Program Reviews

I had been learning Mandarin for a while but had reached a plateau. I now wanted to expand my knowledge and immerse myself in the culture. After much on-line research, I decided LTL was the way to go and enrolled in a four week course: 2 weeks group classes in Beijing and 2 weeks emersion in Chengde, both with a Homestay family.

Before leaving, my contact with the student liaison was very helpful and answered all my questions and concerns. I was also very pleased that all the arrangements to pick me up and deliver me to my host families were well taken care of. My host sisters were both very kind, friendly and helpful and over time I began to understand more and more of the conversations. Still some way to go though!

Getting around in Beijing was quite easy with the Metro; pass provided. I had a few conversations with a variety of people en-route, in shops etc. and they were all very patient and forthcoming, and happy to answer my questions in my limited Chinese. I think the trick is not to be afraid to make mistakes. Everyone appreciates the fact that you’re trying.

The two class teachers in Beijing were well prepared and, because the class was small we were able to ask questions and have our concerns addressed. We concentrated on correct pronunciation and usage as well as vocabulary development and character formation, but we also learned a pop song and indulged in some general discussion, which I found particularly interesting.

In Chengde, my one-on-one experience was tailored more to my personal needs, again with very accommodating teachers. As I had chosen one week of “Discover Chengde”, my teacher in the second week was my guide to some of the beautiful, historical sights of this charming city, and morning lessons were held in a café by the river.

At the end of my four weeks I was taken back to Beijing and spent two more weeks travelling in China with my son. My preparations had certainly been worthwhile!

Studying in China with LTL was, overall, an amazing experience. The school is full of interesting people and friendly staff, and we often met up for dinners, drinks and dancing.
I am also very satisfied with my progress in Chinese. I arrived as an absolute beginner, and 16 weeks of their Standard Immersion Program later I can chat away in Chinese with ease.
The homestays they organised for me were excellent. In both Beijing and Chengde I had a double bed, and the houses were very clean. More importantly, the families were really friendly. In Beijing they even took me to a Chinese wedding, and throughout treated me as a member of the family. I became really good friends with my 24 year old 'homestay brother', and we are still in contact to this day.
The only downside to the program is that it is a little on the expensive side. But what you get is well worth the money!

I just came home from a five weeks stay in Beijing and China, three of which I spent at LTL learning Mandarin. The last two weeks I did some traveling with my mom to test my abilities ;)
Having learnt Chinese in Germany before (HSK 2 level), I wasnt a total beginner. However my speaking and listening skills were far from being useful in daily conversation. Studying at LTL helped with that tremendously. Both with good and intense classes (three to four students) and with arranging a homestay for me. While my reading, vocabulary and grammar skills were improved through my lessons, staying with a real chinese family helped greatly with my listening and speaking skills. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to experience chinese daily live first hand and explore similarities and differences.
My two weeks of traveling proved to me that my chinese really improved and I was able to navigate around the country without major mishaps. Even in the south ;)
In my opinion, LTL is a good address if you want to learn Chinese and experience the culture first hand. They take good care of their students and do their best to make your stay a memorable one!

Im so glad I ended up studying at LTL. Ive been studying mandarin for a while now, with no end in sight. However, being at LTL has given me the confidence and the opportunities I need to utilize and practice my Chinese on a day to day basis. Unlike University settings, LTL allows for a very intimate teaching atmosphere, which I personally have enjoyed since I can get direct feedback on my pronunciation grammatical usage and so on. In addition to being a great school, you also have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, and take part in fun activities every week.

If I were to mention one shortcoming of LTL it is that their WIFI is somewhat unreliable; but beside this, it really is the place to be if you want to learn Chinese and have fun while doing it!

Despite having studied Mandarin at University for 2 years, nothing can quite prepare you for actually turning up in China - but that is part of the experience! Everyday brings something new.

LTL provided tremendous support throughout my time in China, and I never felt uncomfortable. The social nights were generally well organised, and you are never short of opportunities to meet new people, whether that be at school dinner, or in Sanlitun (Smugglers in particular).
The school also seems to have a knack for selecting fantastic teachers - all 4 of my teachers (2 in Beijing, 2 in Chengde) were incredibly patient with me, particularly when my brain refused to function properly (which happened rather often!). They were more than happy to go out of their way to ensure I was learning in the best way I could. It is testament to their teaching ability (and a willingness on my part to converse with locals) that I went from being unable to ask for a map at my hotel on my first day in China, to holding a 4-hour conversation with some Chinese people (a train conductor included) on the train from Chengde to Beijing on my last day.

