One-month stay in Chengde

I have enjoyed my stay immensely! Chengde is a very welcoming city, full of historical sites to visit (beautiful temples!) and a wonderful natural scenery. It is also one hour away from Beijing, which can be visited via train.

My Chinese classes at Keats School have been comprehensive. Zhang laoshi is very understanding and kind. We've worked on improving pronunciation and on writing characters, useful Chinese for everyday conversation (such as shopping, going to the doctor, booking tickets etc) and basic grammar. We have also been able to study Chinese poetry, such as the works of Li Bai and Du Fu, along with the rules of composition. My understanding of both language and culture has improved thanks to the lessons and the stay, and I feel more confident speaking. In general, I was able to solidify my knowledge and build upon it, and the teacher provided lots of varied material to study from.

I applied for the volunteer program and tutored an 11-year old in English. His family was very welcoming, and helped introduce me to life in Chengde. This was also a very positive experience.

Overall I am very happy with how this month turned out, and would absolutely recommend the experience!