Learning Chinese

KristofB · 13-06-2011 12:02pm #1

Just in case anyone wants to learn Chinese and wants to find the good places: I've just come back from Beijing on a 4 month course and found it brilliant.

I'd finished my job here in Dublin, decided on something different. I'd never been to China and this seemed like a great opportunity. Looked up a lot of different options, VSO, BLCU, CRCC but found Hutong School (http://www.hutong-school.com) the most helpful. They looked after my accommodation, bills, picking me up from the airport; gave me SIM card, travel card and helped open a bank account for me. They also helped with the visa which was a bit tricky.

Their classes are flexible. The class size is small - about 4 or 5 other students from all over the world. Accommodation is fine. Not as good as apartments in Dublin, but way better than other people's flats in Beijing. They paid for all bills including wireless! They were always there to help if anything broke or if I got lost!

My Chinese got really good in the 4 months I was there. They even found me a job while I was there. I'm going back in July to live with some of the guys I lived with there and start a job in accounting!

Would definitely recommend them. Beijing is awesome!!

caoty · 13-06-2011 12:30pm

KristofB wrote: »

Just in case anyone wants to learn Chinese and wants to find the good places: I've just come back from Beijing on a 4 month course and found it brilliant.

I'd finished my job here in Dublin, decided on something different. I'd never been to China and this seemed like a great opportunity. Looked up a lot of different options, VSO, BLCU, CRCC but found Hutong School (http://www.hutong-school.com) the most helpful. They looked after my accommodation, bills, picking me up from the airport; gave me SIM card, travel card and helped open a bank account for me. They also helped with the visa which was a bit tricky.

Their classes are flexible. The class size is small - about 4 or 5 other students from all over the world. Accommodation is fine. Not as good as apartments in Dublin, but way better than other people's flats in Beijing. They paid for all bills including wireless! They were always there to help if anything broke or if I got lost!

My Chinese got really good in the 4 months I was there. They even found me a job while I was there. I'm going back in July to live with some of the guys I lived with there and start a job in accounting!

Would definitely recommend them. Beijing is awesome!!

Post number =1 + website link provided = commerical advertisment?

KristofB · 13-06-2011 1:09pm

Nope, just a happy customer!!

LK_Dave · 13-06-2011 1:15pm

What was your level of Chinese before you left Dublin?

KristofB · 13-06-2011 2:35pm

Pretty much none. Only nihao and xiexie. Now I can say them properly!!

caoty · 14-06-2011 8:37am

What do you intend to do with your newly acquired language skill?

KristofB · 14-06-2011 9:57am

I'm off back to Beijing next month to start work there. Will take more classes and hopefully get a lot better while living there!

caoty · 14-06-2011 11:38am

KristofB wrote: »

I'm off back to Beijing next month to start work there. Will take more classes and hopefully get a lot better while living there!

That's nice. How long are you going to stay this time? I am going there too.

KristofB · 14-06-2011 12:03pm

See how it goes, but should be at least 6 or 8 months I think. Not sure if I can commit to much more. What are you going out for?

caoty · 14-06-2011 1:21pm

6-8 months a lot of commitment. I am taking a holiday there.

kgt272 · 04-07-2011 2:38pm

caoty wrote: »

6-8 months a lot of commitment. I am taking a holiday there.

Ni hao!

Just for whats it worth I found the website "Chinese Pod" www.chinesepod.com an excellent and fun way of learning Chinese. Listen to it while out jogging etc , it has short patterns and conversations and nothing to heavy for beginners and can actually give you a good level if you stick with it. Another good one is the Chinese news channel website http://cctv.cntv.cn/englishnews/ has a great show on there called 'growing up with Chinese, great for pronunciations etc, good visuals in characters and pinyin etc!

In my job I regularly Skype, email and talk with Chinese people and find what I have acquired very beneficial as my colleagues in China love the interaction as limited as it may be, hopefully will improve.

Zai Jian

caoty · 04-07-2011 2:56pm

kgt272 wrote: »

Ni hao!

Just for whats it worth I found the website "Chinese Pod" www.chinesepod.com an excellent and fun way of learning Chinese. Listen to it while out jogging etc , it has short patterns and conversations and nothing to heavy for beginners and can actually give you a good level if you stick with it. Another good one is the Chinese news channel website http://cctv.cntv.cn/englishnews/ has a great show on there called 'growing up with Chinese, great for pronunciations etc, good visuals in characters and pinyin etc!

In my job I regularly Skype, email and talk with Chinese people and find what I have acquired very beneficial as my colleagues in China love the interaction as limited as it may be, hopefully will improve.

Zai Jian

Keep going! HaoHaoXueXi, TianTianXiangShang!

Thanks very much for the websites and information. It is very useful for other learners.

By the way, are you from Cork?

kgt272 · 04-07-2011 3:49pm

caoty wrote: »

Keep going! HaoHaoXueXi, TianTianXiangShang!

Thanks very much for the websites and information. It is very useful for other learners.

By the way, are you from Cork?

Ni de Zhongwen feichang hao!

