Very funny experience in China

This is one of the things that can scar most people and scare them for the rest of their lives, getting a bad haircut. And this kind of happened to me and also one of my closest friends at the time. Now that we think back to it, we can’t help but burst out laughing at the experience.

So basically at the time my hair was getting really long and messy after not cutting it for at least 2 months, I usually have medium length in general with my sides shorter with the ability to brush my hair back as this was the trendiest cut at the time. So as my Chinese wasn’t great I was petrified of going to the hairdressers myself as I really didn’t want to come out with no hair just in case I communicated the wrong thing to them, so I then asked my friend who was fluent in Chinese to help and he suggested one of the local places where he’d been a few times to get his haircut, bear in mind he’s African and has short hair.

Anyway it was a cold winter’s day and we went over to this place, he said I’d be fine as he could tell them exactly what I wanted, I showed a picture as well, as that’s one of the best ways to show exactly what you want. So we started off and my friend told him the style that I wanted, so I sat back and tried to relax as he started, he cut the sides and back perfectly fine, no problem at all, and then he started on the top, I simply kept giving my friend the evil stare as he kept smirking and having little smiles and I decided I wasn’t looking at whatever was unfolding in front of my eyes. The hairdresser asked if everything was okay and I just told him to carry on and I closed my eyes.

When he was progressing, it took a pretty long time and he was moving my hair about sideways and in all kinds of directions, and I thought it was just because he was seeing where to cut properly, as I still had a heck of a lot of hair on my head, the sides were nearly bald, and then he just stopped. I opened my eyes and all he had done was tidy up the top of my hair, not cut any off it, but cut all of the sides and back of my hair really short, so I looked like I had a squirrel on my head. I looked at the mirror and just went bright red, I blamed it that I was hot. I just looked at my friend and he couldn’t react or say anything as he was laughing so much he was nearly on the floor, he was trying his best to hide it but his laughter shocked the whole shop. To be honest the guy had done a really good job, if I was used to the Chinese style, it would have looked good on a Chinese person’s face, but my white face really didn’t suit it, I thought don’t worry and thanked him, got up and told my friend to sit down as he apparently wanted to have a quick trim whilst we were there.

My friend sat down, and then his smiling face soon turned to nerves as he realized that he was laughing at the haircut place that he was too about to have his own haircut. He sat down and the guy approached him with a razor and my friend quickly pushed him away and told him exactly what he wanted, just a trim, not a complete shave, his hair was maybe half an inch thick and he just wanted a little trim, definitely not bald. He was really nervous and each time someone touched his hair he flinched and was ready to throw them off.

Throughout the process as he was getting his haircut, I have never laughed so much in my life, the guy was a mess, the hairdresser proceeded to not use any guides and just shaved a big rectangle line down the side of his head by mistake, as the guy was new, completely destroying the hair lines that my friend had, he looked like he was about to cry as he was really proud of his hair. When this happened my friend let out a really girly scream which sent me into hysterics, I couldn’t stop laughing and neither could everyone else in the shop, even my friend. This definite nervous laughter soon turned into actual nerves and he almost go up and left halfway through the haircut, but he braved on, the hairdresser’s had cut his hair way too short to start off with so there was no going back, they had to do the rest, but this time they cut it as long as possible (if that made sense). With a few screams here and there and a few phrases of saying if you cut my hair bad my girlfriend’s going to kill you, he was soon finished, he opened his eyes and he looked like a completely new man, a brand new bald man. Everyone in the shop came over to try and help in any way, 4 people tried their best to shave the hair lines into his hair to try and give his head some sort of finish line, my friend even had a go at it himself, as even with his fluent Chinese they didn’t get the message all the way through.

When they’d finished he was more laughing and joking than upset, he wasn’t really that bothered about it, I told him he can grow it out, all haircuts look strange when they’re new (as I proceeded to point at my own hair), we both walked out of the hairdressers with our hoods up, and he quickly told me that he was really cold as all of his hair was gone, we couldn’t stop laughing and agreed to never go to the hairdressers again with each other as we were bad for each other in those kind of situations.

For more funny experience in China, please check www.studyinchina.hzlearning.com under beginner's guide. 

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The best way to learn Chinese

The best way to learn Chinese, Mandarin and to progress further and further

3 words:

Keep at it.

It may sound simple and something that before you learn a language, something that you’d easily do, but learning a new language, especially a difficult one, can often cause you to lose some motivation for it, especially if you find some aspects of it difficult, it’s the same with any language!

