China Summer: Mandarin Language Intensive

When I was looking for summer programs in China, I was primarily focused on how much Mandarin I would be learning throughout the course of the trip. I chose Where There Be Dragons mainly because it offered serious language study--3-3.5 hours of Mandarin lessons almost every day. When I got there, I realized that I learned even more Mandarin outside the classroom, just from walking around different towns/villages, talking to my instructors, and ordering food.

What I didn't realize was how much I would enjoy the parts of the program that went beyond learning Mandarin, like the rugged travel/hiking portions of the trip. I am by no means any type of hiker in the U.S., but with beautiful scenery and great friends to hike with, I made some amazing memories. Homestay was also a big component of the trip. My two homestay families were excellent care-providers and taught me so much about Chinese language and culture. They even helped me review what I had learned in Mandarin class some days, and showed me around their hometown. It was such a valuable experience to take a break from learning Mandarin out of a textbook and instead learn more terms and phrases used in daily exchanges. This allowed me to conduct smooth transactions with locals throughout my trip, as well as preparing me to take on AP Mandarin this year.

I definitely enjoyed this trip. I chose it to improve my mandarin, and learn more about China, as I had been taking mandarin in school, and wanted to improve my skills. While there, I learned about mandarin yes, but so much about China and the culture there. The homestays and the Independent Study Projects let every person in the group engage with different aspects of china individually. My independent study project was learning the basics of how to play the guzheng, and as someone who plays western instruments, it was fascinating to learn eastern ideas on music.
The homestays were great, and a highlight of the trip. I enjoyed seeing how different people live, and having two separate homestays in two different places let me see different points of view. I bonded a lot with one of my host sisters there. It was nice to live in a family atmosphere, and see that despite being halfway across the world, people are people.
The instructors were great on this program. All of them were nice people who understood the difficulties of being in a foreign country. They all had their own unique perspectives to offer on chinese culture, and offered guidance, while preserving independence.
Language lessons were good, though it is a little hard trying to create lessons that are difficult but not too hard for people with different language backgrounds.
Overall, it was a fantastic program. I loved the independence offered, and how everyone could engage with China on their own level. I didn't feel held back, or left behind in the group. The trip cemented my interest in China, and I plan on going into the Asian Studies field in college.
Useful tips: Consider bringing a small english/chinese dictionary for words you might forget. Learn how to use a squat toilet. Do your best to leave your expectations behind, and embrace the experience!

I spent an amazing month in China with the Dragons program. The highlights were two homestays - one in the city of Kunming and the other in a small village in South East China called Nan Yao. I spoke only one word of Chinese when I arrived ("Hello") and left with a growing vocabulary and a grasp of the basics of this complex language. More importantly, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in both city and rural culture.

The organization of the trip was superb. The 3 trip leaders were fun, creative, and had great in-country experience. They gave the group a great deal of independence while maintaining a high level of support and safety. Communication was excellent - Dragons kept our families well updated on how the group was doing, and the "Yak Board" communication site was excellent.

I would HIGHLY recommend WTBD as an organization that knows how to lead youth in international trips.