Traveling During China’s Golden Week

Traveling During China’s Golden Week

In 2016 an estimated 589 million Chinese traveled for Golden Week. This reflects an increase of 50 million travelers each year for the previous 3 years in a row. Chinese residents have incorporated travel as a main event of this holiday since it provides a full week of holiday to visit friends, family and loved ones. Here are some times/videos to help you as you travel through China during Golden Week. Be sure to download your lessons!  

If you do decide to travel, it would be best to arrive and leave outside of the Golden Week dates. The holiday starts abruptly, and it’s only on the first and last days of the week that their infrastructure struggles. If you do decide to travel on those days expect to find people camped outside bus station, and sitting on the roof of trains.

Source: www.scmp.com

However, before you leave home, get a great guide book and buy street maps in a bookstore or online for cities that you wish to explore.  Unfortunately, tourism maps are hardly ever scalable or easy to follow, with almost half of the streets not there, names unclear. Lonely Planet is a great guide book it has great logistics info on almost anywhere you want to go, while DK Eyewitness guides are better known for their color pictorials of everything there is to see.

Personal sanitation is also important while travelling to China. Since you are a tourist, you are mixing with dozens of countries on six continents, not just Asians. So bringing your own alcohol – based wet wipes for water – free hand sanitation. Also you should never drink tap water! Bottled water is everywhere and cheap at the corner convenience stores.

Source: www.quora.com

Another thing that you should bring is your own toilet tissue, as you will rarely find a public toilet supplied with it. It is best that you always carry in your purse, camera bag or backpack. Small travel sized packs (wet toilet wipes and dry tissue) are available in many places. You may also want to use little packs of alcohol wet wipes to go over places your body will touch.

Now that you have read this blog be sure to check out some of our other blog posts, such as ‘Learn Mandarin Chinese: 5 Reasons Why’ and ‘5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist’

Happy Golden Week! We’re are celebrating China’s annual seven day holiday which includes national day and the mid-autumn festival by offering 3 months premium subscription for $35 or 1 year premium subscription for $139 using promo code GOLDENWEEK! Click here!

 

What is China’s Golden Week

What is China’s Golden Week

Many countries have a day or days set aside every year to celebrate workers. In china three days of paid holiday are given, and the surrounding weekends are re-arranged so that workers in Chinese companies always have seven continuous days of holiday. These national holidays were first started by the government for the PRC’s National Day in 1999 and are primarily intended to help expand the domestic tourism market and improve the national standard of living, as well as allowing people to make long-distance family visits. The Golden Weeks are consequently periods of greatly heightened travel activity.  –Source wikipedia

Golden Week is the 2nd largest holiday after the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated in either January or February which is set around Chinese New year. The date moves each year depending on the lunar cycle. National Day, which is part of Golden Week begins October 1st and ends on October 7th. During this time warehouse, office, and factory workers are given vacation at the same time so that the office and factory can close down completely. These weeks make headlines due to the large crowds of people that accompany them.

Source: www.tripsavvy.com

Last year, 6 million Chinese tourists traveled abroad hitting the rails, roads and airports during Golden Week and spent 13 billion US dollars. With this in mind, you’ll probably want to consider a few things if you’re considering taking a trip to China during this time. -Source tripsavvy.com

Shopping During Golden Week

There’s a saying around here: “Everything in China is negotiable.” Shopping, buying, and selling, they’re all games. The seller plays and the buyer plays. Most of the time it is an amiable game, though sometimes tempers flare. But have no fear, in the tourist-trade, everyone’s out to make a deal and you just have to learn the rules. -Source https://www.tripsavvy.com

Nothing opens the door for you like a Ni hao ma?, (How are you?) or a Duo shao qian?(How much?). Don’t worry, you will not be plunged headfirst into a Chinese conversation. Nothing is bought or sold without the ubiquitous large-format calculator coming out so that everyone can easily view just exactly what digits are being discussed.

Source: www.straitstimes.com/

Once you have found a suitable venue, such as an open air market, be sure to take a good look around before you get engaged in any negotiating. Doing this will enable you to get a clearer picture of how things work. Pay attention to prices, and do some mental price comparisons as you walk around.

Before you approach a vendor, it’s sensible to make sure that you are carrying some small denomination currency and you have a good idea of how much cash you have on you. If the vendor catches sight of a high denomination note, you can expect the price to rise accordingly.

Once you have had a look around and sorted out your money, you should try to mentally come up with a rough figure for how much you are prepared to spend. You may have to be a little bit flexible, but it’s best to go in with a clear idea in your head so you can be assertive and get the negotiating off to a strong start. -Source https://www.wikihow.com

Getting ready for the weekend

Source: www.travelchinaguide.com

Making weekend plans, arranging transportation, or making restaurant reservations?

