. The majority of students seem to be Western, from the colonial sector, and from the higher end of economic classes. These are at odds with my preferences, so between this and my short stay I didn't attempt to make friends. I'm under the impression the study workload can reduce one's interest in socializing, so I was happy to observe students enjoying each others' company outside of their classes, on the weekends.

After returning to my room, the increased stress triggered another long COVID episode in me. I woke up at 3AM, and after 16 hours of a nausea-inducing headache, I missed my second day of classes entirely. My partner was able to relay my COVID protocol request for classrooms with open windows. This request was honored immediately, despite how inconvenient this must have been WRT the other students scheduled at CLI that week. I was touched immensely by this gesture to accommodate my needs, especially after feeling vulnerable from needing such help. It made the rest of the weeks so much easier for me.

Not only was the CLI responsive to my health request, it was clear that the instructors had a vested interest in both my development as a language student and my personal well-being in general. While I was stuck in bed, multiple instructors asked my partner how my health was doing, and they followed up when I returned to classes. Future classes would include questions and then vocabulary about my condition. Naturally, this vocabulary leads to practical assignments, like locating a local pharmacy, sharing symptoms, and requesting specific items. I slept poorly for basically my entire stay (despite the comfortable accommodations), and during one class an instructor took me out for a walk around the neighborhood while I was especially sleepy. Do not be shy about your interests in topics or interest in nearby functions in Guilin. Your instructors will be delighted to teach you outside of the classroom if anything strikes your fancy.

It wasn't unusual for conversations with one instructor to impact time with other instructors. Whether it is your diet, hobbies, or other relevant aspects of life, expect your teachers to craft lessons emphasizing your priorities. Because my partner and I took classes together, this offered an additional body of information for instructors to cross-reference. It was nice to receive questions and feedback in class including what my partner's teachers learned about him.

When first arriving in Guilin, I could not speak much Mandarin, nor could I even complete a food order in Mandarin. By the end of my two weeks, restaurant orders were not so anxiety inducing, and even with my poor pronunciation and vocabulary, I felt more relaxed. I may feel like a toddler with access to Pleco, but my teachers noticed improvements in me even when I couldn't see them. By the end of my classes, I had four different instructors. Their energies and emphases vary, and I was fond of all of them. I loved learning details of speech, grammar, and characters. I even received a small calligraphy lesson complete with ink and a brush (finally, my expensive art degree pays off). I certainly plan on taking online classes with one of my CLI instructors once I am recovered from my travels. Even with the difficulties I brought to my two weeks at CLI, I look back fondly on my time there. I encourage anyone with the financial means (including eligibility for scholarships) to see for yourself what CLI is like. In the future, you may find yourself among their growing ranks of repeat students.

When I first started studying Chinese on my own several years ago, I looked around online for some in-person language programs in China, more as a fantasy than anything. Of the options I found, the CLI stood out the most, and having now attended I can say that the CLI is a great school with some really dedicated and caring staff.
The facility is good, the provided lunch on weekdays is really great, and the teachers work to keep a shared understanding of your progress so that their class materials are based on what you are learning in your other classes.
As someone who had a difficult time with my standard schooling growing up in the US because of my learning differences and neurodivergence, I am always somewhat wary going into a structured learning setting despite my real love of learning. However, I found my biggest obstacles within my time at the school to be my own familiar personal homework of keeping my social anxieties in check, and the school is such a friendly and engaged environment that I didn't find this too difficult to set aside. The speed and intensity of your learning, as well as the areas of focus in your lessons, is up to you, and with some feedback you can adjust this as you need to. The staff is always open to talking about how they can work with you to facilitate your learning experience or meet other needs.
The CLI's location within Guilin is also excellent, and I was barely able to scratch the surface of all Guilin had to offer in my short time there. The school makes it easy to get out and explore the area, not just from it's good location but also through lots of regular events you can sign up for to participate in with other students.
Overall, I felt that my time in the CLI really helped advance my Chinese learning and put my head into the space of working to think in Chinese in a way that my independent studies weren't able to achieve, and I would suggest it to anyone who really wants to engage in some focused studies that they can actually use in practical ways.

Quality of the teaching was excellent. The 3 teachers , each responsible for different areas example comprehension,speaking and listening, reading and writing were well coordinated and have a good understanding of my weaknesses. They are very patient and encouraging which made learning very enjoyable. In addition,instead of a classroom environment, I get to experience in different environments learning about culture such as the art of brewing tea,learning about the chinese musical instrument, china's history, daily lifestyle such as understanding the bus system in Guilin. I believe i have improved especially in my listening and speaking. Accomodation was very comfortable and clean. Lunch was excellent. Each day we have about 5 to 6 dishes, which i look forward to every afternoon, a good break for us to get to know the other teachers as well as the other students. It was a very rewarding experience.

I spent two weeks at CLI and came away with mixed impressions. I had three different teachers.

My Comprehensive Chinese teacher was excellent. She explained new material very clearly, gave plenty of examples, and kept finding different ways to explain things until I really understood them. The Speaking & Listening classes were also interesting and useful.

Unfortunately, my experience with Writing & Reading was much less positive.

I have been studying Chinese for several years, so basic radicals and writing familiar characters are not new material for me. However, almost every lesson started with a very simple radical that I already knew well. The teacher would then ask me to write characters containing that radical from memory, and after that we would move on to the next radical.

For me, this format was almost completely useless. I mainly spent the lessons writing things I already knew.