For all students coming to LTL, you'll likely experience life in Beijing. It can be easy sometimes to get lost in the pollution (which wasn't at all that bad during my 6 weeks in the city), the traffic, and the constant honking, but taking a step back reveals so much more to the city - a thriving culture, and so many things to see that you'll never be short of options.

For those opting to do the full immersion in Chengde (and I would urge you to do so), you'll be greeted by a quaint city (by China's standards), surrounded by some incredible scenery and mountains, providing something a little different from the constant hustle and bustle of the capital. It was in Chengde that I really found my Chinese progressed, with far more opportunities to converse with the locals (who were often much easier to understand than those in Beijing) - one example was when I ended up having lunch for over an hour with 4 older Chinese men who offered me their food and Baijiu (the main Chinese spirit), even though I had originally turned up at the restaurant to order a takeaway of dumplings!
The surrounding areas of Chengde are truly stunning, with some very interesting and unusual temples, while the Mountain Resort was a fantastic place to go for a leisurely hike on a nice day.

In both Beijing and Chengde, I opted for the homestay option of living with a local family, and their kindness, the food and a willingness to converse with me really helped me settle into both cities. I truly felt like part of the family by the end of my stays with them. This is definitely the best option if you want to really progress your Chinese.

Overall, I had a fantastic experience in China, and it was with a heavy heart that I had to leave at the end of my 3-month stay. Huge thanks go to the people behind LTL, and also to the countless people I met along the way. I left China with some great memories that I hope to add to in the future.

Go there with an adventurous and open mind, and I promise you you'll have one of the best times of your life. 我想念你中国！

LTL was an overall enjoyable experience. The classes are well structured and the learning environment is easy-going. The staff is quite attentive to the needs of the students, and accommodations were not too bad. It is a tad bit difficult to maneuver through Beijing, but LTL itself plans well organized events and such. An independent personality is definitely required for this experience if you enjoy going out at night, but beyond that I felt well taken care of. The social and educational aspect of LTL is well balanced.

I came to LTL knowing literally two words, and 4 weeks later I can (sort of) hold a conversation with locals about specific conversation topics! The classes are great fun and the teachers are very creative with their teaching methods. I feel like I have been supported all the way through my learning period and the support staff and student advisors have been very flexible and helpful for the entirety of my stay in Beijing.
In terms of the social scene, most students are between 18 and 25, so there are many many opportunities to party, which has been great for me to relive my student life... I stayed in a shared apartment which was very safe, but my friends in the homestays have been very positive about their experiences there also.
Cannot recommend LTL enough - I'm leaving next week and I don't want to go!

I spent four months studying at LTL and enjoyed them tremendously. My teacher was fun, experienced and very very patient. I enjoyed every single class.
The support and social program at the school is very good, as was my host family, particularly the food.

I was looking for a program that could help me to quickly improve my almost non existant spoken Chinese skills and based on a friend's recommendation chose LTL.

Course:
I studied 1-on-1 classes and I found the course was outstandingly well taught. My teacher was well prepared, professional, and very experienced with hopelessly tonedeaf students like me. I found the quality of classes at LTL significantly better than what I had experienced previously at the Confucius Instiute at my university

Homestay:
Living with a Chinese family was what helped me to finally overcome my "fear or speaking Chinese". They were very patient, but insisted on me using my - very limited at the beginning - Mandarin skills to get through daily life, which was a challenge at the beginning, but in the end this was what built up my confidence and got me to start speaking Mandarin in day to day situations. The food was great and the apartment very nice. I had a private, spacious bedroom, with my own en-suite bathroom. It took me about 30 minutes to get to the school by subway.

Community:
Studying at 1-on-1 program I was a bit concerned that I would struggle to make friends at the school. This however turned out not to be a problem at all. All students eat lunch together on the balcony and there are a lot of school activities, dinners, trips etc. and it is very easy to make friends.

I planned my trip to China for almost a year and was quite nervous, as I had never been to Asia before. LTL helped me to not only organize my stay and course here, but to see a side of China I would have not seen otherwise. The family to live with they had organized for me was lovely, the course a lot of fun, and the support from the LTL team amazing.
I spoke to about a dozen Chinese schools before signing up at LTL and it was the right choice for me.