7 Reasons to Study Chinese at Huayang Academy
1) Location Location Location
Kunming
Huayang Academy has three campuses in Yunnan Province China. Our Kunming Campus is our administritive headquarters which deals with Visas and applications. Kunming is also a fantastic place to learn Chinese with some of the cleanest air in China and a great quality of life. Our Campus in Kunming is in a great location with many universities closeby so you can practice with people from all over China. http://learnchineseinyunnan.com/about-us/dali
Lijiang
Lijiang is a beautiful ancient city in Western Yunnan which is why Lijiang Old Town was chosen as a Unesco heritage site. A historical site on the Ancient Silk Road Lijiang has a culture going back centurys as evidenced in numerous temples and sites in the surrounding area. http://learnchineseinyunnan.com/about-us/lijiang
Dali
Dali is a small city roughly between Lijiang and Kunming. It also boasts an interesting history having served as the capital of the Bai Kingdom and the Kingdom of Dali in medieval times. Dali is one of the biggest tourist towns in China and attracts avid travellers to its ancient sites and beautiful scenery. http://learnchineseinyunnan.com/about-us/dali
2) Cost of Living
The cost of living is quite similar across our three campus locations with Kunming being slightly more expensive as it is the provincial capital of Yunnan. A large new apartment with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms runs at about $400 per month in our Kunming neighbourhood and lower at the other two campuses. Our Dali and Lijiang campuses also offer great value dorms for visiting students. Besides rent it is easy to live on less than 100rmb ($13) per day in Yunnan depending on your lifestyle. For example you can have a good meal in a local restaurant for less than $2 and a taxi from our school to just about anywhere in town for less than $3. Bikes and e-Scooters are also relatively cheap with bicycles that can be picked up second hand for less than $20 and e-Scooters that cover 60km between charges starting at $150 second hand. While studying Chinese in Yunnan our teachers can help you with buying things on TaoBao ( Chinese eBay ) and setting up a bank account so you can have a convenient stay.
4) Getting Outside
Learning Chinese in a massive Chinese metropolis has its perks but one major drawback is the lack of outdoor activities and the distance from nature. In any of our Yunnan campuses you are never far from a mountain hike, kayak session or rock climbing trip. Here are some examples below.
Rock climbing in Kunming
A large proportion of our students are avid rock climbers and Kunming is a great place for the sport. With hundreds of routes ranging from beginner to advanced in the surrounding mountains. From popular urban climbing at XiShan ( 25 mins from school ) to the gravity defying caves of Swallow Cave you will definitely find some climbs to suit your style and level. There is a bouldering wall less than 1km from the school which acts as a club of sorts with people arranging minivans and lifts to the crags nearly everyday of the week. Check out http://kunmingrock.com for more information on climbing in Kunming.
Kayaking in Lijiang
On a recent trip to Lijiang one of our students took to a lake at the base of Jade Snow mountain to enjoy a paddle. Kayaking in beautiful clear lakes surrounded by towering snow capped peaks is definitely advised as a great way to wind down after hitting the books all week learning Mandarin. Check out Chris’ blog about kayaking and horse-riding in Lijiang: http://www.christravelblog.com/china-lashi-lake-from-lijiang-horseback-riding-canoeing/
Hiking in Dali
Whether you want a nice easy day out or a challenging multi-day hike Dali has a lot to offer. There are great mountain trails and some of the most beautiful scenery in China. We can also help you out with buying gear on TaoBao or TMall to make sure you have everything needed to stay safe on the trails. Walking down ancient Tea Horse trails that have carried horses and traders along the Silk Road is really and experience to have in China. For more information on hiking and climbing around Dali why not check out: http://www.climbdali.com/html/yunnantrekking/
5) Social Life and Support
Moving to China to learn Chinese is a big decision. Huayang Academy strives to help students settle in quickly, make friends and learn Chinese according to their goals. A great thing about Kunming, Dali and Lijiang is the close knit expat communities that help our new arrivals to settle in quickly. Across Kunming we have first hand experience of students joining rock climbing trips, dungeons and dragons games, football and rugby teams and many more social outtings. There are great western locations that can help you feel at home here. GoKunming has users across Yunnan but unfortunately Kunming is the main focus as it has a larger expat community. Check out GoKunming for forums answering any question imaginable, rooms to rent, events and more at: https://www.gokunming.com/en/
6) Learning Chinese
Yunnan is a very popular location for people wishing to learn Chinese for the reasons above. The thriving Chinese schools here are of course a reason to come here to learn Chinese. Learning Chinese in an immersive and supporting environment is a great way to improve quickly. Seeing our students hit their goals whether it’s HSK2 or full fluency is why we are here. http://learnchineseinyunnan.com
7) Communication
Chinese culture goes back thousands of years and Chinese is the most spoken language in the world. Learning Mandarin opens up the communication channels between you and over a billion people who speak Chinese globally. It also looks great on your CV!