Have fun and learn Mandarin in Kunming

I went to Keats to jumpstart my Mandarin skills, and it worked. My speaking, reading, and listening/comprehension skills are far better now, and I will return to Keats improve further.

At school, I appreciated that Han Laoshi (my teacher!) modified lesson plans to match my personal interests and skill level. It was not a "cookie cutter" approach, and that was great.

My best advice for students is to get out and explore the city. One photo below is Daguan Park, where I did most of my studying. Local restaurants are great and inexpensive, transport is easy to navigate, and people are friendly and helpful. Kunming weather is said to be the best in China. It lives up to its nickname, "The city of eternal Spring."

Also, consider how much you want to balance language study and exploration/tourism. For me, I wanted a moderately intense schedule, but not all-consuming. So 4 hours per day class instruction was good. If you really want to be super-intense, go for the 6-hour option, but that's a lot! Or choose less class time, if that's what you want.

School services were responsive when small problems arose (my showerhead broke...fixed same day) and the group outings were enjoyable. Definitely visit the Juxian caves (another photo below)!