Feature photo by bigblonde Photo by ferdinandreus

Your language skills were pretty solid by the end of your study abroad trip a few years ago. You felt competent, and not just at the bar after a few drinks or at your favorite store, but reading the newspaper, watching television, and talking with friends, teachers, and other students.

Learning a foreign language gave you a great feeling of accomplishment. However, since returning home, your skills have become a bit rusty.

Here’s the good news: while language requires constant practice to maintain and improve competencies, much of it is retained in our memories even if we do no work at all.

If it has been years since you blew the dust off your Spanish-English dictionary, and your correspondences with Chinese friends have long ago slipped into English, then all you need is a little review and renewed confidence.

Follow these ten steps and you’ll get that hard-earned language back in three weeks.

Week One

Assess and Plan.

The first step is to discover, perhaps to re-discover, your weaknesses with the foreign language. At this point, do not try to pick up an intermediate level textbook and start doing grammar exercises and precise translations. Instead, start with introductory materials and skim through them quickly.

How much of the vocabulary do you remember on first glance? What about after a second glance? How much of each passage can you understand?

Doing this will give you a sense of what you need to focus on first. After you have gone through some material, make a plan for yourself. Decide how much review you want to do each day and what your final goals will be.

Listen to some music or watch a movie.

Often, simply hearing the language again will help trigger knowledge that has laid dormant. It is important to get your brain thinking in the foreign language again.

Music and movies are an excellent, effortless way to do this. At this point, it is not necessary to understand all, or even most of, the words you hear. Just sit back and relax. If you can watch a foreign dvd with English subtitles (or vice versa), you’ll soak it up even faster.

Photo by trishhhh

Listen to Language tapes.

Even during the first week you should do some studying. Personally, I have never had much luck with language tapes or podcasts as a tool for learning a new language from the beginning. However, I find them extremely useful for review.

Start with some easy lessons and listen to them whenever you can. You will be amazed how easy it all seems and your confidence will skyrocket.

Week Two

Review the basics.

After a week of gently re-familiarizing yourself with the language, it is time to do some more traditional studying.

Using the plan created in the first week, go back to your textbooks and study materials and review the points identified as weaknesses. Go back through those lessons and try some exercises.

It is not necessary to spend hours a day doing this. Even fifteen to thirty minutes a day will provide a significant refresher.

Make flashcards.

As you are studying, make some flashcards for review later. A classic tool for language students, flashcards should be used during any amount of free time, from the breakfast table to the morning commute, the grocery line to the exercise bike at the gym.

If you find a stack of cards in your old study materials, resist the urge to use them. Though tedious, making the cards yourself is an important part of their effectiveness as study tools.

Find a language partner.

Nothing makes a language more satisfying than being able to use it to communicate with someone else. Even if you are not confident in your ability at this point, it is important to begin trying to communicate as soon as possible.

Good places to look for language partners include any college or university, or online. Websites like Polyglot and xLingo can help you connect online with people interested in practicing almost any language with you.

Week Three

Translate a short song or dialog from a movie.

To help solidify your review thus far, try this simple exercise: take a passage from a favorite foreign language film or song and translate it into English.

Remember the goal of this is not so much to have an English version when you are finished, but a thorough understanding of the meaning of the original.

Try to pick out some favorite words or phrases from the song, then use them in the next meeting with your language partner.

Photo by moriza

Start translating newspaper or magazine articles.

This is also a good time to start reading more. Pick up a newspaper or magazine that looks interesting and start working through the articles.

At first, read quickly and try to absorb the basic meaning. After this is comfortable, focus on troublesome vocabulary and grammar, look it up, and make it your own.

At this stage, you might cross the line between review and learning new material. This is perfectly alright.

Write a letter, email, or story.

If you haven’t already, this is a great opportunity to rekindle some old correspondences. Send an email, letter, or story to someone you once communicated with in another language.

