By Cory Donovan, Immersion Program Student

Graduating from college can be a scary time. Finding a “real” job, moving back home to your parents’ house, and an end to worry-free days are no longer a fear, but reality. Having been out of college for just over a year, I decided I wanted to acquire a new skill. I wanted a skill that would allow me to grow as a person and become more marketable to future employers.

I think it is safe to say that everyone is aware that our world is becoming more interconnected every day. Knowing this, I made it a goal of mine to learn a foreign language. Already having a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, I figured learning Mandarin Chinese was the way to go. So two months ago, without any previous knowledge of the language, I set off to the Far East in hopes of accomplishing this goal.

Cory venturing into the Mandarin language learning field

Since one of the more popular sports in China is basketball, I would like to describe my experience so far through a basketball analogy. I may lose those who are not familiar with the game and perhaps confuse most. But, I encourage you to read on because in the end the message is clear and valuable for those wondering what learning Mandarin in China is like.

Like with most things in life, if you don’t use it, you lose it. Remember 11^th grade Algebra or Trigonometry? Yeah me neither, because if you are not using those complicated formulas on a day-to-day basis, your brain hits the permanently delete button. Imagine trying to learn how to play basketball without the opportunity to play in a real 5-on-5 game. Learning Chinese in a classroom is like practicing free-throws or lay-ups. It can be boring at times and definitely needs to be done, but what’s the greatest fun and where one improves their skills the most is actually playing the game.

Living in China, there is always an opportunity to get in the game. Although Chinese people are very friendly and eager to help foreigners practice their Chinese, some places are better than others. One of the best places I found to do this is where people cannot physically leave when you are trying to talk to them. A favorite place of mine is in a taxi.

From taxi drivers to locals, everyone is a potential Chinese teacher in China

Of course, being new to the game my skills are somewhat lacking. Often my attempts of communicating in Chinese are met with blank stares and mass confusion. The first time I tried to communicate with my taxi driver I was taken to the wrong place. He shoots…and…air ball.

However, this did not deter me. In fact I practiced harder, and more important, kept playing the game. During my next taxi ride, I decided to throw up another shot. Without much hope for a response, I asked the taxi driver, Ni jiating you ji ge ren? (“How many people are in your family?”) To my surprise he responded without hesitation, San ge, wo you yi ge nü er (“Three, and I have one daughter”). And just as important, I understood him. Swish, nothing but net.

Cory practicing his Chinese with local community members

Some days my “game” is better than others which is to be expected, but the more I practice and get in the game, the better my Chinese gets. I can feel myself starting to get into a groove — hitting a few open shots and even making a slam dunk or two. I guess one could say learning Chinese is a lot of hard work, but if you take the perspective of playing a game, it can also be a lot of fun.  I think tomorrow I’ll join a “pick-up game” at a local Guilin mi fen (Guilin rice noodle) restaurant.

Cory exploring his classroom -- an entire country

It’s already been a month since CLI’s FHS China Study Tour, but the memories are still in full force. Leading students through China is always unforgettable, yet FHS managed to heighten the experience to another level. The group approached each day with a tremendous enthusiasm, positive spirit and sense of adventure. This was one of my favorite study tour groups ever to come through CLI, and I hope many of these ambitious young students someday return to China and continue excelling in our increasingly interconnected world.

— Robbie Fried, CLI Co-Founder and Managing Director

Here’s a nostalgic look back at this spring’s FHS study tour through the words of the students themselves:

Our 1st Day

March 19, 2012 by Zane Homsi | BEIJING

This morning started around 4:30 for Luke and me, thanks to the jetlag. We both decided to become active for an hour or so and walked around, watched animal jokes, ate beef jerky, and listened to music. Then went back to bed.

Around 7:00 we reconvened with the rest of the group and ate breakfast. Most of us enjoyed eating our “American Breakfast” but some of us ate dumplings and Bao zi a traditional Chinese breakfast. Right after we left with Terry (our Beijing guide) and his Panda off to see the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. We also had lunch at a family’s home and rode rickshaws back and forth covering lots of ground in very little time.

Lunch at Chinese family's home

The Forbidden City was AMAZING!!!! We walked right into Tian’anmen Square, and immediately all of the locals were around us in a frenzy … especially Alana.  We all concurred that it was her blonde hair that made her a sight to see.