It would be best to Book your flight/ train tickets and hotel rooms in advance. There may be more discounts for flights tickets if one books earlier. For trains in China, the tickets are available 60 days prior to departure. The thing is the train tickets may be booked up in a matter of minutes once available, so it is best to be prepared. Hotel rooms in hot travel destinations are also in demand. In case there is no place to stay; one should book them in advance as well. If one happens to book rooms upon arrival, try looking at some business hotels.

Now that you have read this blog be sure to check out some of our other blog posts, such as ‘Learn Mandarin Chinese: 5 Reasons Why’ and ‘5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist’

 

 

Back to School

Back to School

ChinesePod is a creative platform for Teachers to enhance their students’ Chinese language learning experience. ChinesePod uses real life conversations and scenarios to engage the students, keeping them interested and involved in the Mandarin language.

ChinesePod offers an abundance of material with over 4,000 lessons available. When used in combination with your curriculum, ChinesePod can be a valuable part of your students’ activities, listening practice and further cultural insight. ChinesePod provides exercises, printable worksheets, pronunciation, an audible dictionary, grammar explanations and downloadable material, so your students can study easily anywhere.

 

        Source: https://www.wikihow.com/

ChinesePod offers the introduction to Pinyin system for writing standard Mandarin Chinese using the Roman alphabet. Pinyin was developed by the People’s Republic of China in 1958, and implemented in 1979. It is used exclusively in mainland China to this day. Over the years pinyin has become widely accepted by the international community, replacing older systems of Romanization such as the Wade-Giles system.

It is important to remember that although pinyin uses the same letters as European languages, the sounds those letters represent are the sounds of Mandarin Chinese. Thus some letters may not make the sounds you expect. It is important that you pay close attention to how each letter of pinyin is pronounced, as you cannot read pinyin as if it were English. Download our Pinyin Chart at  iOS or Android.

With 80,000 total characters (and the majority of words needing at least 2), you might enlist some help along the way, the Mandarin Chinese dictionary might come in handy. This database using English or Chinese words helps you with the pronunciation and spelling. Also within the dictionary there are links to anywhere within the ChinesePod platform that these words are being used so that you can practice and review during a lesson. This can also help you with the HSK testing.

Chinesepod Say it Right series is a original instructional video course on how to master Chinese pronunciation. This feature is a great way for you to gain the confidence and skill to speak like a native. Every lesson works as a three steps process, first watch the video, then practice speaking with the review drills, and finally test your knowledge with their lesson worksheets. With there sixteen video lessons and seven hours content you will never be bored. ChinesePod provides the most extensive Chinese pronunciation instruction available. You won’t find any course like the Say It Right series… on or offline. They also cover the most difficult part of learning pronunciation. Xu Laoshi, is Chinesepod pronunciation expert, he gives you insight on how to master pinyin,tones, and difficult sounds in the Say It Right series. By the end of the course you will have the necessary tools to speak like a native. Chinesepod will give you extra boost of confidence that you can say anything in Mandarin without second guessing.

Whether you are a newbie or an advanced learner of the Chinese language. Chinesepod offers  structured 3,175 lessons and levels to help you master the chinese language. Below you will find lessons to help you navigate:

 

  • Newbie – The newbie lessons focus on pronunciation and basic words/phrases which are mostly in English. Perfect for the beginner
  • Elementary – The elementary lessons focus on building a vocabulary base and introduces simple grammar structures
  • Pre-Intermediate – Weighted portion in English, focus on simple exchange of information regarding routine matters
  • Intermediate – A mix between Chinese and English, this level focuses on complex grammar structures
  • Upper-Intermediate – Primarily Chinese with some English, this level focuses on advanced grammar patterns
  • Advance – Entirely Chinese, with a focus on formal vocabulary
  • Media – This area is for advanced students, Media lessons that are unfiltered to help in real contexts, that are taken from the original sources.

You might be surprised at how easy and useful Chinese playlists can be for the non – native speaker. There are many great free playlists here at Chinesepod ranging from audio and video shows from different academic levels. As a user, you will get to try all of their features including the full show, lesson dialogue, audio reviews, PDF lesson notes, annotated dialogue, vocabulary, expansion, grammar, and exercises. Be sure to check out some of our most popular videos such as counting from one to ten, the four tones of ma, and even getting to know a new coworker.

Learning another language is fun and rewarding! It allows you to not only speak with more people but become at nonverbal communication. With Chinesepod you have the ease of learning on the go with resources at your fingertips.

Now that you have read this blog be sure to check out some of our other blog posts, such as ‘How to Pass the HSK 6’ and ‘Study Tips’

 

How to Pass the HSK 6

How to Pass the HSK 6

Start Early – The HSK 6 is a good test of your real-life Chinese abilities. If you haven’t put the time into developing those abilities, then all the test prep in the world will be of little to no help. My current goal is to raise my HSK 6 score from 224 to 270 and I’m giving myself 1 to 2 years of daily study to do it.

