LTL Language School || The Ultimate Chinese Immersion Program

Great Experience! I was with LTL at three different locations (Beijing 2 weeks, Chengde 11 weeks and Beihai 5 weeks) and Chengde was for sure the best experience I had! For Chinese standards it is a really small town and therefore there are really no other foreigners which makes the full inclusion really effective. In my 3 months there I did not even see 5 foreigners in Chengde. You have to get used to being an attraction for many people and getting a lot of looks by everyone on the streets or when you enter shops. However these are 99% positive and many people will ask you for photos or are trying to get in contact with you. As a foreigner it was really easy to make friends since everyone naturally wants to be in contact with you, so you don’t have to be afraid of being lonely even though you´re the only foreigner around. People here don’t speak any English though, so you can really use the chance and fully immerse in Chinese. Chengde offers a lot to see especially for those interested in Chinese history. I only got to spend two weeks of summer in Chengde (where the weather is really nice and you can go hiking and explore the town). From October on you should be prepared for cold and later on really cold weather (it is however mostly sunny and it almost never rains). The city has a little smog problem on a few days with no wind. The air will feel not really fresh (this is a problem you will encounter in a lot of Chinese cities though). My host family was amazing. They were really interested in me as a person but also Germany and Europe or anything considered “western”. They were always keen to talk even after their long days of work. We went hiking together, skiing in the winter and they took me to a lot of activities. The supervisor for the LTL-students (who was also my host-mom) is really friendly and she knows like everyone in town and so many activities you can try and experience. It makes connecting to locals even easier. Since she is responsible for your study schedule you should also not hesitate to talk to her if any problems come up. Just be honest with her and don’t be afraid of not telling her your concerns. I had difficulties with one teacher and after talking to her and some advice we switched teachers and my study method. So she really helps you to optimize your time here. Every day after school my host-grandma made a delicious traditional Chinese dish for me and my host-brother. When I came to Chengde I knew maybe 200 words of Chinese so basically HSK 1 within 3 months of (really intensive) studying and acquiring I am now at an HSK 4 level, which is enough to get around the country and talk to people. I really recommend Chengde to everyone who chooses to study at LTL! I had an amazing time here and I am so glad I took the step into the unknown and came here. Thank you for the amazing time here LTL! Thank you Zhongwen! :)

LTL Language School Mandarin is a school with a lot of very diverse resources, based in different cities in Asia. Studying with LTL allowed me to visit major Chinese cities and learn deeply about the different cultures, accents, and traditions of China. I chose Beihai because the city was smaller and more provincial. The advantages are numerous. The population has little English and immersion in the Chinese language is total and improving rapidly. With the support of an excellent teacher, I was able to understand and correct my language mistakes, one after the other. Thanks to a very welcoming administrative team, who gave me the opportunity to taste the local cuisine and appreciate it. This very dynamic team also took me to sports centers and cultural events. Exchanges with teachers and the administrative staff are easy and direct. All this means, that I had an excellent stay, for a very modest price. I really regret not being able to extend this 10-day stay, but even in 10 days, my level of Chinese has improved a lot. I highly recommend the LTL Mandarin school in small towns like Beihai, warmer than in big cities. The apartment-sharing system is also part of the progression of my learning, with a friendly roommate in a clean apartment, close to the school. Do not hesitate, to choose Beihai LTL!

The organisation was smooth and clear. My host family was super earm and welcoming, there was nothing that I would miss while living with them. The classes are held one by one in Chengde so the progress is super quick. The teachers are competent and give their best. Outside of the classes there are many activities to join to further progress in the language as the locals speak almost no english, so mandarin chinese is required. But no worries if you think you will be overwhelmed, they are very warm and welcoming and if you don't understand something you can always use hands and feet to communicate or find another way. I would recommend Chengde to all mandarin learners, it is the best place to practice your mandarin and progress as quickly as possible.

Visited the Beihai School to study and it was such a wonderful experience! The school made sure I was picked up safely from the airport and taken to my stay. On my first day of classes, Savannah one of the awesome teachers also helped my order lunch when my app wasn’t working - nothing is too much trouble. The whole school feels like a family, with everyone eating lunch together and the school organised lots of activities together. I wish I’d arranged a longer stay! The teachers are extremely good at what they do, tailoring each lessons to your level and making the learning fun and interactive. Teacher summer is also amazing, her ability to write and translate new words quickly is awesome to see in action and she’s extremely patient and kind.
Beihai is also an awesome seaside city and has an extremely low cost of living! It was great to visit the beach when it was sunny, and eating out was cheap and convenient!

The Chengde program is a full immersion one. There is no English and your entire social life will be Chinese. The town is vibrant and the people are friendly so I learned a priceless amount of Chinese language and culture. I’ve danced, I’ve sang I’ve played ping-pong, met a lot of very different people and made friends I hope I keep for a long time.
To fully take advantage of what the program has to offer, I suggest you already have a survival level of Chinese before going.

I had an amazing time at LTL Language school undertaking an intensive language course as well as a homestay with family for 4 weeks. All 4 of my teachers were very knowledgable and offered variety in strengths and experiences. My overall experience was well managed by Mandy who was very attentive to my experience and questions and needs.

My Homestay family I was placed in was exceptional, providing meals every day, friendly, attentive to my whereabouts and movements and lovely and accepting children. They provided extra curricular cultural experiences on weekends and weeknights.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this school and experience to anyone.

I really loved studying at LTL. I think that I got one of the best teachers. Presli was always kind to me. We have improved my Chinese much. I developed my listening and speaking skills. Presli took me to lunch every day and other events where we could practice Chinese and immerse into Sichuan culture. We have visited QingCheng mountains where we found many picturesque views for taking breathtaking photos. I really loved this place. Despite this is the mountains, this place is very urbanised and you can get, for example, fresh water almost every 150 meters.

Learning Chinese in Beihai for two months was an enriching experience! In the first few weeks, I have learned the basics of Pinyin. Not only that, the structured lessons coupled with practical applications in daily interactions facilitated my rapid progress. Moreover, the welcoming and supportive community of friends and teachers fostered a nurturing environment where cultural exchange flourished, enhancing both my language skills and personal connections. Overall, my time in Beihai was not just about learning Chinese, but also a holistic immersion into the authentic China experience.