If it has been a long time since your last contact, mention your recent review as an icebreaker.

Have a timed conversation.

When you meet with your language partner this week, try to maintain a conversation for as long as possible. Set a time goal, based on the success of last week’s meeting, before you arrive.

This is an excellent exercise, but it can be incredibly stiff and awkward if you don’t prepare a bit in advance. Don’t write out a full dialog, but be sure to have a list, be it mental or written, of related topics that can help keep the conversation moving if you slow down.

If you have made it through three weeks of review, you are well on your way to not only reclaiming, but even improving, your previously long lost language.

At this point, you can perform another self assessment, pick some new things to focus on, and continue studying, using your favorite techniques.

The best idea, however, is to take a trip and test your language in a place where it’s the local tongue, or in an ethnic neighborhood of your hometown.

Community Connection!

Don’t have a language partner? Look for one in the matador community or by posting a message at the forum.

If you’re already traveling, check out 7 Tips for Learning a Language On the Road.

Finally, be sure to check out the author’s 8 Free Online Resources for Learning a New Language.

Feature photo by kalandrakas. Photo above by kalandrakas

1. Addressing Someone, Respect

Bowing is nothing less than an art form in Japan, respect pounded into children’s heads from the moment they enter school. For tourists, a simple inclination of the head or an attempt at a bow at the waist will usually suffice.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing.

The duration and inclination of the bow is proportionate to the elevation of the person you’re addressing. For example, a friend might get a lightning-fast 30-degree bow; an office superior might get a slow, extended, 70-degree bow. It’s all about position and circumstance.

In addition to bowing, addressing someone properly is key. Just as a “Dr. Smith” might feel a little insulted if you were to refer to him as “Smith”, so would a Japanese if you do not attach the suffix “san” to their last name, or “sama” if you are trying to be particularly respectful.

Usually children are content with just their first names, but you can add the suffix “chan” for girls and “kun” for boys if you like.

2. Table Manners

Some simple bullet points here:

- If you’re with a dinner party and receive drinks, wait before raising the glass to your lips. Everyone will be served, and someone will take the lead, make a speech, raise his drink, and yell “kampai!” (cheers).

- You will receive a small wet cloth at most Japanese restaurants. Use this to wash your hands before eating, then carefully fold it and set it aside on the table. Do not use it as a napkin, or to touch any part of your face.

- Slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is OK! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, to show you are enjoying it.

- You may raise bowls to your mouth to make it easier to eat with chopsticks, especially bowls of rice.

- Just before digging in, whether it be a seven-course dinner or a sample at a supermarket, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” (I will receive).

3. No Tipping

There is no tipping in any situation in Japan – cabs, restaurants, personal care. To tip someone is actually a little insulting; the services you’ve asked for are covered by the price given, so why pay more?

If you are in a large area like Tokyo and can’t speak any Japanese, a waiter or waitress might take the extra money you happen to leave rather than force themselves to deal with the awkward situation of explaining the concept of no tipping in broken English.

Just remind yourself: a price is a price.

Photo by tavallai

4. Chopsticks

Depending on the restaurant you decide upon for that evening, you may be required to use chopsticks.

If for some reason you aren’t too adept with chopsticks, try to learn before passing through immigration. It’s really not that hard.

One false assumption among many Japanese that’s slowly being dispelled by time is the “uniqueness” of Japan. Japan is an island nation; Japan is the only country that has four seasons; foreigners can’t understand Japan; only Japanese can use chopsticks properly.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve been told I use Japanese chopsticks with skill and grace, despite the fact I’ve seen three-year-olds managing just as well.

If you’re dining with a Japanese, don’t be surprised if you receive a look of amazement at your ability to eat like a Japanese.

5. Thresholds

Take off your shoes at the entrance to all homes, and most businesses and hotels. Usually a rack will be provided to store your shoes, and pair of guest slippers will be sitting nearby; many Japanese bring a pair of indoor slippers just in case, though.