Dui!
Wo shi Corkonian, ni ne?
Wo qu ghongzuo Zhongguo mei nian yici!

Been learning since April. I pencil in a 5 minute podcast twice a day in the car etc or while jogging to keep it fresh !
It justs a bit of craic really and its great that I can converse in Pinyin through skype on a daily basis to get practice with chinese colleague.

The chinesepod website is great, the podcasts would be great for you while you are actually in china, you'd be able to practice on a daily basis. I Just got a basic subsciption myself but that will do fine for now, see how i progress!

Hope you find the websites beneficial!

Zai Jian

Lanaier · 27-08-2011 11:25am

Put "hutong school" in to google.hk and this is the second result:

http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=135883

I have to say the accusations are suspicious, though the sudden appearance of several defenders is also suspicious.
The op's post is littered with Chinese English so it could be a competitor.

If you go to the cityweekend or thebeijinger websites (two popular English language expat mags) you'll see some duplicate reviews by someone that clearly signed up just to paste their review.

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/community/schools_other/has/beijing-hutong-school/

http://www.thebeijinger.com/directory/Beijing-Hutong-School

Not exactly damning evidence but writing fake reviews for your own business is a very common practice here, such things are often comically written in Chinglish and fool no one.
It's pretty clear from my experience that "LeenBels" from those reviews is writing in Chinglish.
Perhaps not so obvious to some of you guys.

Make of all that what you like.
Maybe it's the best school on earth?

Anyway, the point is: buyer beware.
Fully investigate anything before you pay.

Funglegunk · 29-08-2011 7:17am

For someone named 'Brian Wilkinson' his English is not great, it was fun to read nevertheless. It certainly appears to be a smear job by a competitor as clearly neither 'Brian' nor the person who replied to his post asking 'do you know any chinese school in beijing?' are native English speakers.

For anybody looking to spot Chinglish, mixing up he's and she's and using plural and singular words in the wrong place are usually a giveaway. Any other indicators you can think of Lanaier?

KristofB · 31-08-2011 12:16pm

Just thought I'd say something as an ex Hutong School student: I'm happy with it!!
Lanaier, you're right about competitors try to slur each other! There aren't many competition laws here (Starbecks coffee anyone?) so business is normally carried out with good will. And also, you really need to check out any company you want to come out with. But go beyond "Scam?" websites and check if they have a facebook, linkedin, etc presence as well as the local media reviews.

From my point of view, I had a great time and got what I wanted - a job, new language, living in a new country and a great twist to my career! I'm loving Beijing!!

Oh, and Leena is Belgian, I'll take the piss out of her English for this!

Chinese Bee · 03-05-2012 4:34pm

Hi everyone (Da Jia hao),
My name is Ruby. I am a native Chinese speaker and also a fluent English speaker. I have been living in Ireland for the last decades and have a good understanding of both Chinese and Western Culture.

I am experienced in teaching Chinese and Chinese Culture on a One to one basis and also on a group basis.

I make the learning easy and fun because I always adapt the learning method to the western thinking and also facilitate the learning with plenty of practice.

I focus on pinyin (pronunciation) as well as speaking. I will tailor the course to individual basis.

Suitable for those:
* who want to travel in China.
* who want to do business in/with China.
* who want to learn Chinese as a second/ third language.
* who like to gain a general understanding about China and Chinese culture.

please contact me at rubyliming@hotmail.com.

bacon? · 05-05-2012 1:48am

Hey guys, if you're coming to China to learn Chinese, then I highly recommend Yangshuo, in southern China... it's the ring of Kerry of China... It's one of China's mos scenic spots, there's karst mountains everywhere, bit like Avatar.

It's in southern China, so the climate's better, less pollution than the big cities, much cheaper living costs, awesome outdoor stuff, rock climbing, mountain bike, kayaking etc

This is the school I was at, www.omeida.com.cn and a bit more on Yangshuo, http://www.omeida.com.cn/yangshuo/

I volunteered here, sometimes they need volunteers, you get accomodation and food free, and free or cheaper lessons.

I'd be happy to answer any questions, you can pm me if you like.

aidehua · 21-06-2012 12:44pm

Hey, can anyone recommend a good (and reasonably priced!) tutor for one-on-one evening classes in Dublin? Thanks

Lanaier · 05-07-2012 6:04am

bacon? wrote: »

Hey guys, if you're coming to China to learn Chinese, then I highly recommend Yangshuo, in southern China... it's the ring of Kerry of China... It's one of China's mos scenic spots, there's karst mountains everywhere, bit like Avatar.

Indeed, and I believe they even used that very landscape as a basis for the those areas in the film.

One thing to note is that in the south the accent and way of speaking Mandarin is different to what is considered the "Standard" of Beijing-Mandarin.

Now it just so happens that they speak Mandarin in a much nicer way in the south, and that Beijing Mandarin (Gold standard or not) is a nasal, whiny accent that sounds like someone is strangling a cat and makes me want to.
Still, Beijing accent for whatever baffling reason is preferred by many when doing business.
A shame, I know.

You would also probably have more fun in Yangshuo that Beijing these days.

Learning Chinese

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