Another disappointing situation happened on my final day. The Writing & Reading teacher simply did not show up for the lesson. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, but my other classes were still held as scheduled. I had paid for the full day, and nobody informed me in advance that this lesson had been cancelled.

After I contacted the administration, they agreed that the situation was not acceptable and offered me an alternative. The staff in general were very friendly, helpful, and responsive. Still, I found it strange that a paid one-on-one class could be cancelled without notifying the student beforehand.

As for the accommodation, I really missed having an electric kettle and a small refrigerator in the room. There is a shared kitchen on the second floor, but if you are staying on the fifth floor, going downstairs every time you want a cup of tea or a cold bottle of water becomes inconvenient. You can easily buy a kettle yourself for around 100 RMB, but obviously a refrigerator is a different matter.

Also, my room was not cleaned once during the two weeks I stayed there.

I came to CLI to improve my Chinese last year, and it helped me so much in just two weeks that I came back again this year! The entire teaching staff is fantastic—everyone is truly kind and incredibly helpful. You really feel as though they all have your best interests at heart. They are also very supportive when it comes to adjusting to such a different country, and they organise so many activities to help you understand the culture and visit all the gorgeous sites nearby. I can only warmly recommend this program and school. Truly the best way to learn Chinese!

First of all, as my rating suggests, I just want to say CLI is a great choice for a Chinese language school, which I doubt anyone could regret.
Under the guidance of my teachers in CLI, I managed to advance my Chinese level faster and further in a few months time than I ever did studying years before on my own and with private teachers. Getting to a point where I can speak and understand Chinese rather fluently.

In this spirit, I want to address some of the concerns I've had about the school when choosing it as my Chinese language school, in order to help those considering applying to this program:

1. Language school vs. University:
- The price of international language school programs is usually higher relative to university studies in China (but does usually include stuff like accomodation and visa support which may introduce additional fees going to China on a university program)
- Unlike university programs they usually don't award you with any official certificate of your studies.

I decided to go to a language school nontheless as my goal for studying Chinese in China was to become fluent in the language:
- Language school programs usually put a large focus solely on the language studies themselves, while in university programs at least 50% is usually dedicated to culture studies etc. (Nice to broaden your horizons but irrelevant for language learners like myself)
- Aside from that, as language schools are advertised for international students they offer a much better support in terms of visa applications, daily life and adjustment.
- I chose CLI specifically as I found their program offers all the support needed for a smooth transition, and all the facilities required for a comfortable life, saving me a lot of trouble in the end. Also, I was drawn by the cultural activities which, while not included in the price, compensate for some of the cultural orientation you may "lose" not choosing to study in a university program. All while still offering a lower price point relative to similar language schools.

2. The location of the school:
- This was a concern for me as Chinese language includes a range of dialects, out of which Manarin is the one spoken across China. I was afraid the teachers and/or locals in Guilin may use a different dialect in their daily lives which would end up with me adapting to a non-standard way of speech.
- Another concern which may apply for more casual learners looking to travel in their visit to China is that Guilin is quite far from some central cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Thankfully, going through the programs I found none of these concerns have any expression in reality:
- Sure Guilin speech is a thing but it is not widely used in daily lives, and most people on the street and in school speak standard Mandarin. Also, CLI's teacher staff consists of both teachers from southern and northern China, giving you an opportunity to be exposed to the minor changes which occure in Mandarin across the land.
- Guilin itself is a tourist attraction, and has a bullet train station and an airport allowing for comfortable travel. Also, it offers a calmer environment compared to more central cities, which I found offers a better study environment and allows for a smoother adaptation process.

3. A program revolved around private lessons:
While the private lessons format provide great adaptability in pacing, focus etc, I was concerned about the downsides of it compared to group classes:
- It lacks a social aspect.
- You lose the opportunity of second hand learning which may open you up to new ideas.

I was, however, completely wrong to worry, as:
- CLI provides enough opportunities to support a social life along with the studies: the extra activities, shared meals, common areas and games.
- Second hand learning can happen all the time if you take initiative and use Chinese to engage with people.
- In hindsight I think learning in a group class could have decrease the efficiency and fluency of my lessons.

I spent an unforgettable 4 weeks at CLI this past summer. The teachers, staff, admissions, pengyou (朋友, friends/interns) etc. all created a community that was both welcoming and a wonderful language learning environment. The teachers are excellent at deciphering where students need help, at any level, and are also willing to cater to the students' personal needs and goals.

For me: I am taking the HSK 6 test this Fall, and all three of my teachers were able to help me grow in confidence with my Mandarin in different areas: conversing about topics that both interested and stretched me in my speaking and listening classes, learning how to recognize and correct 病句 (ungrammatical sentences) in my comprehensive class (as well as discuss some Chinese history and poetry, the use of social media, among other topics), and enjoying reading a novel and really feeling like I understood it in my reading class. Talking to other students at the school while I was there, I could tell the teachers at CLI are truly able to recognize the needs of different students and stretch them where they need to be stretched.

Truly a wonderful experience! I've already recommended the program to people back home.

I came to China knowing basically no Chinese. I wanted to do something meaningful with my summer, and honestly? I was a little scared. But from the very first day at CLI, I realised this place was going to become my little home in China.
And now, a month and a half later, I can say with absolute certainty: this was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Teachers are incredible, super patient. Learning Chinese is really not easy, and there were moments where I felt completely lost. But my teachers were always there, incredibly kind and encouraging, guiding me through every single difficulty. They made me feel proud of every small step forward.