Never wear slippers when you need to step onto a tatami mat (used in most Japanese homes and hotels; the standard unit of measurement for area even today), and be careful to remove the toilet slippers waiting for you in the bathroom.

It is extremely bad form, for example, to reenter the main room of a house wearing slippers that have been running across dirty linoleum.

6. Masks

Photo by toestubber

SARS is long gone, though I did happen to see a “SARS Preparation Kit” during my brief stay in a Japanese hospital.

Nevertheless, sterilized masks, like the ones you’d see in the emergency room, are commonly used by salarymen, office ladies, and municipal workers to protect other people from their germs.

Rather sensible when you think about it, as masks do not protect the wearer so much as the ones around him. The reason could be anything from a slight cold to simply being worried about exposing other people; don’t let it concern you on your Japanese vacation.

7. Conformity

When groups of high school students in Japan were asked to identify the dangers facing children today, the majority agreed on the number one threat: individualism.

Japanese society is focused on the group. Western cultures are focused on the individual.

Does this mean that the Japanese are nothing more that worker bees in a vast hive of steel and concrete? Certainly not, but their presentation of such individual qualities are carefully calculated and given in doses.

Drawing attention to yourself as an individual is a huge no-no: don’t blow your nose in public, try to avoid eating while on the go, and don’t speak on your cell phone in crowded public areas like trains or buses.

The main problem with this is that foreigners simply can’t avoid standing out; we stick out like sore thumbs no matter how long we’ve been here, or how much we know about Japanese culture and society.

As a result, being in Japan gives foreigners the status of D-level celebrities: you’ll get glances, shouts for attention, calls to have pictures taken with people, requests for autographs (happened once to me on a southern island), and overall just more awareness of being a “stake that sticks out”.

8. Bathing

Photo by meganscheminske

Public bathhouses are alive and well in Japan.

Sento, or neighborhood bathhouses, can be found from the largest area in Shinjuku to a small town on the island of Shikoku.

Onsen, or hot springs, are very popular as weekend excursion resorts.

Unlike in western cultures, the Japanese bath is used after you have washed and rinsed, and feel like soaking in extra-hot water for 10, 20, 30 minutes. It’s an acquired taste to be sure, but can be very relaxing.

If you happen to be invited into a Japanese household, you will be given the honor of using the bath first, usually before dinner. Be extra careful so as to not dirty the water in any way; the sanctity of the ofuro (bath) is of utmost importance.

Take the time to visit a sento if you have the opportunity. These are places without barriers, without regard to skin color, age, or language… well, they are separated by sex with the exception of some mixed-bathing areas.

Lying in the hot water and slowly listening to my heart beat slow down is a time when I feel most attuned to Japanese culture.

9. Speaking English

Japanese will generally assume you are a native English speaker until you prove otherwise. Even during a short visit, you’ll see:

-A group of schoolchildren in neatly pressed Prussian uniforms walking across the intersection, shouting “Hello! Hello! Herro!” as they assess your foreign features

-A random person just walking up to you and asking “Where are you from?”

Friendly? Certainly. But I can see how constant celebrity status might get confusing or frustrating for travelers who don’t speak English.

Although you may speak some or fluent Japanese, the default language of choice is English. Many Japanese will insist on using their own English language ability, however limited, to converse with foreigners, in spite of the fact that the person on the opposing end may have more knowledge of the local tongue.

10. Safety

Every Japanese person I have met warns me to be safe in my travels, to take care of my belongings. Every foreigner tells me not to worry, nothing can go wrong, nothing will be stolen. This may be based on individual experience, but there are other issues:

- The fear of crime in Japan is high, especially among Japanese citizens.

- Murders happen. I repeat, murders happen. People are attacked, robbed, assaulted, raped, beaten, and swindled

However, Japan’s low crime rate is evident when you see businessmen who have missed the last train sleeping outside on a park bench, or a group of 5-year-old boys walking by themselves for over a kilometer to make the starting bell at school.

