Chinese Language Comprehensive Course + Culture Immersion in Yangshuo, China

I stayed (studied and volunteered) at Omeida Academy for three weeks and it was one of the best three weeks of my life! I've met so many amazing people and there are plenty of opportunities to chat to other students, both from the Chinese school and also from the English school. You can also be signed up to have a Language Partner where you can practice what you've learned and improve very quickly. I did this and my Chinese level improved so much! Similarly, the Chinese students also want to practice their English with you, and my room mate was a Chinese student studying English, so every night we were able to chat together in Chinese and English which was a great for both of us.
The lessons were fantastic and my teacher, Twelve, was amazing. My class size was also really small and I learned so much as well as had so much fun! The text book was also provided for me, which was great! I'd never heard of the text book which was given to me but it's very clear and understandable, and I can still learn a lot from it even now after my lessons have finished. The benefit of Yangshuo is that not many locals speak English, so practicing Chinese outside of class wasn't difficult at all, and my Chinese friends helped me so much with pronunciation and grammar!
Food is also very cheap here, and there is plenty to do outside of lesson time, as Yangshuo is located very well in terms of scenic routes, hiking and other activities for travellers- Guilin is also a bus ride away (1-2 hours) but you can get there for 20-30 kuai depending on the bus driver…!
The only thing I would say is that the internet connection in the dorms is a little bit unreliable, but honestly, I found that I never needed it as I was always out exploring, having fun in West Street, taking photos or studying Chinese, it really depends on what sort of experience you want to have while you're here.
But all in all, I wish I could have stayed longer here! I'll definitely be back some time (if I can!) as Yangshuo is truly a beautiful place and the people at Omeida Academy are kind, understanding and very helpful with any issues. You really do become friends with everybody at this place and there is always something to do and somewhere to go, as well as the lessons being some of the most interesting and fun I've ever had, so I highly recommend this!
About volunteering: there were quite a lot of options I could choose from, but I chose to do Media and SEO. I went out to take lots of photos which was fantastic as I got to explore the local area as much as I wanted while doing what I loved! I got to then edit some of them to use for the school's Instagram and write blog posts about my experiences in China about many different things (from getting the train to living in Yangshuo), and I also learned many new things about Google Analytics and Trends etc. A great experience and something great to add to my CV!

I've studied at Omeida for 6 months, and I would say it has been totally worth it. Omeida provides a perfect environment to study ; peaceful atmosphere, helpful Chinese language partners and lots of chinese cultural lessons to learn from. The school is also located in one of the most beautiful places in China which provides you with opportunity to explore and angage in so many fun activities. I would highly recommend anyone who would love to learn or develop their chinese language to study here. 100% worth it!!!

I had an amazing time in Omeida. I spent a month in Yangshuo and my Chinese improved a lot, especially oral Chinese. My teacher Yan is a real professional and very patient with her students. Location is also excellent because Yangshuo is well known for its natural beauty, it is a town surrounded by karst hills with breathtaking sceneries. I would highly recommend Omeida to everyone and I will definitely come back.

To go to Omeida and attend a four week intensive course, was for me the first big adventure I have done by myself in life and I really dont regret it. The staff was so nice and I found a lot new friends at school.

I was a bit worried, since I was going by myself that it would be a bit lonesome, but no I always had someone to talk to or drink coffee with. The staff was also very helpful when I had to renew my visa.

The one thing that could be a tad negative is that it was very cold and no central heating, but I went there in January so I guess I should have expected it and I would guess i'm a bit spoiled with central heating inside,

When it comes to my teachers, I must say that they were the most funny but also best teachers I ever had in students life. Only three days at Omeida, I think I learned more than I did during my chinese studies in Sweden.

Zhuge, the teacher I had the most was so funny and her big personality really made time fly by, I enjoyed every moment and she taught me so much with her mix of strict teaching but also reaching out and showing a warm and gentle side.

I only had Icy for a week, but during that time I think we got a good connection and her ways of using flashcards during classes and making me talk about my very big family, was a nice variation in teaching styles.

Wency, a teacher I had for three weeks was also very good and loved to tell funny stories, which made my listening ability improve a lot, she was also very good in explaining any uncertainties.

I never had the chance to have Phoebe as a teacher, but I did get to know her after school hours and she was really helpful when I got stuck with a problem, because I knew I could always ask her and tell her anything.

Overall, I did enjoy how these teachers taught in different ways, since it made my intensive course easier to cope with and even though I did think it was a bit much homework sometimes, I did really enjoy every second I spent during class, and doing my homework. All teachers helped me improve with my Chinese a lot.

Also special thanks to Anya and Wanda who helped me to renew my Visa and had all the information I needed to travel and explore around Yangshuo.

Twelve also deserves a short summary - he is the funny guy who arranges activities and if there is any questions, he is always available to ask. Also his singing is awesome.

I do miss everyone I got to know at Omeida and I wish I could have stayed for a longer period of time.

Would I recommend Omeida and Yangshuo to a friend? Certainly!
Will I return there? Ofcourse!

Dear All,
 
I am already home safe and sound. For the moment I am going to catch my breath and get some much needed chores at home and work done, but I can still take 5 minutes to write this email.
 
Thank you Wanda for your endless patience, and your efficiency in dealing with all the matters. Your professional replies and your patience in replying my several emails and clarifying my doubts made me choose Omeida.
 
Thank you Anya for the warm welcoming when I first arrived, and for always being willing to help.
 
Thank you Wency for your advices and followup,
 
I had the opportunity to work with two wonderful teachers and it was really enriching.
 
Zhuge is a kind of "Wonder Woman", she really can handle everything. the way she teaches keeps your brain awake all the time, she is full of energy, and imagination. She can be strict and funny, she can use mimic to explain the sentences structure. and games to guess and remember new characters. I also had the opportunity to know her a little bit more during the weekend trip and she turned out to be also brave, reponsible, and an adventure lover. Thank you Zhuge. You rock girl!
 
Jasmin is mix of sweetness and wisdom, it took her only 2 classes to find out my weak points and she worked on them till the end. she made me start thinking in chinese :) and she made me move forward in the gramma. Thank you Jasmin.
 
Twelve is definitely the cherry on top of the cake, funny, resourceful, witty and with a great Outlook. He is indeed the right person for the job.
Still remember the nice dinner and the KTV night. Well done Twelve.
 
Thank you all again,
 
I wish you all continued success in your future endeavors
 
My warm regards to everyone,

Bouchra from Spain
 

I was in Yangshuo for three months. I made some of the most amazing friends and connections there. I was glad to come home when my time was over but I find myself thinking of Yangshuo more and more these days. I miss the teachers, I miss the students, I miss the foreigners, I miss the random explorations into the countryside, I miss the midnight noodles. Three months was far too short. My only complaint really has nothing to do with the quality of the school. Academic-wise... there is no way for them to expect homework to actually get done. If you're a bad student you might not get as much accomplished in the learning of Mandarin... but you will learn, and you will still have amazing experiences. Do yourself a favor and come to this amazing place and be part of it's amazing story.

Like the other reviewers, I only have good things to say about my month at Omeida. I went during the summer, peak time, and things were smooth and well organized. I took morning classes and spent the afternoons studying and the evenings exploring the cute town of Yangshuo.
The teachers and all the staff were nice, and there was lots of activities to keep me busy on my free time. I had a great summer there.

really good teaching at a really good price, I will be going back! They have classes every day which are flexible so you can change the time of the class just by speaking to them. Volunteer programme is good because you get free accommodation. There is really good rock climbing in yangshuo, just make sure you go with someone who knows what they are doing! You wont be disappointed if you go to Yangshuo omeida