MAGGIE DOES MULTI CITY

Hello! I am a recent college graduate from the USA. I did a 15 week intensive study program with LTL in all 3 cities.

I did 5 weeks in each location, starting in Shanghai, then to Beijing, and ending my adventure in Chengde.

I started from an absolute zero level and now I can use Chinese conversationally with my host family and in day to day life.

I am very glad to have found LTL, and that I chose to do the 3 city program. I found LTL on the Internet and decided to do all three cities because I wanted as many experiences as possible, and wanted to see more places in China.

LTL is great for this because their staff give you insider information on the cities and recommendations on how and when to go to a site.

They also organized trips to places I never would have found on my own, like a hike to a remote part of the Great Wall and the Shanghai Marriage Market.

When I arrived in Shanghai I had no idea if I had set myself up for months of pain or an awesome experience.

Luckily, it turned out to be the latter, and the supportive, all inclusive atmosphere at LTL made adapting to the culture shock much easier. That and Shanghai’s international ties made getting around the city a great place to start to study Chinese. LTL Shanghai’s Alex and Fu Lala were so supportive. I never felt lost or alone despite being in a city of 24 million.

The other students were wonderful, and we all commiserated on the daily 40℃ (104℉) weather. I took 4 hours of group classes and 2 hours of individual a day, so I not only had the opportunity to learn at my own pace, but also learned in a group which was often more fun and cooperative.

Five weeks flew by and I found myself taking the bullet train to Beijing and my new school. The summer was coming to an end and my classmates changed from college students to travelling professionals.

Over the course of my trip, my classmates ranged from a 17 year old Spanish girl starting college that autumn to a 68 year old former German diplomat who had worked in the Beijing Embassy. I’m glad I chose to go to Beijing because, though Shanghai is amazing and looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, Beijing has all of the classic sights and so much history! My classes were once again excellent. Instead of hot weather, we commiserated about how crazy the subway was in the mornings.

Chengde is different because there is no actual school location and all classes are individual.Chengde was again a big change and a great experience.

That being said, my homestay was great and I saw huge improvement in my Chinese. In my 5 weeks there I saw 3 other foreigners. It really is a true immersion, and after my first week I was tired using all Chinese all the time. But after a week I started to become comfortable.

I would recommend Chengde to anyone looking to focus on their Chinese culture and language study, because the isolation forced me to stop using English speaking classmates and independently work on my Chinese.

All in all, I have had a great experience at LTL.

I leave China with a new skill, friends from all over the world, and the ability to live and travel comfortably in one of the biggest, most influential countries in the world. Thank you LTL for an amazing language and cultural experience!