My BLCU Blog

BLCU Conference Center Accommodation and Rates

2012-05-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Planning to stay in BLCU Conference center anytime soon? Here are some information I gathered on how to reserve and book accommodation at the BLCU university's Conference Center.

The Conference Center seems to be easier to book than that of Dorm 17 and other school dorms probably because it's quite pricey for it's room size. But the advantage of booking here is that you have less hassle, and you can actually book your room once you arrive in Beijing (although a slight chance of no vacancies can also happen).

How to Book

You first need to contact them in this number: 0086-10-8230-3778 and inquire if you can reserve for a room on the specific dates you intend to. I think they only have single rooms for booking. You also need to pay the reservation fee of 2,000 RMB to be sent via Bank Transfer. The bank details will be sent to you upon confirmation of your booking.

Requirements

The only requirements you need are a photocopy of your passport, your admission notice, and in some occasions, your photo. You can fax them at this number: 0086-10-8230-0070.

Cost

I wasn't able to inquire about the daily rates (I'm sorry), but my classmate did mention that he was spending around 4,000 - 4,500 RMB each month for a single room. With this, I think you can about estimate how much it will cost you to stay in the Conference Center. Best of Luck!

BLCU Conference Center

2012-05-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

Beijing Language and Culture University has several dormitories that cater to foreign students from all over the world. Aside from this, BLCU also has a business and conference center known as 会议中心 (Huìyì zhōngxīn). The Conference center also offers high class accommodation for foreign students - with free daily breakfast and hotel-like services.

Exact Location

The Conference Center is located in the Northern part of the BLCU campus. It is right beside the school's track and field and directly across the Dining Hall. It is also about only 5 minutes away from the student classrooms. Due to it's location and class, the Conference Center is known to be a pricy accommodation option for foreign students. It is usually more expensive than renting a much bigger room from a flat in nearby apartments.

Laundry and Kitchenette

The Laundry Room is located at the 7th Floor which is opened from 7:30 am - 9:00 pm. A laundry card is needed in order to access their machines. Cards are sold at 50 RMB with a 10 RMB deposit. Each wash will cost you 4RMB and if you use the dryer it will cost you around 8RMB.

The Kitchenette is also located in the 7th floor and is opened from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm.

Bottled Water

Bottled water is available for orders at the Front Desk. 50 RMB is asked for the Initial bottle deposit. You need to purchase a water pump at 45 RMB and each refill will cost you 12 RMB.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served daily at the Ground floor (which is a Chinese Restaurant). It's not a superb breakfast but it's a simple breakfast with egg, bread and some vegetables. It starts from 7:00 am - 8:30 am.

Telephone Services

In order to access their room phone, you need to purchase a calling card at rates from 20, 50 and 100 RMB.

Generally, the Conference Center is for students with a higher budget, or those that ran out of rooms from other dorms. You can opt to stay for only a few days until several months depending on your choice.

If you want to know about the details on Conference Center Room Reservation, Accommodation and Housing Costs you can visit my article on BLCU Conference Center Accommodation and Rates.

BLCU Dorm 17 International Students House Accommodation and Rates

2012-05-04T20:32:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered how you can reserve accommodation for BLCU university's Dorm 17 International Students House and how much it will cost you to live there? Here are some facts I gathered from Dorm 17 to help you answer those questions.

How to Book a Room in Dorm 17

To be frank, Dorm 17 is the most difficult dorm to book. I've heard that agents from different countries book these rooms ahead of time and they book in bulk. They pay for everything and then recruit students who are willing to pay extra to get a sure room. This is by far the most used, and most guaranteed way to get yourself a room in Dorm 17. The price difference is not that big, but it might be around 8-10 RMB/day higher than the Dorm's original rates. Each country has its own agents. In mine, I've heard there's one in Manila but I never really got clarified about who and where it's located. If you know of any, maybe you can share it with us in the comment box below.

Can I book for a room by myself?

If you want to take that risk and try to book for a room yourself, you can, but it does not guarantee you a 100% slot. You can call Dorm 17 at this contact number: 0086-10-8230-3285 and Look for Miss Heng. The office hours are from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon in the morning and 2:00 pm - 5:00pm in the afternoon from Monday to Friday.