We took our first steps into the City and we were all completely taken over by the amazing art work of the palace. We walked through every temple taking pictures and sharing a few words with the locals there too. Within the palace we heard many interesting stories, and facts about the place. Such as if you were to take a new born baby and let him sleep in a new room every night, he would be 27 years old by the time he slept in all the rooms. COOL RIGHT?!

Angelica and Zane get a bit goofy

We had an amazing time. No picture can capture the scenery around us all. We then rode the rickshaws into the residential district and ate lunch. The man who owned the home and head of the family had just had a baby boy a month prior and their house was full of decorations for Xue Yue Wai. We had a tour of the area and we learned that the atmosphere in China is much different from that we read in textbooks or see in movies.

We rode rickshaws to a bell tour which had the biggest steps I could ever imagine. My track coach would probably consider that my speed endurance training for the day, just going up once. The view from the top was fantastic. Even with the polluted hazy skies there was a certain feeling you got at the top that made all of us feel god-like.

One of many Beijing rickshaw adventures

We came back to the Hostel to rest up before having a Uyghar dinner. Uyghars are people of the northernmost province of China, one of the 56 minority groups of the 7% population of China. This was by far my favorite meal. With their use of spices and décor we all realized that the stereotypical China we picture is definitely not the real one. China is a melting pot of cultures and it would truly take a lifetime to understand and appreciate it all.

Bike Ride, Calligraphy, Ping Pong, Mosque and Market

March 23, 2012 by Grace Cleland & Alana Suter | XI’AN

Day Five here in China! (Possibly six, we’ve lost count). We started the day with a bike ride atop the ancient City Walls of Xi’an. While the ride entailed a great amount of exercise, the whole group had a lot of fun with an aerial view of the city.

Bike riding atop the old city wall in Xi'an

Next, the group went to an art museum, where we received a tour of various art styles and learned many interesting (and some quite horrifying) stories! All of the students found the tour enjoyable – and we’re talking about teenagers here! The museum tour concluded with a calligraphy lesson, taught in part by a local artist and also by Dr. Xue’s mother, who was happy to share her talent.

Chinese caligraphy lessons after museum visit

After a local lunch of our typical Chinese cuisine, the group headed downtown to a Round Robin ping pong tournament, definitely a highlight of the day. After a “March Madness” style bracket, Hooks Johnston emerged victorious.

Later in the day, we headed to the Muslim Quarter where we visited the Great Mosque of Xi’an. We learned about traditional Muslim culture, and witnessed a gathering for prayer. After the visit, the group split up. Much to our excitement, the girls were able to go to a local department store to receive manicures – for only three dollars (Dads, we’re sure you’re pleased with that!).

Meanwhile, the other group enjoyed a traditional soup dinner, and the group of girls ate WAY too many dumplings – eight plates in ten minutes – oops. The night ended with bargaining in the Muslim Quarter; quite a fun cultural experience. We’re off to bed early tonight, because of our departure for Shanghai tomorrow morning at 5:40.

Perhaps this day was our favorite – and not just because of the shopping – because it reminded us how fortunate we are to experience such a wonderful, well-organized trip. The group reflected on the bus about how every meal, every activity, and every excursion was so well-planned for our group. The activities we have experienced here have made this one the trip of a lifetime.

FHS group shot in Xi'an

The group spent several hours exploring the park’s 100 sculptures, gawking at the unusual geometries of the architecture, and at one point sampling the sweet-sour, fuchsia colored fruit of a cactus species in one of the park’s many Chinese gardens. Though a delicious experience, many learned the hard way that the juice stains, spending the rest of the day with bright purple hands and lips.

We were happy to end our visit having fresh juice and coffee at the park’s outdoor “Woods Café”, courtesy of Frank Wu, Yuzi Paradise General Manager.

Wishing you all a happy spring from CLI!

Back: Brad, Thor, Conor, Marcello, Corey; Front: Talon, Lynx, Leona, Elyssa

Leona and Marcello, Queen and King of the world

The natural serenity of Yuzi Paradise

Beautiful pieces by the famous sculptor Ju Ming

Leona posing with some unique architecture

As a true melting pot of cultures and traditions, the CLI community gathered to celebrate each of these special occasions in one sitting. The big event brought together over 40 students, teachers and friends to celebrate on the banks of the Li River with Chinese round tables full of delicious local food and a backdrop of beautifully lit karst mountains. After dinner, CLI’s most festive community members moved the merriment to Shangri-La Hotel’s U-Bar for drinks, conversation, and more celebration.

A warm welcome to CLI family members, a happy birthday to Leona, and happy holidays to all!

