China has been an up and coming travel destination for a while now and while business travellers, expats and TEFL teachers have all been exploring parts of this enormous country, backpackers have still really yet to discover it.
China provides you with opportunities to really get off the tourist trail, learn Chinese, explore ancient civilisations or teach English.
Learning a language is a great way to spend a gap year, getting to know another culture and communicating with the local people and in this article we’re focusing on a language that is going to be very important in the future – Mandarin.
Why should I learn Mandarin?
Mandarin, also known as Standard Chinese, is the official language of the People’s Republic of China. Around one in five people across the globe speak some form of Chinese, and evidence of early Mandarin forms in use 3,000 years ago written on tortoise shells. It’s an ancient language that’s becoming increasingly relevant in the modern world today.
It might be hard to believe, being here in England when we rarely hear the language, but more people speak Mandarin than any other language in the world. That’s a staggering estimated 845 million native Mandarin speakers and many more speak it as a second language too.
It’s the official language of mainland China and Taiwan, but is also one of the official languages of Singapore and the United Nations. Mandarin is also spoken by approximately six million Americans, two million Europeans and one million in Australasia.
It is said that Mandarin is the language of the future. Already most Asian business is conducted in Mandarin and even many European businesses have dealings with the Chinese and have to learn some Mandarin.
Many schools in India and in the UK are now offering Mandarin lessons and the demand is increasing year on year. If you want to go into business especially it will be a useful language to learn.
Where is the best place to go?
Travel and learning is the best combination and the new skills you learn will stay with you for the rest of your life.
Obviously the best place to go if you really want to learn Mandarin is to China. China is a vast country, though and there are many different areas to choose from. There are also many different dialects and other languages in China and it can get very confusing. It’s probably best not to go to Hong Kong or the Guangdong province as they mainly speak Cantonese there. Mandarin is most widely spoken in northern and south western China.
Both Beijing and Shanghai would be good places to choose as you will be able to find many language schools there as well as other travellers and big communities of expatriates learning the language too. It could be quite daunting going to some of the smaller Chinese towns as it is unlikely you will find any English speakers at all. Even in Beijing few people speak English, so you will be thrown in at the deep end a bit, but it will be great for your language skills.
How should I go about it?
The best way is to enrol in some Mandarin courses to learn the basics first. A great option is the International Students Center, Beijing. They offer total immersion Mandarin classes, educational tours, martial arts and social activities are also part of the course.
Another good choice is Mandarin House, who have schools in both Beijing and Shanghai. The schools have students of all ages and also provide social activities, workshops and excursions as part of the course.
If you already have some proficiency in Mandarin schools will accommodate your advanced requirements and provide lessons appropriate to your ability.
Schools sometimes also usually arranged cultural trips and sightseeing, providing a context and detail to the experience, but more broadly will cover Chinese traditions, history and arts. This immersion into Chinese culture is an integral part of our ethos, and is a cornerstone to how we think a study trip should be done.
At the end of a course in China we would encourage you to put yourself forward for a HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test) Certificate, which can be added to your CV.
You could also combine learning Mandarin with teaching English. English teachers are in high demand in China and it is relatively easy to find a job. It’s probably best to have a TEFL, DELTA or CELTA certificate; although you could get a job without one it might be quite tough if you’ve had no experience at all.
One important thing to keep in mind though is that you need a university degree to be able to get a working visa in China, so this would really only be a viable option if you are going on your gap year after university.
It may be possible to get around the issue of not having a degree only if you are willing to teach in some of the small Chinese towns and cities, but this would not be possible for popular places like Beijing, Shanghai or Xian. A good company to contact about teaching jobs in China is English First.
So why not do something a little different on a gap year in Asia and invest in your future by learning Mandarin?
You’ll learn things much faster than you would in a textbook or as a passing tourist. Rather, you’ll get an immersive experience and exchange that will stay with you long after the course is finished.
FAQ
Food
There is nothing quite like food for real immersion into a foreign culture. When living in China you’ll get to experience cuisine and find out for yourself why the Chinese pride themselves on their cooking.
Staying Connected
Be sure to buy an international Sim before you arrive so you have access to the internet on the go.
Shopping
Shopping in China is an active pursuit that any traveller shouldn’t miss trying. There’s a reason that the country has grown so quickly, and it can be found in the energy and the liveliness of the Chinese marketplace. Find a good tailor in Beijing or Shanghai and you can have a silk qipao made to fit for prices that you couldn’t find in the West. Brave the bustle of the Panjiayuan flea market in Beijing to haggle for all varieties of pearls, jade, or amber jewellery. Or try a more sedate shopping experience in the department stores along the hip Wangfujing Street.