Dear LTL team,

I am so happy with my learning experience that [...]]]> Once a month we ask all our students to fill out a feedback form regarding their classes, so we know where we are already good and where we still need to improve. One LTL student sent us an email this month as well

Dear LTL team,

I am so happy with my learning experience that I would like to further express my deep satisfaction with my teacher this past semester, as I feel that I need to say a few words in addition to those on my evaluation form.

After our first trial class, I had a strong feeling that my teacher would be a great fit for me – so strong in fact that I signed up for an entire semester with LTL, and it has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time.

I have had professional Mandarin language teachers in ISB, college and a couple of private tutors since I’ve lived in Beijing, but none of them have been as good or as successful as my teacher. She is patient, very professional, and easy and fun to learn from. She makes lessons relevant to my life and genuinely cares about my progress. Her style suits me very well, and although it was difficult in the beginning, learning Chinese purely through Chinese has paid off.

While we meet one another for three hours every day for intense one-on-one classes, I am always happy to see her and learn the language. My teacher’s positive attitude and friendly demeanor complement her excellent teaching ability. While some days after class I leave with the feeling that Mandarin is leaking out my ears, I have never once felt lost, drowning, or left behind. My teacher has ensured that I always understand the subject matter as well as how, and why it is used.

When I first started back in November, I spoke very little Mandarin and was able to write “你好” at best. Under my teacher, I am now breaking into the intermediate level and have the ability to write texts, e-mails and even simple essays in Mandarin, all in under 6 months. It’s a feeling like no other, and while I know I have a way to go until I reach my goal of fluency, I have absolute confidence in my teacher’s abilities to help me get there. She is the reason I have eagerly signed up for another semester.

My life and confidence in Beijing has dramatically improved and I cannot thank my teacher and LTL enough for that. My teacher is a very special educator and I am incredibly lucky to have met her and benefited from her teaching. I am as satisfied as can be and wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I look forward to the next semester and beyond, continuing my Chinese language journey with her and LTL.

All the best,

Kyle

I have always believed that if you speak quickly enough, the context of the situation will fill in the blanks of any words whose tones have been uttered completely wrongly. To some extent this is [...]]]> I’ve always had a friendly argument with one of my friends (whose Chinese is wonderful) about the importance of tones.

I have always believed that if you speak quickly enough, the context of the situation will fill in the blanks of any words whose tones have been uttered completely wrongly. To some extent this is true.

I mean come on. The difference between the second and third tones is so slight, it’s impossible not to make the leap in understanding, surely? Well now, thanks to my teacher at Live the Language and my precocious little know-all at home, the truth of the matter is coming through, and it’s not particularly helpful.

Tones do matter. Yet another burden to lug up the mountain of learning Chinese. To Chinese people, words spoken with different tones are completely different words.

They simply do not hear how similar the words are, and this is by no means a shortcoming. The same problem occurs in English – for example the words ‘beat’ and ‘bit’ are impossible to confuse to a native speaker, but my Chinese friends claim they sound identical. It’s all to do with what you have in your own language as a basis on which to start learning another.

But bilingual people, clever devils that they are, have the marvellous gift of not only being able to hear the difference between wrongly pronounced words, they can also understand why speakers of second languages struggle.

They get it.

My little boy is very helpful. He has to be, or my neighbours and friends simply wouldn’t understand me half the time. So he is always chiming in with the right pronunciation when his babysitter smiles blankly at something I have just said.

‘Oh, I see!’ her face lights up when he explains that although I said I had just bought a new enemy spy, in fact I had acquired a new rug from IKEA. And to a bemused shopkeeper of whom I have just enquired the whereabouts of cat poop, he will explain that we need food for our pet. Those pesky second and third tones again.

I do still recognise more characters than he does, though I am sure this will not last long.

I don’t dwell on the fact that the ones he has learned to write in a few months are better than those I have been practising for years.

So when it comes to homework, I can help him. Sometimes this involves looking for certain characters in a text and writing down their pinyin. Because I invariably get the tone wrong, when I have spotted the right character I also have to tell him what it means in English so that he can say it correctly before he writes down the pinyin. Very, very occasionally I get it right by mere chance. ‘Mummy! That’s the right tone!’ he will exclaim in disbelief. ‘That was lucky!’

I will never get them off pat like a native speaker, but I now realise it is important to try.

And it includes, somehow, nailing that second and third.

[This story was contributed by LTL student Debbie Mason from the UK (Individual one-on-one classes)]

Taoranting Park

陶然亭公园 Táorántíng Gōngyuán is named for the [...]]]> In China it has long been a Spring tradition to 踏青 tàqīng, meaning to get outside and enjoy nature. While a city like Beijing may not seem at first glance to be filled with nature, there are actually plenty of fun and interesting ways to 踏青.

