Wasn't sure what to expect - turned out great

I honestly didn't do much research before I went. I got lucky: everything was great.

My teachers were amazing, with my daily teacher (Anna) being one of the best teachers I've ever had for anything. Anna was able to use simple Chinese and body language to communicate everything with virtually no English, meaning I got a ton of actual Chinese practice. I was consistently impressed at how effective she was at using Chinese to teach despite my low Chinese level. The class adapted to my needs, and my teachers clearly communicated out of class because classes later in the day reinforced newly discovered weaknesses. The classes were the best part of the program, no doubt.

People in Guilin really don't speak English, so you quickly learn how to live in China. My Chinese was pretty bad when I first arrived, but was still able to make it day-to-day as I learned more phrases.

Housing was great - I recommend you live in CLI if you can. You can quickly get to classes, and you can make your own schedule. If you live in a homestay, you need to coordinate with your host family which can infringe on social events.

Guilin of course is beautiful - it's well known by all Chinese people for it's natural beauty and that reputation is well earned.

The activities were great to see the famous sites, but as time went on I made friends in Guilin and spent time with them instead - better to spend time with the locals instead of foreigners I figure.

Overall it was a great experience and I will always be trying to think of a way I can return in the future.