East China Normal University

ECNU's summer chinese program is suppose to be a mirror of the chinese program in Beijing. So, it seems that the coordinators are still trying to figure out a few things. Classes are taught at a steady pace with different levels, but it is up to the student to determin how much effort he/she is willing to put forth into the language study.

For serious students of chinese language, Beijing is the place to be. It is the political, cultural, and language center of China. Shanghai has too many distractions for it to be a city to study in. Also, it is China's most international city and the Shanghainese dialect widely spoken. Everyone can speak mandarin, but as part of the south, almost everyone has a southern mandarin accent. Standard mandarin is based off the Beijing dialect.

How my pre-departing study plans completely sank as soon as I arrived. Watch out for "air-conditioning sickness" during the summer.

Chinese students are very accepting of other international students but reserved. They are natually very curious about new cultures, etc. For the most part, their english is ok.

No...but an appreciation for/understanding of Confucian ideology, Chinese philosophy, Chinese cultural history, and qi will assist those unfamiliar with China beyond articulation.

ECNU is not a setting for social butterflies to flourish. If you truly desire to learn something about yourself, contemporary China, and making the most of what you've got, Hua Shi Da is an unrivaled opportunity.

Shanghai is China's most expensive city and while the exchange rate made spending very comfortable, some things are actually quite expensive and eventually all the prices adds up. The key is to have fun, but watch your wallet.

Being on campus provided access to the backstreets and a plethora of international students. Who could ask for more of a Chinese University?

If some people can speak english

If you want to study there, you have to have good skills in chinese.