4 Weeks in Guilin

Guilin is a beautiful location, and it is very easy to make weekend trips to small villages or big cities, or to any of the local tourist attractions.

CLI itself is a great environment. There are plenty of comfortable areas to just hang out between classes, or quiet places to study. The classes are challenging but also relaxed and fun. The teachers are very easy to get along with.

The 'pengyou program' is not as advertised, though for the better. There are a bunch of interns/chinese university students who basicaly hang out in CLI common areas. They are incredibly freindly and helpful, they will almost always be enthusiastic to have a chat in chinese regardless of your level, or help you with your homework, or help you buy a sim card for your phone etc. You will probably end up getting to know some of them quite well.

The community in my experience is really supportive of people at every level. Its never too early in your mandarin studies to come. There are heaps of people who arrive with basicaly no chinese and in 2-4 weeks have learnt as much as they might have in a year at home, there are also students who have been studying for years and are already at a very high level.

I can't wait to go back :)