CLI's Local Director, Molin, alongside a CLI Mandarin Teacher

Overlooking the Sun and Moon Pagodas

Mr. and Mrs. Fried and Lynx smile for the camera

Leona, the birthday girl!

CLI students and teachers pose with Brad over some delicious local food

If you’re interested in China, you probably have plenty of questions like these. The best answers lie in real stories told by the students, teachers, and scholars who have taken that final step: traveling to China. To help you get the best understanding of life in the Middle Kingdom, CLI introduces its CLI Perspectives blog series, sharing insightful stories from CLI community members.

City of Eternal Luck?

By Conor Hand, CLI College Study Abroad Student

I arrived at my temporary home in the beautiful city of Guilin on January 30th—a week before my Study Abroad semester at the Chinese Language Institute was set to begin. I came to China as a 21 year old college kid, with no firsthand knowledge of Chinese culture and language and no experience traveling in the country.

These small details however did not deter me from spontaneously taking a three-day solo trip to the “nearby” city of Kunming. I was told the best (and cheapest) way to Kunming was via train. And after hours of wandering the city of Guilin in search a ticket agency where English was spoken, I was able to secure a roundtrip hard sleeper ticket.

When I stepped onto my first Chinese train, I soon became the unofficial bag boy of my car, due to my height and because the overhead storage compartment was unreachable for most of my fellow passengers. As the trip progressed I was introduced to a very shy boy whose parents insisted that he practice his English. I also took this opportunity to try to practice my Chinese, but my vocabulary of “ni hao” and “xie xie” (hello and thank you) were soon exhausted.

When nighttime arrived I collapsed on the fittingly named “hard sleeper” bed, and soon drifted off into a sleep disrupted only by crying babies and the numerous train stops along the way.

Conor in Kunming

When the 15-hour train ride that can best be described as magical had reached its conclusion, I arrived in the “City of Eternal Spring,” feeling accomplished, exhausted, but most of all, starved. It turns out you shouldn’t head into a nearly day-long voyage without any food supplies. So I did what any stereotypical American college student would do: I went off in search of some comfort (western) food as a much needed pick-me-up.

As luck had it, I came across two men from England and Germany, respectively. After briefly inquiring about their purpose in China, and more importantly the whereabouts of the nearest western café, I was invited to join them on a trip the next day to the tourist spots of Stone Forest and the Jiuxiang Scenic Area. This was not a part of my original plan which was to stay in Kunming for a day and then travel to the tourist city of Dali. But as they say, when in China, follow the rich investment bankers.

These men not only offered to take me along with them, but they paid for the entire day’s worth of events which was fairly pricey. I have since reflected on this unexpected form of kindness and I have concluded that they simply must have felt sorry for the poor, ragged looking college student. Regardless of the reasoning, their generosity is something I will not forget.

Yunnan's Stone Forest

We set off early Saturday morning in a rented car taking the hour plus trip to Stone Forest. I was able to get a firsthand look of the towering Yunnan Mountains which were quite different from the picturesque Karst Mountains of Gaungxi. I arrived to the UNESCO World Heritage Site with admittedly no knowledge of what “Stone Forest” actually was, of where precisely in the Yunnan Province I was, and even who I was exactly with. But any remaining doubts of my decision to embark on this random journey were put to rest when I got my first glimpse of this stone forest. These tall oddly shaped rocks protruding from the ground were a sight I had never seen or even imagined.

We then traveled to the Jiuxiang Scenic Area with the main attraction being a unique set of caves that were marvels in their own right. At the end of our trip my hosts and I parted ways—with them heading to their 5 star hotel overlooking the peaceful Green Lake, and me heading to a very unique youth hostel overlooking the 5 star hotel—and I expressed my sincere gratitude for all they had done.

Jiuxiang Scenic Area

My last day in Kunming was spent attempting to take in the city to the fullest while enjoying the sunshine and blue sky, both of which I had learned are hard to come by during winter in China. In the morning I went to the famous Kunming Zoo which houses over 5,000 animals. Despite the unique set of creatures all around us, it became apparent from the stares and exclamations of “ni kan laowai!” (look at the foreigner!), that I was as much an attraction to the visitors as the animals. I discovered that this attention is not given as a form of animosity nor admiration, but merely as curiosity.