What are the requirements?

The requirements will include a photocopy of your Passport, your Student Visa and your Acceptance Letter. They usually ask you for the student acceptance number which starts with a letter S, followed by a random mix of numbers and letters - this is found in your acceptance letter as well. You also need to pay for the reservation fee of 2,250 RMB to be sent via Bank Transfer. The bank details will be sent to you after they have received your requirements and confirmed that you already have a slot.

What are the rates?

The rate or cost of your stay will depend on whether you have an agent or not and your duration of stay. The longer you stay, the cheaper you need to pay for your room. I went to Dorm 17 to inquire about the rates and these were what I got:

For Single Room booking -
1 month - 180 RMB/night
4-6 weeks - 140 RMB/night
3 months - 130 RMB/night
5 months - 120 RMB/night

For Double Room booking -
1 month - 95 RMB/night
4-6 weeks - 75 RMB/night
3 months - 70 RMB/night
5 months - 65 RMB/night

If your agent charges more than that, then that should be their fee. But it should be worth it if you really want a sure room in Dorm 17. I hope I helped!

BLCU Dorm 17 International Students House

2012-05-03T23:01:00.003-07:00

Planning to study in Beijing and Language University? If yes, then I'm pretty sure you've heard about BLCU University's Dorm 17 International Students House - the most coveted and sought after dormitory located right across the campus. Last year, I myself, made some effort to try to reserve a room in this dorm, but due to the irrevocable circumstances during that time, I was unable to. But, I did experience living in Dorm 17 (when I came home late and didn't want to face the consequences of my dorm's curfew). ha ha. So here are some of the information I gathered on Dorm 17 during my stay:

Exact Location

Dorm 17 is located across the BLCU Campus West Gate or 西门 (Xi men). It's surrounding environment includes the BLCU Community Center, a Bike repair shop, phone card shops and several fruit stands. Right after you exit the West Gate, just turn right and you'll see a black gate with a huge building fronted by hundreds of bike and electric motorcycles. And that's where it is - you're in Dorm 17.

Why is it always packed?

Dorm 17 is the newest dormitory in BLCU - as of the moment. Most students here are either from Indonesia, Thailand, Russia or the Philippines. Since this dorm is not covered by the school's rules and regulations, the students here have no curfew. They can come in and out of it any time of the day. It also has a hotel-like lobby where students can just hang out, talk or meet up whenever they have somewhere to go.

Amenities

Like all the other dorms, Dorm 17 also has their own Laundry machines (though I'm not sure where it's located), CCTV cameras, Lobby Assistance, Daily room cleaning etcetera. Apart from that, this dorm has it's own convenience store where you can shop for your daily and basic grocery needs. There is also a coffee shop if you're a coffee lover or if you just like to hang out and study.

Dorm 17 is closest to everything - the subway, the taxis, the bus station, fruit stands, groceries - and everything else, except your classroom. If you prefer to walk your way through, it will take you around 10 minutes to reach your classroom building. But if you have a bike or an electric motorbike, it's a lot quicker - maybe even less than 5 minutes. So I don't think the distance is that much of a hassle. :)

If you want to know about the details on Dorm 17 Room Reservation, Accommodation and Housing Costs you can visit my article on BLCU Dorm 17 International Student Housing Accommodation and Rates.

BLCU International Students Housing and Dorm Costs

2012-02-17T03:38:00.007-08:00

If you're planning to study in Beijing Language and Culture University as an International Language student, you might want to get information about BLCU's International students housing and dormitories (accommodation) and how much it will cost you to live in them. This article is a product of my research, inquiry and my intent to help students all over the world who want to study Chinese in BLCU.

The BLCU University has a total of 6 dormitories for international students, located in different parts within the school, namely Dorm 1, Dorm 4, Dorm 6, Dorm 7, Dorm 8 and Dorm 9. The dormitories are classified into ordinary, middle class and luxury class. The prices or rates can range from 35 RMB - 160 RMB per day.

