Guilin – a tranquil jewel in Guangxi

I spent three months at CLI in Guilin and had a terrific time. I really liked the teachers, the city, and was perfectly happy with the housing. Guilin now feels like a part of me. I loved the peaceful and tranquil environment and would choose Guilin any day over the bustle and noise of Beijing or Shanghai. My Chinese also tremendously improved. I started out with mid-level HSK 1 and am now at the beginning of HSK 3.

I only have one point of criticism. I felt that the the weekend trips offered by the institute were too catered to Western foreigners who are reluctant to take culinary risks or go off the beaten track. This is less a criticism of CLI, but more a reflection of my personal adventurous inclinations.