Going to Japan?

Check out our humorous list of 10 Extraordinarily Useful Japanese Phrases.

Community Connection!

There are a bunch of cool Matador folks living in various parts of Japan. If you want the lowdown on teaching English, ask Abram or Stephanie.

If you’re looking for a photography outing in Asia, ask pro photographers Ryan Libre or Scott Lothes.

Wanna ride a wave? Ask Angie where the best surf spots in Japan are.

Wanna go hiking? Check out Tim’s definitive list of the top 10 hikes in Hokkaido.

Feature Photo by imagesbyk2 Photography. Photo above by miramurphy

As a tender 15 year old boy, I attended an all-girls high-school in Japan.

Those days in Japan were hands-down the single most empowering experience of my adolescent life, even though, sadly, at the time I had no idea how to talk to girls of any nationality.

What made my travel in Japan so empowering and memorable were the home-stay families who bid me welcome.

I’m now convinced that the single best way to gain an in-depth understanding of a local culture is to participate in a home-stay.

Whether you’re a high-school student applying for a summer program, a college student studying abroad in Italy, or a retiree volunteering at an organic farm in Vermont, it’s my sincere hope that these ten tips will help you get the most out of your home-stay.

1) Appreciate

Be sure to express your appreciation for your host family’s hospitality at every opportunity.

Sincere smiles and profuse thanks go a long way towards smoothing out early interactions, and the more you consciously and visibly appreciate what your host family does for you, the more they will be inclined to create and share fun experiences with you in the future.

Good times are contagious, and a positive outlook can go a long way.

2) Relax

Stress is also contagious, and the beginning of a home-stay will definitely be a high stress time for everyone involved.

Make a conscious effort to relax, smile and be at ease around your host family, and they will relax in turn.

3) Immerse

The most successful home stays, like the most effective language study programs, are fully immersive.

Although you might be tempted to hang out with people from your home country from time to time, make the effort to totally commit yourself to the local culture instead.

You might find that homesickness and culture shock pass quickly without a fellow traveler around to remind you of home.

Photo by pfurlong

4) Laugh

Don’t take yourself too seriously!

No one will expect you to have mastered every cultural intricacy as soon as you arrive, so if you botch an introduction or mistakenly pour the salad dressing into your soup, just laugh about your mistake.

Nothing breaks down cultural barriers like a mutual gigglefest.

5) Respect

Maintain a respectful attitude, especially when interacting with older people.

Constantly give attention to how your actions and demeanor impact other members of the household, and strive to model culturally appropriate behavior at all times.

6) Gift

Never arrive for a home-stay empty-handed, and make an effort to acknowledge host family milestones with a culturally appropriate gift.

The best gifts are those with a connection to your home culture, such as a local handicraft or regional delicacy.

For example, as a Vermonter, I always travel with maple sugar candies.

7) Ask

If you’re unsure about something, just ask!

Even if you don’t share a common language with your host family, a simple question like how to bathe will be easy for them to answer.

Be proactive and cheerful about your questions and needs.

Photo by davetrainer

8 ) Chill

Travel is often a high-energy activity, but home stays are different. Don’t expect your host family to constantly entertain you.

Instead, take the opportunity to chill out and observe the daily rhythms of the household and community.

9) Risk

Take chances, and try things you might not attempt at home. Try cooking a meal for your host family, or sing a song at the local festival.

Even if you aren’t a chef or a singer, making the effort to step outside your comfort zone and attempt something new is a great recipe for personal growth – and your host family will appreciate the effort.

10) Remember

Keep in touch with your host family after you return home. A thank you note is the bare minimum.

Share photos, exchange New Years cards and really make the effort to maintain your friendship.

A deep and enduring international friendship is one of the most valuable things in life. With luck, your home stay will be just the beginning of a warm and lasting relationship.