So to really develop your skills and to learn Mandarin well enough and to feel satisfied with your progress, you need to keep yourself motivated in order to loving to learn the language at each opportunity. This might mean searching for different methods online for the certain point that you’re stuck at, or even asking someone that is Chinese, can really benefit your progression in learning this beautiful yet challenging language. There are a huge variety of resources available, so you can certainly keep going and look at the problem from different angles and to find your true learning style.

Mandarin for foreigners is especially difficult when trying to learn the tones, and distinguishing between the pinyin as it can take a while to get used to the different sounds. This is an extremely important part of learning Chinese, and I wouldn’t recommend progressing your level any more until you’ve got this part completely nailed, as when I first learnt Chinese I thought my tones (listening and speaking) were really good, that was until I actually came to China and tried speaking to someone and they couldn’t understand what I said, until I started my full comprehensive class and spent all day learning the tones and listening to the distinguished sounds.

Get this part nailed by listening and repeating the words, short passages both at a short pace and also quickly. Then start to merge it into new words that you’re learning and ensure that you get the tones of each character right before moving on, sit there and repeat it to yourself, you could even record yourself (a lot of people do this) and just keep practicing and practicing until it’s perfect, it’ll make your life a lot easier if you do this.

One of the best things to do in learning Chinese Mandarin in my opinion is to use apps, podcasts, passages, movies, radio etc. to learn listening of Chinese as this is often classed as the most difficult part, and ensure that you can associate all of the tones to characters, because you’ll get to a point that if you’re studying it day after day you won’t rely on pinyin and you won’t visualize the language solely on pinyin but you’ll actually be able to see and speak Chinese characters (if you can understand my meaning), and this is the point that your Chinese is becoming truly good.

For more information, please check our official website: www.studyinchina.hzlearning.com

10 TIPS BEFORE TRAVELING ABROAD

                               

Summer is coming and you don’t know how to prepare your travel. Enjoy your safe trip by preparing it well. Generally, there is a lot of things we need to remember. Here you will find the 10 most useful tips you must not forget to do before your departure. 

Make a copy of important documents 

Make several photocopies of all your important documents (for example : Passport) in case you lose your original documents. You also can scan them. Leave one in your purse, one in your luggage, one with a trusted friend or a family member and one copy in your hotel room. 

Tell your bank you will be abroad 

Before you go, you have to contact your bank. When you will withdraw money abroad, your bank needs to know in which country you are traveling and in case of emergency. Don’t forget to prepare you money few days before. In foreign countries for example in England, you need to change your money. Pay attention to the exchange rates. 

Get insured  

Accident can happen. You must be covered abroad. Pay health insurance in case of emergency it is always a great decision to get insured. In foreign hospitals, patients often need to pay in cash. Moreover, before traveling, you should visit a doctor to find out what kind of health precautions you must take in the country you want to go. You will probably need vaccinations. 

Check your passport 

In case, you have a passport you must check the date of validity. It must be valid for at least six months after you come back home. 

If you don’t have a passport, hurry up and apply for it right now ! Basically, it takes 3 weeks or 1 month to receive your passport. 

                               

Visas 

You will probably need a visa for your trip but it depends on your destination. Don’t hesitate to check on the Internet or contact directly the embassy of the foreign country for more information. 

Basic First Aid 

In your first Aid you need to prepare important medicines because you may not have access to medicines when traveling abroad. 

Mobile phone 

Check in advance if your phone will work in the country where you plan to go. Contact your service provider about the costs of receiving and making calls abroad. Download free applications (Whatsapp, Wechat, Viber) in order to get in touch with your family at any time without paying anything. 

Keep a copy of your hotel address  

Before you leave, make a copy of your hotel address in case you lose your road. You can also write on your phone the address and the number phone of the hotel. Don’t forget to look at the itinerary from the airport until the hotel. 

Arrive early to the airport 

If you do not want to miss your flight go 2 or 3 hours early to the airport.  If you want to avoid In summer you are not the only one to take a flight. 

Separate your money 

Do not keep so much money with you. Get more money in more than one location. Separate your money in different places like in your luggage, in your purse or in your hotel. It is strongly recommended to do not keep your credit card and  your cash at the same place when you are not in your hotel. During your trip, be attentive to leave your cash in a safe place. 

Finally, be open-minded and positive during your trip. It could be a great summer holidays. 