Focus on Vocabulary – If you know the words, then you can answer the questions. If you don’t know the words, then you’ll be lost. It’s that simple. I’m giving most of my prep time to Advanced ChinesePod lessons because I don’t know of anything else out there that is so effective at building up my vocabulary. I’ve chosen 160 lessons, and I’m working on 3 a week. My favorite so far? Probably the 小太监进宫 series.

Do Practices Tests – You can get a number of free practice tests online, including directly from Hanban’s website (PDF and audio file). There are also a number of books of practice tests out there as well. I’ve done this book before. I plan to pick up a stack of practice test books the next time I’m in China. Do at least one of these practice tests early on so you’ll be aware of your weak points. I plan on hitting practice tests harder the closer I get to my next test date.

Summarize Stuff – The writing section of the HSK 6 involves reading an article, then summarizing it in your own words. If you can take the computerized version of the test (as I did recently), you can type it rather than writing by hand. Either way, it will take a lot of practice, especially if you’re not good at this kind of thing in your native language. This is one reason I’m starting my own vlog, where I summarize and comment on the ChinesePod lessons I’m studying. If you work with a tutor, you should insist on making summarizing a part of your routine. Speaking of which…

Get a Tutor – You’ll likely need one to help you make sense of the grammar points on the HSK practice tests, especially for the “请选出有语病的一项” reading section. Your average Chinese person on the street would even be baffled by many of those questions.

Get Immersed – Find a Chinese TV series (连续剧) and get yourself hooked. An old favorite from my school days was the gripping spy series 《潜伏》, and, based on numerous recommendations, I just recently started watching the anti-corruption police drama 《人民的名义》。If you’ve never done a 连续剧 before, my suggestion would be to watch the first episode 5 to 10 times, taking notes and looking up words. Wear out the “Pause” button. Make flashcards for the main characters’ names, and memorize them. If you make that first episode all about rigorous study, then you can relax enough to enjoy the rest of the show. In this situation, binge-watching is a virtue instead of a vice.

Stay Healthy – This may seem out-of-place, but as a 40-year-old with a deteriorating memory, I’m learning that it’s critical. For me, keeping my mind sharp requires three things: Maximizing sleep, minimizing sugar, and eliminating caffeine. I discovered that my performance with my early morning tutors can vary significantly, and I’ve narrowed the reasons down to these three things. Figure out what hinders you, and get rid of it.

Study Tips

It’s never too late – or too early for that matter – to learn a new language. Like any new skill, mastering a foreign language takes time and practice. Don’t let a busy life deter you. Try a few of these fun study tips to help keep you motivated while you learn to speak Mandarin Chinese.

 

Save the Date

Learning a foreign language is a commitment. Decide when you’ll schedule study times, just like you did when you were in school. You did study, right? If not, this is an excellent time to develop good study habits. Schedule study sessions on a calendar, your laptop, or a cell phone. Writing them down makes it more likely that you’ll honor the commitment.

Set an Alarm

Start your day with language learning. You don’t even have to get out of bed. If you have a smartphone that lets you use custom alarm ringtones, this is the perfect way to wake-up. Create some voice memos with the new Mandarin words you’re learning. Use the memos as your alarm ringtones. Can you think of anything better than waking up to Mandarin Chinese? Be careful – you might find yourself hitting “snooze” several times.

Be a Night Owl

Are you an insomniac? Take advantage of those sleepless hours to practice your language skills. A 2016 study found that practicing foreign-language vocabulary at night, just before dozing off may help you better retain what you’ve learned. The key to this is to make it a regular bedtime activity. Repeated practice and sleep has a positive effect on long-term retention. Combine your night owl tendencies with early morning vocabulary practice and you’ll be talking like a native in no time.

Make Flash Cards

Flash cards are an economical yet practical study tool. Toss your flashcards in your backpack or laptop bag. Wow, friends and co-workers with your new skills. Ask people to test you – just like you used to do in grade school when you were studying for a spelling test. Put a few flashcards in places where you’re sure to see them. The bathroom mirror. Your pillow. The steering wheel. A sneaky way to study, indeed.

Take a Break

Bet you didn’t know that 75% of smartphone owners admit to using them in the bathroom. Now that puts a whole new twist on those 15-minute breaks your employer is required to give you. Fifteen minutes is plenty of time to study a few Mandarin grammar structures. When you think about it, instead of boring your co-workers with the usual one-sided conversations heard in break rooms and employee bathrooms, download a Mandarin app and practice vocabulary. Can you think of a better way to maximize break time?

While learning Mandarin, or any other language isn’t easy, using lack of time as an excuse not to start just doesn’t work. Try a few of these tips and see if you don’t find time in your day to study. Good luck! 祝你成功

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