Taoranting Park

陶然亭公园 Táorántíng Gōngyuán is named for the main pavilion in the park, which was built during the Qing Dynasty. There are dozens of beautiful pavilions and gardens to explore, which is one of the reasons artists and writers have loved to gather here for hundreds of years. To get there, take the Subway Line 4 to Taoranting Station.

Cycle the city

Beijing is a very bicycle-friendly city, with designated bike lanes on most major roads and a general friendliness towards riders within smaller neighborhoods. A great area to explore on a bike is 鼓楼 Gǔlóu (Drum Tower) because there is an interesting balance of courtyard homes alongside small shops and cafes.

Happy Valley

北京欢乐谷 Běijīng huānlè gǔ (Happy Valley Beijing) is an amusement park located along the Southeast 4^th Ring Road. Impossible to miss as you approach, Happy Valley is comprised of several themed areas with the highlight being the lost city of Atlantis. It is part water park, so be sure to bring a swimsuit or change of clothes. To get there from LTL, you can get on the #30 bus at 八王坟北 and get off at 厚俸桥.

Beijing Guo An vs Shanghai Shen Hua

Friday night started out like any other by meeting up with fellow classmates and friends to grab and quick bite and celebrate the start of the weekend. But this Friday was not like any other I’ve experienced in Beijing because this Friday I was [...]]]> 北京国安 – 上海申花

Beijing Guo An vs Shanghai Shen Hua

Friday night started out like any other by meeting up with fellow classmates and friends to grab and quick bite and celebrate the start of the weekend. But this Friday was not like any other I’ve experienced in Beijing because this Friday I was heading to my very first Chinese football match.

After a quick bite to eat and a couple of the usual Qing Daos we were ready to cheer on Guo An. However we were soon informed that beer was not allowed in the stadium so cans were quickly bought at  a near by convenience store and tucked away in places I hoped would not be searched. That said, with a cold beer smuggled away I knew it was going to be a good night.

After living in the UK for 3 years I thought I had seen it all in terms of football fans: the cheers, the jerseys and general rowdiness. However, upon arriving early to the Workers Stadium I quickly realised that Chinese football is in a league of its own. As we walked towards the Stadium the group was quickly approached by local street sellers displaying their best Beijing Guo An merchandise. But if you couldn’t tell from the merchandise that you were in Guo An territory then the thousands of enthusiastic fans dressed head to toe in green quickly gave away the fan favourite.

After successfully passing the security checks and the looming glare of the riot police I soon realised that assigned seating was a myth in the Workers Stadium. Luckily we sent ahead fellow Guo An fans to secure enough seats in our general section. As the players warmed up I could feel the anticipation of the crowd rising and as soon as the game began the crowd erupted in cheers.

To say that Guo An fans are supportive of their team is an understatement, the stadium looked as thought there had been an explosion of green paint and somehow everyone seemed to know all the cheers. Whether they were cheering on their champions or using such colourful insults that even I couldn’t help but blushing. Clearly these fans were serious. Although the first half of the game was relatively uneventful in terms of the actual football, this didn’t stop the fans from yelling at everyone from the Shanghai players to the referee to their own players!

After an admittedly slow first half, I was then further taken by surprise when the ‘half time show’ took to the pitch. A few dozen elderly Chinese then ‘ran’ to pitch and displayed their best dance and kite skills.  At least there was no possibility of a Janet Jackson Superbowl scandal with the performers smartly dressed in matching track suits.

Finally the second half began and the game began to pick up momentum. Soon Guo An scored and the stadium (including myself) erupted into cheers as 50,000 fans jumped up and down and threw streamers and confetti into the air. Then soon after Guo An scored again which demanded a similar response from the excitable crowd. However, Shanghai responded with a goal of their own, given the colourful language earlier I was surprised by the silence of the crowd as the 30 Shanghai fans celebrated in their own protected section. When they then scored again I began to feel as anxious as my fellow Guo An fans.

However, Guo An’s talent pulled through in the end and scored a third and final goal with only minutes left in the game. The crowd of course erupted with cheers and as the final seconds of the match passed scarves were raised over heads and the streaming confetti thrown in the air as the players addressed the fans.

In the end I not only experienced a good match but also learnt several new phrases that would impress any Chinese taxi driver and saw a less serious side to usual hustle and bustle of Beijing.

[This story was contributed by LtL student Anastasia Lau from Bermuda. (Homestay, Small Group Classes and Survival Kit Standard)]

If you want to join LIGAF to watch a match together, please email Andreas at andreas@livethelanguage.cn and we will get a ticket for you.

Introducing JUE | [...]]]> LtL is proud to announce our involvement in this year’s 觉 JUE Festival, taking place March 9-25 in Beijing and Shanghai. We will be hosting a Beginners Mahjong Tournament on Sunday, March 18th to showcase this fascinating Chinese art form. For more information, or to register, see our Events for complete details.