Feature Photo by slushpup. Photo by m.bjerke

Ready to head south for more study options? New Zealand and Australia offer a great backdrop to world-class tertiary education in native English-speaking environments. Not only that but between them they hold three of the top-ten places in the Times Higher Education rankings for international staff. Sweet as, mate.

New Zealand

New Zealand — Land of the Long White Cloud — had been made famous by the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but before that it was known for pioneering people: first to allow women to vote, first person to split the atom, first to climb Mt Everest. Universities continue the pioneering spirit in this beautiful country.

Photo by JennyHuang

Auckland

New Zealand’s biggest city sits on an isthmus between two beautiful harbours and boasts surf-beaches and native forest within an hour’s drive of the CBD. Once you arrive the moniker “City of Sails” becomes instantly clear making it a great location for waterbabies. Auckland has a plentitude of institutions and specialist centres catering for all tastes: the two best known are the University of Auckland and the Auckland University of Technology.

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s top University and was ranked 50th in the world by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2007. It hosts the largest University library in the country and the largest research commercialisation centre in Australasia. Not a bad place to study really. AUT (Auckland University of Technology) is also located in the city centre and known for it’s creative IT and journalism courses amongst a multitude of industry-focussed qualifications.

Wellington

The Kiwi capital is small and groovy; the set of Peter Jackson’s cult film Braindead and the home of the Beehive – New Zealand’s parliament building. Expect a solid local arts scene and cafe culture alongside a small but friendly University and the national museum, Te Papa.

Victoria University makes the most of this and relationships with several other local research centres to provide research-based degree and post-graduate courses. A job with local company Weta workshops would certainly be an education in itself, but there’s less chance of that than Frodo making a cameo in Halo 3!

Christchurch

Parocial Christchurch sits on the east coast of the South Island. A beautiful city centre is bordered by beautiful Akaroa on one side and climbers and snow fans will love the slopes of Aoraki-Mt Cook being less than an hour away. It is also the proud home of the Canterbury Crusaders, New Zealand’s top rugby team.

Canterbury University is one of the two top South Island Universities, boasting several research centres and an energetic student community. Unlike most Kiwi cities, Christchurch is remarkably flat making it very comfortable for wheelchair users and cyclists.

Speciality: Wine

Prefer a different approach? Grab your glasses and head to one of the Southern hemisphere’s premier wine regions to study wine and viticulture at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. You’ll be in the region of the iconic Cloudy Bay amongst many others. Courses are available at certificate, diploma and degree levels with access to their excellent Wine Research Centre. NZ Wine has a fuller list of study options from casual wine appreciation courses to serious drinking programmes.

Speciality: Adventure Tourism

As home of the Zorb and pioneers of bungy jumping, New Zealand seems the perfect place to study Adventure Tourism. On the practical side, Adventure Training New Zealand offers 18 week courses aimed at international students looking to explore the South Island while gaining the technical and personal skills necessary for life as an adventure sports guide. They also offer assistance finding a job in the industry at the end of the course — sweet as.

Australia

Australia has a lot more to offer international students than Crocodile Dundee. The land of kangaroos and crocodiles has a wealth of study options in metropolitan cities stretching along the coast from Perth in the west to the rich eastern states. Australian National University, the country’s top University is based in the capital Canberra, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it over the country’s other main cities.

Perth

Sitting alone on the west coast, Perth is a paradise for those seeking a relaxed and productive lifestyle within easy reach of the sea and top wineries. It’s known as Aussie’s “Education City” and many European students I’ve spoken to prefer Perth to centres in Sydney or Brisbane.

There are five Universities to choose from including the prestigious Curtin University of Technology which is ranked in second and sixth place world-wide for International staff and students respectively. It’s MBA programme is especially lauded, recently being placed fourth in the world by the EIU. And when all the stats are too much, head down to the beach for a surf.

