Program Reviews

I spent 6 weeks at Omeida in late 2023 as part of a longer trip though Asia. I was starting from zero and was interested in learning some basic mandarin, learning more about China, exploring a beautiful place and meeting some new friends. During my six weeks with Omeida I achieved every one of my aims!

The school is really well organised, really cares about your overall experience and creates regular opportunities for you to explore nearby places and learn more about China as a whole. Good times

When I arrived at Omeida the staff was very friendly and briefly introduced me to the school and my dormitory. The classes were pretty chill and fun because you learned without pressure. Every wednesday a teacher gave us a presentation about interesting topics related to chinese e.g. How Jiaozi are made. At the weekend the acivities were also very fun and entertaining so you never were bored. The people here are very friendly and you you will make friends really fast.
I can only recommend to stay at Omeida. It was one of the best experiences I made!

What can I say about my experience at Omeida?
Well, I'll have to use the same word that many others have already used: 'amazing'!
I've stayed for 4 weeks and left with the idea of coming back. If I could, I'd have definitely extended my stay.
When I was planning my trip, the first thing that caught my attention about Omeida was the promptness and proactivity of the staff. One small talk to Rachel was enough for me to decide to go to Yangshuo (Rachel, you rock!).
Once there, I felt welcomed and part of the 'family'.
My Chinese classes were in the morning and they were great. Well prepared, dynamic and motivating. Thanks Vivian!
The volunteering was in the late afternoon and, for me, it was the best part of this experience. In addiction to the feeling of being useful, I was able to meet different people, make friends and better understand Chinese culture.
Omeida also provides many activities and events which besides helping a lot during the learning process, are they excellent opportunities to create memorable moments.
So, for those who want to try this experience but are hesitating, I will say: 'go for it!' . It will exceed your expectations. Just like it happened to me.

Amazing experience! From the warm welcome from the staff, always there to help you, the amazing teachers with their charisma and heart devotion for teaching, the breathtaking scenery located in Yangshuo (Please, rent a bicycle or a scooter and explore this place and enjoy its beauty), and the cultural exchange, not only with chinese culture, but from people all around the world coming to learn. Also, the way english language students and chinese language students (students from abroad) come together to help out each other in their learning process is such an amazing thing to watch!
I got there with basic Chinese and now I can take part in small conversations, I can see how my listening and speaking skills increased really quick! Thanks to the teachers, language partners and friends! I had an amazing time!
Words are little to express my gratitude to the amazing Omeida team and the people I got to meet and made friends with, just beautiful moments were lived and I am so happy with the time I spent there, everything alongside my chinese learning. I highly recommend: this is the perfect place to learn chinese, making friends abroad and live the best experience! You will not regret coming to this place!

Fantastic program, amazing place, excellent teachers, it is the perfect place to learn Chinese, and immerse in the culture. There are options to suit your needs and level, and the teachers are able to adjust accordingly. The location is magical, and it never feels like a school. It is a community that you can be part of, and would want to be part of. The support from the staff is excellent, and while everyone can speak English at the academy, they encourage you to speak Chinese to them, no matter your level, which really helps to practice in a setting you don't feel uncomfortable in. There are also cultural classes, teaching you about aspects of Chinese culture, as well as language partner program, giving you more opportunities to practice Chinese.

Overall, it was a great experience. Yangshuo has a pleasant environment and atmosphere for foreigners to come and study for a while, especially for those who like nature. The staff was also very welcoming, and the small class system, allowed us as a student to engage more in the class and have lots of opportunities to ask questions. They also have many activities every weekend and a Chinese culture class every once a week, which was enjoyable. Overall, the eight weeks I had during this summer holiday were memorable and useful for me.

Great times in yangshuo, when in omeida, time flew, and the 6weeks i had went by in a flash. I think yangshuo is a great place for learning chinese, chinese culture, and about oneself.
The support i received since the beginning was great, and it really made me feel safe.
The learning is effective because you learn in class, and practice in the street or talking with chinese students, which makes it stay in your brain.
The activities were all fun, and the other events, such as the language partner or volunteering, made me always busy, which I appreciate.
My experience is very good.

I am a “mature” woman who in my later years have been able to take up a long desires wish to learn Mandarin. Omeida in Yangshou was the perfect fit, as I also had long wanted to see the fantastic landscape of the area.
I already had some basic knowledge of characters and I was put in a class (one on one for two weeks and a classmate for the remainder two weeks) where my listening and speaking skills were intensely worked on. Exactly what I needed! Compared to before my visit my listening and speaking skills are much improved.
I also have an interest in the skill of writing/painting the characters, so I did a course learning the intricacies of producing the right strokes to make characters. My teacher had great patience and gave me a very good insight into different styles of writing characters.
My husband also came with me to Omeida. He was a beginner in Mandarin and had an enjoyable one on one class with his teacher in the afternoons. The mornings he spent in a lovely village a short bike ride away learning Tai Chi with a Tai Chi Master.
The school also organises a lot of extracurricular and social activities which immediately gives you an introduction to people and culture.
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who has an interest in Chinese language, culture and food. Although we are vegan we had no problems with getting lovely food. The fact that the school also provide lunch and dinner makes life simpler.

Omeida is one of the few full immersion programs in Mainland China that intertwines those wanting to learn English and students wanting to learn Mandarin. My classes were private one on one from 9:25am to 4:35pm with breaks during the class time and a good lunch break where we could eat delicious local food provided by the program. After class, other Mandarin students and myself would mix with the English learners where we'd practice our skills in real settings, cementing what we learned in class.

It has been said that 'the best fruit is to be found fresh from the tree', and where better to learn to communicate in Chinese than in China itself? And there are few more conducive places to learn, and live, in China than in Yangshuo. The rest of the world is easily forgotten when nestled within its misty peaks. But you will never forget Yangshuo.

Rank beginner or competent speaker, no matter your level, Omeida will chart a course that suits your particular needs
Omeida is a professional organisation with competent teachers and great support staff. A language partner program offers mutual benefit to learners of Chinese, and English. They organise weekly activities with lots of variety so there's something for everyone. It's entirely up to you as to your level of involvement. There's no pressure. As anywhere else things can get busy here. But there is an unhurried and harmonious quality to Yangshuo that's difficult to define, a quality compatible with living a good life.