After the zoo trip I relaxed the remainder of the day at the famous Cuihu Park (Green Lake Park) where I witnessed local people doing tai chi, singing, dancing, exercising, and feeding the countless birds surrounding the lake. That night I went to a local café where I met a small group of English-speaking local college-aged kids who saw this lonely laowai sitting by himself absorbed in his Kindle. They invited me to join them and immediately bought me drinks. Good luck strikes again!

The next day I set off for Guilin feeling fully relaxed and accomplished, and ready to take on the real purpose of my Chinese trip: Mandarin! As I lay on my hard sleeper on the return voyage reflecting on my experiences, I thought about how truly unpredictable it all had been. And nearly two months later I can say with full confidence that the word “unpredictable” perfectly describes my time here in China: mostly random, always confusing, but never dull.

Read more CLI Perspectives stories here!

CLI 3rd Anniversary Dinner

For three years, CLI has given the gift of language to hundreds of students from all over the world. With its strong growth over the years, including the opening of its 5-story Learning Center in Guilin, CLI is looking forward to many more years of bridge-building through culture and language education.

Happy Birthday, CLI! 生日快乐！

Mikko, Conor, Zhuodan, Leona, and Cory enjoy CLI's third birthday!

If you’re interested in China, you probably have plenty of questions like these. The best answers lie in real stories told by the students, teachers, and scholars who have taken that final step: traveling to China. To help you get the best understanding of life in the Middle Kingdom, CLI introduces its CLI Perspectives blog series, sharing insightful stories from CLI community members.

A big thank you to Teach in China participant Heidi Fowler for submitting the very first CLI Perspectives story!

Chinese Adventure: Avoid the Hard Seats

By Heidi Fowler, CLI Teach in China Participant

I came to China strictly for adventure. You know, live the dream, see the world. However, being the 22-year-old college student that I am, I needed an excuse for that adventure. So for my excuse I chose CLI’s Teach in China program.

I had read a few books about China, eaten some Chinese food and saved up moolah to prepare myself for this little trip – oh, and I also packed snowboard gear – and finally the time had come to board the plane and fly around the world. Me and my crazy ideas were off to China.

Snowboarding in Beijing

I arrived a few weeks before I started teaching to sort of take some things in, and whoa was there a lot to take in. It was insane, this new planet I had landed on. I was in love. This place of no English (except for the many “Hellos”) had stolen my heart. It was most definitely the adventure I had asked for.

Teaching began and so did a new lifestyle for me – one of responsibility. The early morning classes weren’t my favorite, but the kids were always great. Twelve- and thirteen-year-olds – who knew they were going to be so entertaining? I taught them a little bit of English, they gave me a few laughs, and teaching in China became the way to go.

Let’s not forget my real purpose for being in China though – the adventure, right! I had to find something to do with this snowboard I had hauled with me. So halfway through the semester I began planning my epic “travel around China” trip. I decided to make it simple. I asked myself, “What do you absolutely have to see while you’re in China?” Then I answered myself, “The Great Wall, of course!” There are many things to do in Beijing and they have snow!

I saw the city, met some cool people, partied a bit and took some pictures with the monuments (because that’s what we tourists do). I had it made and I snowboarded – in China!

Heidi in Beijing

I realized that my big trip was coming to an end as Chinese Spring Festival was beginning. But I thought, I’ll get the ticket later, no biggie. Do you have any idea how many people travel around China during Spring Festival? Neither do I, because my brain doesn’t comprehend numbers that high. Needless to say, getting a train ticket was quite difficult. A friend finally found me a “hard seat” ticket for three days after I wanted to leave. At the time, I thought, Awesome, hard seats are cheaper so I can save money and I get to stay in Beijing longer!

Remember when I said I was teaching in China instead of learning Chinese? I quickly learned that knowing how to teach English – rather than knowing how to speak Chinese – is useless when you’re on a 30-hour hard seat train ride from Beijing to Guilin. I made it on the train with 30 minutes to spare – which is good because it took that long for me to communicate that I needed help getting my snowboarding bag into the overhead compartment.

Then I noticed, Dear God, there are no seats left and everyone is standing. I sort of shimmied through the crowd, holding my ticket up, looking confused. Fortunately, a train worker who was feeling sorry for the foreigner took my ticket and yelled at a woman to get out of my seat. I just put on my best ting bu dong (“don’t understand”) face and sat down. I thought, That worked out – until the same woman decided she needed to lean on me for the remaining 29 hours and 59 minutes of our train ride. So I ignored the elbow in my shoulder and decided to explore the things I had packed for my train ride: a book, a Snickers, and apple juice, whoohoo. I was dying to finish that book. So I did… within the first hour of the trip. With nothing else to do, I ate all the food I brought. 27 hours to go…

I realized early on that when I bought the cheap ticket, I really bought the cheapest. The only people who saved more money than me were those standing in the aisles. When you buy the cheap ticket, you sit in the last car of the train, and by the time the food cart makes it to you, there’s only the junk that no one else wanted to eat. So I didn’t eat; I was done after that Snickers.