Melbourne

Melbourne has to be my favourite Australian city: along the Yarra River run excellent local arts and cultural events, great museums and galleries, not to mention the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the MCG – famed for cricket and Aussie rules football all wrapped up in a modern design ethic emerging from Victorian roots.

It’s replete with Universities: no fewer than nine of them! The creative energy is amazing. Both the Univerity of Melbourne and Monash University are top 50 Universities with great campuses in the centre of this funky city.

Sydney

Australia’s biggest and flashiest city is stereotypically represented by its Opera house and harbour bridge. But behind that is the strongest economic drive in the South Pacific which brings in lots of business opportunities and big shows. Sydney is a big festival city with the Madi Gras and the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia.

The University of Sydney is the top ranked University amongst four others so — once again — there’s plenty of choice in this exciting city.

Photo by blairstirrett

Brisbane

Brisbane is the largest city on Australia’s east coast and has a reputation for fun, sun and surf. Forgetting the beautiful Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, Queensland also has a reputation for quality education.

The Queensland University of Technology offers a wide range of Undergraduate degrees, giving ample choice for those looking to study in a place in the sun whilst the University of Queensland has a well-recognised research ethos.

Speciality: Oceans and Coasts

A speciality for Australia? It’s far too big to simplify, but with the Great Barrier Reef sitting off the coast budding Marine Biologists and Oceanographers can have a field day in Australia. One new specialist course to consider is the Bachelor of Coastal Studies at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Located just north of Brisbane it’s the perfect place for beach-lovers.

Northern hemisphere visitors should note that the Australasian University calendar is somewhat different, starting semester one in February or March and semester two in July or August; some institutes run intensive “summer schools” in January and February.

If you’re looking to research further you can check visa and entry information for New Zealand and Australia and visit University directories for New Zealand and Australia.

Photo by poagao, Feature photo by yakobusan

From the rapidly changing economic and political centers of Beijing and Shanghai, to indigenous cultures of the south, China has a wide variety of opportunities for study available. Whether you are interested in history, business, food, politics, or culture, there will be a place and a program for you.

University or Private School?

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you want to study at a Chinese university or through a private program. If learning Chinese is your primary concern, then studying at a Chinese university is probably the best option. Most major universities offer programs for foreign students of all ability levels. The focus on language these programs provide, as well as their total immersion, almost guarantees a huge improvement in your Chinese competency.

Private programs are generally a better option for those interested in more specific academic subjects. These programs tend to be comprised of only foreign students, but offer focused study of a specific topic like art, anthropology, economics, or business.

Often, language study is incorporated as well, but with less contact with Chinese students and shorter periods devoted to language, you may not see the same results in this area.

There are many different places to study abroad in China, and with so many options it can be hard to find the one that is best for you. Here are eight of the most popular places to study abroad, each with its own special characteristics and advantages.

Beijing

Beijing is the political and cultural heart of China. It is also the educational and administrative center of the country. This an important consideration for the study abroad student for two reasons. First, there are many universities offering programs for foreign students. From the very popular Beijing Language and Culture University to the internationally acclaimed Peking University, there is a school in Beijing that will fit your goals.

As the administrative capital of China, Beijing has the advantage of being home to the dialect that is officially the national standard. This means that the Beijing dialect is an internationally recognized standard that will transfer well to future applications in business and academics.

Shanghai

Shanghai is the financial center of China. Students interested in business and economics, or those who want to experience life in a vibrant cosmopolitan metropolis, will find what they are looking for with a program in Shanghai.

From museums to architecture, shopping to nightlife, a semester studying in Shanghai is easily as much about experiencing this exciting city as it is time in the classroom. Fudan University and the very central Shanghai Jiaotong University are popular options for foreign students.

photo by doctorow

Qingdao

Located on the coast of China between Beijing and Shanghai, the port city of Qingdao has the feeling of a relaxed beach side resort in the warmer months. The architecture of Qingdao is noticeably European, a holdover from the city’s days as a German colonial outpost, and is the home of the famous Qingdao Beer brewery.

