A great time in Beihai
I had a great experience at LTL in Beihai. Communication beforehand was good, with a video chat with Savannah to discuss expectations and do a level check. This was very helpful and allowed me to hit the ground running. Airport pickup was also smooth. Savannah was very helpful in my getting established in Beihai, as she helped me to rent a scooter and register with a police station. She also organized regular social events, which give a great opportunity to meet some local people and get some extra language practice. I was also very happy with my teacher. She was very flexible and adaptable in terms of both timetable and approach to our classes. We had four hours of classes every day and she was very good company and patient throughout, giving good explanations and facilitating conversation, while pushing me to use newly learned vocabulary or structures. I tried two homestays in Beihai. The first was fine, the two hosts were very friendly and the food great, but there was not so much space in my bedroom to work or study. After the first couple of days at the school, Savannah asked for feedback on the homestay. I said that it was fine and I was enjoying it, but was not overly comfortable for work and study. She then said that there were other options and took me to see my second homestay, which was very comfortable and more convenient for getting to work. The second homestay was a fantastic arrangement. There were three generations in the family, which gave a varied and interesting exposure to language. Everyone was very friendly, made me feel at home and talked with me. There was not much English spoken at home, so I got lots of practice and feel like a made a lot of progress outside of my classes thanks to the family. Overall, I am very happy with my experience in Beihai and would very happily come again. I came with an HSK4 level and feel like I understood a lot and was able to participate in conversation and in daily life both at home, the school and outside.