You still do not have any plan for this summer ?

Spend your summer in China and visit 4 wonderful cities. We give you the opportunity to discover China from 6th to 19th August. 

Contact us for more information : studyinchina@hzlearning.com

Or scan the following QR code

Chinese University Scholarship

 The 2017 Master Program of International Business

 for Russian and Ukraine Students 

About Anhui University of Finance and Economics

Anhui University of Finance and Economics (AUFE), founded in 1959，is one of the key universities in Anhui Province. With a total area of 1014050 square meters, AUFE comprises two campuses: Longhu Lake West Campus and Longhu Lake East Campus. AUFE consists of 11 schools, 2 departments, 29 university-affiliated research institutions and 54 undergraduate programs. AUFE has a total faculty of 1428 (990 professional teachers), and boasts 29000 full-time undergraduates and 1800 postgraduates. 

Objectives of the Program:

With the “The Belt and Road” strategy, this International Business  Master program teaches international students the international trade and business theories and stimulates their creativity and imagination in the global business. It helps students better understand Chinese language, culture, arts, and history. Students could speak fluent Chinese mandarin. Taking this program will get students a brilliant future.

Opening Date: September 1, 2017 

Application Deadline：June 10, 2017 

Teaching Language: Chinese 

Duration: three years 

Enrollment：20-25 students 

Teaching Model: 

First year: to learn Chinese Mandarin 

Second and Third year: to learn International business lessons

Application Requirements：

1. The students must have Bachelor Degree 
2. The student is no more than 32 years old (including 32). 
3. No criminal record. 
4. The student must be healthy. 

(Examination by Anhui Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau is required in one week after arrival at the student's own expense. Those unqualified cannot be accepted and must be back to their own country.)

Tuition:

AUFE exempts the tuition fee during the study in AUFE. 

Accommodation

AUFE exempts the accommodation fee during the study in AUFE. 

Scholarship:

AUFE will grant a scholarship of 20,000 yuan to each student in this program per year at most, in which 16,000 yuan is the basic scholarship that each student will be awarded, and the rest will be granted on the basis of the student’s academic performance.   

Insurance: 

Every student is required to buy insurance by themselves. (800yuan per year) 

Materials required:

A. Application Form for International Students,

B. Bachelor Degree copy 

C. Transcript of your university 

D. Passport copy

E. Two-inch photo

F. Two recommendation letters 

Welcome to share this information with your friends. 

For how to apply for this scholarship, please contact me via mary@hzlearning.com. You could also scanned the following QR code via wechat for more information.

Studying and Working Abroad：Why You Should Do It

Studying and Working Abroad: Why You Should Do It

It has been now three years since I have left home, right after high school, to start my experience abroad. I went to two different universities in the UK and Denmark and I am now interning a Chinese company in Beijing for the next three months and I am surely planning to keep going.  Here are the main reasons why you should also go abroad without hesitation.

1- It’s NOT as expansive as you think

Do your research. There are many deals and opportunities out there that will save you a lot of money. To give you few examples from my own experience, I’ve found out searching the internet that the Scottish government was paying for the universities’ tuition fees of every student from the EU which led me to enroll in one of them for free. When I did my exchange year in Copenhagen, I was receiving 300 euros a month from the Erasmus program and had no tuitions fees to pay. Another great example is the Chinese government who offer scholarshipshttps://plus.google.com/116009838788976199635/posts/93s1UeApm7v to foreign students coming to China and cover their tuition fees as well as all other expenses including rent but also pay them extra money each month!

2- It makes your CV looks great 

Nowadays, the job market is so competitive that you have to distinguish yourself from the rest in order to catch the attention of potential employers and experiences abroad are a critical asset for this matter. As a rule of thumb, the younger you leave and the further away you go from home the more valuable you become to them.

3- You will learn English no matter what… 

When going abroad as you meet other foreigners or locals, you will find yourself speaking and hearing English everywhere. You will then be inevitably learning it faster than you ever did at school and you’ll realize how important this language can be.

 4-…and other extremely valuable skills for the future

Going abroad definitely gets you out of your comfort zone as you’ll have to adapt to new cultures, make new friends, and do things by yourself. It might be hard, especially at the beginning but in return you’ll become independent, flexible and a proactive thinker.

To quickly sum it up, these three past years have been the most interesting one of my life where I had learn and had fun the most and that is why I would advise to anyone without exception to go for it 

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH 20 YUAN IN CHINA?