Introducing JUE | Music + Art

JUE | Music + Art is an annual citywide arts and music festival in both Shanghai and Beijing, presented by Split Works. Now in its fourth year, JUE is all about celebrating the best of the local creative communities in these two great cities, and inviting artists from around the world to showcase their talent in China. JUE events are held at a variety of locations throughout Beijing and Shanghai over a three-week period. Performance art, film, spoken word, street art, workshops, photography exhibitions, live music, madness… all of these things and more fall under the creative umbrella that is JUE.

This year, headlining musical acts for JUE include Death Cab for Cutie and Summer Lei (雷光夏). With over 50 individual events in Beijing alone over the two-week period comprising the festival, JUE | Music + Art events range from acclaimed international and up-and-coming local musical performances, cutting-edge art exhibits, film screenings, children’s workshops, green initiatives and much more. It all begins March 9. We’ll see you there!

Locals generally don’t take vacations until 春节 Chūn Jié (Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year), which falls at the end of January [...]]]> December usually signals a mass exodus of expats from Beijing as they head home; however, if you’re planning to stay in Beijing over the holiday season there is still plenty to see and do!

Locals generally don’t take vacations until 春节 Chūn Jié (Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year), which falls at the end of January in 2012. This means that all the shops, restaurants, clubs and tourist sites will remain open throughout December. If you’re looking for winter activities to keep you entertained, here are a few fun options around town:

Ice Skating

Once the weather gets cold enough (generally the beginning of January), the lake at 前海 Qiánhǎi freezes and you can go skating, ice sledding, or even scoot your favorite chair around on the ice (yes, we’ve seen it done). Whether you go with friends or go to meet new friends, you’re sure to enjoy the festival atmosphere. After you’re done skating, explore the historic area’s shops and cafes. Entrance and skate rental will cost around 30-40 RMB, depending on the day of the week.

Hotpot

These steamy restaurants are particularly satisfying in the winter months. Hotpot is also a great way to bring together a group of friends for a warm and filling meal on a cold December night. A local standout is 海底捞 Hǎidǐlāo, known not only for its delicious food but also for the free snacks and services (including manicures!) that they provide while you wait amongst the throngs of Chinese diners for a table. The best thing about Haidilao? There’s a location right near our main campus in the Huashang Building!

Address: 延静西里2号 (Yán jìng xīlǐ #2) The building is on the North side of 朝阳路 Chāoyáng lù, by the 红庙路口东 Hóng miào lùkǒu dōng bus stop.

Shopping

If you have any weekdays free, this is a great chance to avoid the weekend crowds and bargain your way into some great gifts to send home (or keep for yourself). The area around Xidan (Subway Line 1) is full of markets and shopping centers with everything from the standard clothes and electronics to the more bizarre ornate decorative telephones. It’s still possible to go shopping on the weekend, but it’s definitely a full-contact sport. Fuel your day of shopping with a sampling of the wide variety of street food available, especially on the South side of the 西单明珠 Xidān Míngzhū.

Sightseeing

We’re sure you’ve been to the Forbidden City with every friend or relative that passed through Beijing, but there are advantages to going back in the colder months. For starters, there are far fewer tourists this time of year; this means that you’ll have the chance to explore without the crowds. Also, many of the historic sites in and around Beijing take on a completely different look in winter weather. If there’s a snowy day, try heading up to the Summer Palace. It may be named for a warmer season, but it’s beautiful when covered in snow!

圣诞快乐 Shèngdàn kuàilè (Merry Christmas) from everyone at LtL!

This holiday season, LtL is offering vouchers in 20, 30, 50 and 100 hour blocks, which can [...]]]> Bringing your family home silk scarves and paper fans as gifts is all well and good, but what do you get for your friends in Beijing? This year, give them a gift that will stay with them always: Chinese classes!

This holiday season, LtL is offering vouchers in 20, 30, 50 and 100 hour blocks, which can be purchased for Group, 1-on-1 or Culture Classes.

Unlike a bottle of wine (which will likely disappear in one day) or a phone (which will likely break in one month), Chinese skills will continue to delight your friends long after the holiday season is over. With regular use and a bit of practice, the gift of Mandarin lessons could keep on giving for the rest of their lives!

While you’re at it, why not pick up a little something for yourself as well? Local students may take 1-on-1 classes between December 18-January 2nd at a 30% discount. Lessons must be newly booked and hours used during the 2-week holiday period. Take advantage of the quiet time while other expats are away and show off your new Chinese skills in the new year.

Vouchers and Holiday Classes can be purchased by contacting your personal student advisor or emailing study@livethelanguage.cn

圣诞快乐！