Program Reviews

I couldn't ask anything better !!
Yangshou is simply amaizing, beautiful landscape, many things to do and people there are so friendly.
But is Omeida the main point of the experience:
They support you for any kind of things, the lessons time is such a fun and fast learning.. as main things they help you to integrate with the Chinese culture an local people, you can make many friends to hang out with, there are culture class, different escursions, and lot more..
What else.. Just make your reservation ;)

School and teachers were excellent. I came to Yangshuo thinking I would spend most of my time exploring and learn Chinese on the side, but the classes were so good I instead spent most of my time studying and had almost no time to explore! Jingjing and Vivian were kind, patient, explained very clearly and tailored the classes to my needs. While I didn't take classes with them, all the other teachers were also warm and friendly when we interacted around school. The people really made my experience there special - should also mention student cafe lady aunty Jing, lunch room lady Lin Na, and other teachers/staff at Omeida Wency, Anya, Rachel and Lucy.

I spent 4 weeks in Yangshou at the Omeida Academy learning Chinese.
What works well. The good.
-The Academy is set up with an English school and a Chinese school. The programs are designed to provide interactions with the students from the other school. The school set up a language partner for me (and anyone who requests it) so 1 hour a day I met with a student from the English Academy we timed 30 minutes where no English was spoken, then 30 minutes where no Chinese was spoken. This provided good practice for my Chinese.
-Many activities planned by the school. Each week there is a Saturday activity when I was there they were 1) a visit to a tea plantation 2) climbing the TV tower mountain in Yangshou (fabulous views from here) 3) river tracing. Each week there was a Wednesday cultural session (1 hour).
There is a weekly English corner activity for the English Academy. Two times there were dinners/barbeques for all the students. You could choose to attend or not attend any or all of these events.
-I lived in the school dormitory and could have chosen to have a roommate (Chinese national) from the English school. That would have provided further practice for my Chinese skills.
- There is a study room/lounge/coffee shop that provides a very active place for interaction.
-The school is close to many small restaurants/street vendors. When I was eating at them often times students from the Chinese academy would see me and join me for the meal. More oppurtunities to practice Chinese. Plus the communication with the local vendors is in Chinese.
-The school is well set up to provide many opportunities to speak Chinese.
-The teachers provided lessons that were generally fun and learning experiences.

The bad:
-There is a lot of turnover of students. Students come for times varying from 1 week to many months. They also have varying abilities in Chinese. This means there not a real opportunity for the teacher to direct the instruction in the long term at you. The class are relatively small typically 3 or 4 students. The last week one class has 2 students in it. In that class the teacher was able to focus the lessons for the 2 students she had.
The school does the best it can with the situation it is in.

Take home. I would recommend coming to Omeida if this was your first exposure to China, if you want to brush up your Chinese (1-3 weeks), or if you are starting at a no Chinese level. The school is set up for you to learn a lot in the time you are here.

For me, I have lived in China for 10 years and for the classroom experience think I would have been better served by one-on-one sessions.

People from all over the world, and of all ages were here. They got along quite well and had a good time together. I give the overall experience a 5/5.

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.