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH 20 YUAN IN CHINA?

After the previous article about “The living cost in China”, our content team has decided to give you a better view how you can spend money in China in the most “economical” way. With 20 Yuan, which is not a big amount of money (approximately $3 US), the basic necessity can be obtained. 

Below, with our illustration, we will show you how a local here spend their 20 Yuan in their daily life. 

Please notice that, the price range can be different in different cities, and it absolutely depends on what kind of product brand you choose. However, we have picked up the average price, with acceptable – quality brand for a decent life standard. 

Rice – rice – rice, the thing you see everywhere when you set your feet in China. Normally, spending 20 Yuan will give you 1 – 2 kg of rice. In China, you can buy rice in a big or small factory – produced bags or you can buy it as how much as you want. 

For the chicken meat product, depending on which part of chicken you want, the price will be varied. For example, chicken legs and wings are normally cheaper than chicken breast. 

The same goes with beef. The price is varied based on your choice of meat. However, beef is generally more expensive than chicken, so you get less when paying the same 20 Yuan. 

Be careful here in China that you cannot drink water from the tap, so whether filter then boil it, or buy the bottle of water from supermarket. With 20 Yuan, you can buy 7 0.5l bottles of water. The bigger the bottle is, the cheaper it will be for the water. 

Generally, fruits are quite affordable in China, except you want some Western fruits like avocado, berries, etc. Normally, a kilogram of apple costs 10 – 13 Yuan, so 20 Yuan gives you roughly 1.5 kilogram of apple. 

Who doesn’t want to get some beers with friends and chill? Good news here is that beers is much cheaper, comparing to European or American price. With 20 Yuan, you can get 3 big bottle of good local beers. And yes, if you are looking for Western imported beer in China, it will be more expensive. 

Talking about an international fast food brand McDonalds, the price is a bit cheaper comparing to Europe or America. With 20 Yuan, you can get a 6 – piece box of chicken nuggets with a medium – size Coke. Spending more 9 Yuan, you can get a perfect menu of a hamburger, fries and a drink. 

Lastly, if you want to try some Chinese food, the price rage strongly depends on what kind of food and restaurant you are going to have. In a normal restaurant, a bowl of noodle soup costs 1 8 – 20 Yuan which is enough for a lunch break. However, if you pick up street food, the price will be much cheaper, just from 5 – 15 Yuan. And of course, for the high – end restaurants, 20 Yuan will probably just give you a cup of drink. 

Here is what 20 Yuan equal to, in terms of food, drink, and daily necessity. If you want to see more, please follow us and we will get you more updated and interesting information about life in China. 

If you want to get updated for the information about study in China, scholarship in China, life in China, please follow us via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HongzhouLearning/

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Summer Trip in China

Summer Trip in China

We organize a great trip in China which aims at promoting cultural exchange and educational travel in China for students. We took the time to create this trip according to students interests. When you travel with us we care about you and the details. What is important for you is important for us. We offer you a safe experience and an educational impact on your future.

This summer trip is especially for students who would like to study or travel in China. We know that it is difficult to visit an university in China when you are abroad that is why during this trip we give you the opportunity to visit four universities. At the same time, it is the best opportunity to discover China as you have never seen before. You will discover China through activities and excursion. It is a unique experience that you won’t forget for a lifetime. You will discover amazing places, experience a new culture, enjoy the local cuisine and visit different universities. This tour is the best way to help students gain new cultural experience and make them more open-minded.

The program : *From 6^thAugust to 19^th August 2017*

You won’t travel in only one city but in four wonderful cities in China. During 14 days you will be in total immersion among Chinese language and culture while visiting Beijing, Xi’an, Huai’an and Nanjing. 

The incredible program includes to visit the ancient Heritage of China (The Great Wall, The Terracota Army, Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum, Tieshan Temple…) and to participate to different activities for example, learning Chinese Kong Fu, learning how to make Chinese Dumplings or how to write Chinese calligraphy. 

Benefits :

• This trip will provide you so much fun as well as unforgettable friends and memories. 
• You could get $1320 scholarship from the universities.

Take your chance and participate !

Want to take a look at our brochure ?

Send an email at studyinchina@hzlearning.com

Write your name, your age and your country. We will give you more information about the summer trip. 

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Facebook : Hongzhou Learning 

Twitter : https://twitter.com/Hongzhou_Mary

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