But the man sitting next to me was chewing on a whole roasted duck, and boy did it smell good. So I kind of eyed it. I had no idea he would offer me any, and I especially had no idea that I would actually eat it with him. The things you do in China. It was the most amazing duck I had ever eaten on a train. We became instant friends. Of course we didn’t understand a word we were saying to each other, but that didn’t stop us from talking.

Heidi's New Friends

I never thought I would be so happy to step out into the Guilin rain with no umbrella and a snowboarding bag. I was glad to be back, not just because I was off that crowded box, and not just because this stop was actually mine (unlike the 1500 other stops we made to squeeze in more people), but because I had eaten duck on a train, and I had successfully taken a 30-hour hard seat train ride in China. I felt like a master traveler. I could do anything. I then went to my comfortable CLI apartment with my American toilet and my AC unit and finally passed out.

Though a few dedicated scholars stayed at CLI during the national holiday to get ahead in their Mandarin study, most students and staff left the city to usher in the Year of the Dragon with family, friends, lots of delicious homemade dishes, and, of course, the banging and booming of firecrackers and fireworks.

新年快乐！！！ Happy New Year from CLI!

Meiwei: Guilin's new foreign food store

There’s no better way to bring in the New Year than with a delicious taste of home. CLI students and staff recently took a trip to the new foreign food shop in Guilin’s san li dian area. A short fifteen-minute walk from CLI, Weimei, or “Charm”, has shelves stocked with everything from kettle cooked chips and your favorite cereals to savory pasta sauces and pudding mix.

Though Guilin spoils its citizens with American, Italian, Indian, Thai, Korean, and Japanese restaurants — as well as just about every type of Chinese cuisine — the CLI community is thrilled to have a new supply depot for the homesick Westerner.

]]> http://studycli.org/blog/a-taste-of-home/feed/ 0 http://studycli.org/blog/lauren/ http://studycli.org/blog/lauren/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:02:36 +0000 Lauren Nelson http://studycli.org/blog/?p=590

With a Yao Woman in Longsheng

After more than two years of educational consulting and nine months as CLI’s Educational Director, in September I bid a heartfelt farewell to Guilin and to the countless friends and colleagues I came to know while living there. At the end of October, I will be moving to rural India to spend ten months volunteering with a human rights organization in the field of educational development; while I hope to provide a much-needed service to Indian communities that lack the resources to develop viable educational programming on their own, my work at CLI has inspired me to continue exploring the transformative impact of education on our increasingly globalized world.

Since I first began working with CLI, we have welcomed close to 200 students to China. With each passing season, our community grows ever larger. And yet, for me, CLI has always felt like an extended family. As students come and go, I have seen firsthand the unbreakable bonds that they form with teachers and peers, and shared the unforgettable experiences that they carry with them upon returning home. Students venture to CLI in hopes of improving their Mandarin Chinese; in the end, they often discover that in addition to language proficiency, they have gained lifelong friendships and a newfound appreciation for Chinese culture. It is this aspect of CLI that I will miss most.

What I'll Miss: Guilin's Scenery

Throughout the upcoming year, CLI is partnering with several U.S.-based programs and schools to provide intensive Mandarin language training and academic study tours for students and professionals eager to know more about China. In addition to hosting two high school study tours through Oakton, Virginia’s Flint Hill School and Alexandria, Virginia’s Episcopal High School, CLI is organizing two professional development seminars on environmental sustainability in conjunction with the China Sustainability Initiative (CSI). CLI will also host two undergraduate-level study tours, one sponsored through the Intelligence Community Centers of Academic Excellence (IC-CAE), and the other through Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. Though I won’t be in China to welcome these new students myself, I can rest assured that they’ll learn much about the Middle Kingdom – and themselves – by participating in a CLI program in China.

So while I say my final goodbyes to the misty karst mountains, golden rice paddies and bustling city streets that are Guilin, I know that I won’t be gone forever. Although I may have provided CLI with my educational expertise, it has imparted me with so much more than that.