Famous for its street food and quiet nightlife, Qingdao provides a great setting for a more relaxed semester abroad. A popular place for foreign students to study is Qingdao University.

Xi’an

Xi’an was an ancient capital of China and a major stopping point on the Silk Road and other Asian trade routes. For these reasons, those interested in ancient Chinese history could not pick a better place to study abroad.

In addition to the numerous archaeological and historical sites, Xi’an is a great jumping off point for explorations of central China and, in recent years, has developed a nightlife scene that has come to rival that of the coastal cities. If you are interested in studying in Xi’an, two great places to start your search are the Xi’an Jiatong University and the Xi’an International Studies University.

photo by phil_lai

Kunming

Yunnan province has the largest variety and population of minorities in all of China. In addition to this ethnic diversity, Yunnan offers a wide range of geography, from the high mountains of the Tibetan plateau to the low jungles reminiscent of the province’s Southeast Asian neighbors.

This makes Kunming, the capital of Yunnan and one of the most beautiful cities in China, an excellent place to study for any student interested in anthropology and minority culture. A good place to start looking for programs is the University of Yunnan. If you are interested in studying minority cultures, a great program is SIT’s semester in Yunnan Province.

Something Completely Different:

If you are interested in a more unique study abroad experiences in China, there are several places that can offer something completely different.

Hong Kong

One of the most vibrant cities in Asia and the world, Hong Kong offers a confluence of cultures, a thriving economy, and a night life that is unmatched in most of China. Whether you choose to study at the University of Hong Kong, the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business, or through some other school or program, Hong Kong will provide an exciting place to spend your time.

One thing to keep in mind is that, while Hong Kong has something for everyone, from shopping to hiking, the main language is Cantonese not the Mandarin spoken on the mainland. If you are interested in studying Mandarin Chinese, Hong Kong is not the best choice.

photo by mariaismawi

Xinjiang

Xinjiang is China’s large northwestern province, home to the sizable Uygher Muslim minority group. For many visitors, entering Xinjiang from coastal China is like crossing into another country. The architecture and people take on a more Central Asian appearance, mosques outnumber temples, and the musky smell of roasting lamb fills the streets.

Whether you decide to study in the provincial capital Urumqi at a major university like Xinjiang University, or through a program in a smaller city or town, studying abroad in Xinjiang provides an opportunity to study a variety of languages and a unique culture in a very different part of China.

Tibet

The high mountains and Buddhist culture of Tibet is nearly legendary. For the international student, a study abroad experience in Tibet can be like no other. It can also be a serious logistical challenge. If you decide that you want to study in Tibet, it is best to start planning well in advance.

There are several programs set up through partnerships between Chinese and American universities. Unlike other places in China it is advisable that prospective students work through one of these well established partnerships, or through something like the excellent SIT Tibetan and Himalayan Studies program, instead of making arrangements for yourself.

photo by asianinsights

Visas

Visitors from most countries require a visa to enter China. However, if you plan to study in China, you will require a special visa. For those looking to study for six months or less, the F class visa, often called a business visa, is required. This requires a letter of invitation from the school at which you intend to study, at least two empty pages in your passport, a completed visa application, a few passport photos, and payment of the visa fee.

If you plan to study for more than six moths, then the X class visa is required. The process for acquiring this visa is the same as for the F visa, except a physical examination will be required. For those unable to obtain an X visa from their home country, it is sometimes possible to upgrade a standard tourist visa once in China. Ask your program administrator in advance if this is the case.

From Beijing to Shanghai, Hong Kong to Tibet, there is something for everyone in China. The large, rapidly changing, country is exciting and at times intimidating. However, by narrowing down your search, it is easy to see that China is an ideal place to study abroad.

Travel Insurance

For long term study abroad plans, travel insurance is highly recommendable. Make sure your policy is tailored to wherever you’re going in China.