Study Chinese in the Home of your Own Private Teacher in the Beijing Region

Beijing is the second largest city in China and is the nation's political and cultural center - the ideal place to study Chinese in China. No other city has been so important throughout history to a nation than Beijing has been to China. Even today, rapid expansion and modernization are focused on Beijing to make it an impressive example of China in the new millenium, hosting, for example, the Olympic games in 2008. You will no doubt see the impressive Olympic Green when you study Chinese in China. Beijing is a sprawling city and to live away from the metropolis in an outlying district has many benefits, as you will discover if you choose to study Chinese in China. Today Beijing has become the most important transportation hub in China so not only will it be easy to visit Beijing while you study Chinese in China, but you will also be ideally situated to take trips to any area that particularly interests you. About an hour or so away is the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a staggering achievement in engineering and construction, which can be visited while you study Chinese in China.

As you study Chinese in China, you must visit the Forbidden City. Home of the Imperial Court of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Forbidden City is remarkably well preserved, as you will see when you study Chinese in China. Within it is the Temple of Heaven, considered the symbol of Beijing, a gorgeous and important site surrounded by parklands. While there is no loss of places to visit, living in the Beijing region will also let you experience Chinese culture and festivals. If you are lucky, you will study Chinese in China during Chinese New Year - two weeks when everyone wears new clothes, decorates their homes and exhanges little red pouches of money. You will probably see one of the masked Lion dancers performing. Another popular festival is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a tradition sing the Tang Dynasty. This day people make cakes, pastries and colourful lanterns and gather to watch the moon. Beyond special occasions like these, living in the home of your teacher will let you experience the everyday life of the bustling Beijing area while you learn the intricacies to the Chinese language.

You can also check out our full list of Live & Learn destinations