Students Go Swimming to Find Chinese Culture

Students Go Swimming to Find Chinese CultureThe CLI Team October 29, 2024CLI News Learn Chinese in China or on Zoom and gain fluency in Chinese!Join CLI and learn Chinese with your personal team of Mandarin teachers online or in person at the CLI Center in Guilin, China. Last week, CLI adventured into Guilin’s countryside for an evening of swimming and dining. The beauty of studying Chinese in China is learning and experiencing the Chinese language and culture first hand. This trip gave students a chance to form their own opinion about life outside China’s main metropolises. Guilin's picturesque countryside For a little escape from the summer heat, some CLI students took a refreshing dip in the village’s clean, flowing stream. Roaming goats, local crops, and Guilin’s famous karst topography provided a picturesque backdrop for the evening’s swim. After everyone was finished performing their best Michael Phelps impression, we dried off and prepared for a tour of the village before dinner. Nancy, Sunny and Christianne As we walked through the village, we were greeted with curious stares, friendly smiles, and the occasional goose honk announcing our arrival. With no English being spoken in the village, students had the perfect setting to practice and tune their Chinese language abilities. As students found out, a simple 你好 turns even the most standoffish local into the most willing language partner. The evening's classroom -- the village We eventually found ourselves in the town center, where some of the local villagers had prepared dinner for us. The villagers’ hospitality was more than we could ask for and everyone agreed that the meal was 好吃. The evening culminated in a watermelon dessert, good conversation, and a peaceful silence that can only be found in the countryside. The CLI TeamThe Chinese Language Institute (CLI) is a center for Chinese language and cultural studies based in Guilin, China. Founded in 2009, CLI has hosted over 5,000 students from more than 50 countries and maintains a 4.95 out of 5.00 rating on GoOverseas. CLI's team includes Chinese language educators, program managers, and China specialists holding advanced degrees in Chinese studies, teaching Chinese as a foreign language, education, and related fields. Articles published under The CLI Team draw on the collective expertise of this group, informed by years of experience designing and delivering Chinese language immersion programs in Guilin and across China. Free 30-minute Trial LessonFree 30-minute Trial Lesson Continue Exploring CLI News CLI 2025 Year in Review: 36,000 Hours, 35 Countries, One Community CLI News Guilin 马到成功: CLI Upgrades Student Living Facilities for the Year of the Horse CLI News Travel China What Are the Best VPNs for China in 2026? CLI News The New York Times Goes to Guilin CLI News CLI Online Student Wins USA Memory Championship CLI News The Ben Hedges Interview CLI News Former CLI Student Gives TED Speech CLI News Jack Ma Speaks with Charlie Rose CLI News Happy Halloween from CLI 1 2 3 … 5 Next » ✕Join the CLI community and learn Chinese in China!Based in scenic Guilin, China, CLI is a leading center for Chinese language and cultural studies.Learn OnlineLearn in China CloseMessage us on WeChatIn WeChat on your phone, tap + then Scan, and point it at this code.Take a screenshot of this code. In WeChat, tap + then Scan and choose it from your album.Press and hold the code and choose the option to scan it.Then tap Follow and send us a message.We reply Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM Beijing time.