Dormitory 1 and Dormitory 9

BLCU Building 1

Students with a tight budget can consider living in BLCU Dorm 1 and Dorm 9. Both of them only have public toilets (that's why they are cheaper). The public toilets are located within the building, which makes life better for foreign students. Some Chinese students need to go across their buildings just to take a bath in the school's public toilet. The facilities for dorms 1 and 9 include a television, air-conditioner, telephone, wardrobe, desk, chair, bed and bedding.

BLCU Building 9

Dorm 9 has extra facilities such as a mini-refrigerator and a public kitchen. Most students living in these dorms are Government scholars.

The standard daily rates for these dorms are as follows:

Dorm 1 - Single Room - 80 RMB/day, Double Room - 40 RMB/day

Dorm 9 - Single Room - 95 RMB/day, Double Room - 65 RMB/day, Luxury Double Room 40 RMB

Dormitory 4 and Dormitory 6

BLCU Building 4

Although the school considers these dorms as luxury dorms, I would say they are middle class dorms. These dorms may not be as nice as the famous Dorm 17, but they are livable, more affordable, and location-wise, closer to the student classroom buildings.

BLCU Building 6

The difference between Dorm 4 and 6 is that dorm 4 is located near the South Gate (closer to the Intensive students' classrooms) and Dorm 6 is located near the West Gate (right in front of the basketball courts). Dorm 4 also has an International cafe on the ground floor, named Hope Cafe.

The facilities include: a television, air-conditioner, mini-refrigerator, telephone, wall-closet, desk, chair, bed, bedding, public kitchen and public washing machines. They both have private toilets in the room.

The standard daily fees for dorm 4 and 6 are:

Dorm 4 - Single Room - 150 RMB/day, Double Room - 80 RMB/day, Luxury Double Room - 80 RMB/day

Dorm 6 - Single Room - 160 RMB/day, Small Single Room - 120 RMB/day, Double Room - 80 RMB/day and Suite - 200 RMB/day

Dormitory 7 and Dormitory 8

BLCU Building 7

These 2 dorms are exclusively for Single room occupants only. Facilities include: television, air-conditioner, mini-refrigerator, telephone, wall-closet, desk, chair, bed, bedding, public kitchen and public washing machines. These dorms are also located near the basketball courts and are closer to the west gate.

BLCU Building 8

The standard daily costs for these rooms are:

Dorm 7 - Single Room - 120 RMB/day

Dorm 8 - Single Room - 120 RMB/day

Safety and Services

All the above mentioned dormitories have a 24-hour receptionist service, which means you can check in anytime on your arrival to Beijing. Their receptionists also have good memory, they usually remember the students who live and don't live in these dorms. They also have CCTV cameras in each floor to ensure student's safety.

Although these dorms promise the tidying of rooms and cleaning of bathrooms daily, it's better if you don't expect because they seldom do. The bedding on the other hand, is changed every week.

Curfew

I'm not sure which dorm will have a curfew in the coming terms, but I have experienced this while living in Dorm 4. The curfew is 12 midnight (every night), the doors will be closed after this time. They did try to implement it strictly but due to the way foreign students live, they were barely able to implement this rule.

Every time we arrived late, we would just ring the bell and they will open the door for us. We did meet one cruel receptionist who was very snob with foreigners. She would scold at us when we were late but I hope she resigns. Soon.;)

Discounts

The standard rates I have mentioned can still be covered by student discounts. The longer you stay in these dorms, the bigger your discount is.

For example, when I stayed in Dorm 4 for 1 whole semester, I only paid 56 RMB/day instead of the standard 80 RMB/day because of my length of stay.

If you want to know the specifics, here is list of maximum discounts you can get from each of the international students housing and dorms, click here to download the file: BLCU Housing and Dormitory Brochure. It is in an Adobe PDF file format. I got it from the school itself.

I will post a different article for BLCU Dorm 17 and Conference Center costs.

I hope I helped you with this article.

So... Do you have anything to say about BLCU's housing and dormitories?

Things to bring to Beijing

2012-02-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

Are you done packing your bags and ready to fly to Beijing? Wait! Before you lock up your luggage and go, there might be a few things you need that you can't or won't easily find in Beijing.

Things to bring to Beijing:

1. Ethyl or Isopropyl Alcohol - If you're conscious about cleanliness and hand sanitation, bring several bottles of Ethyl or Isopropyl Alcohol with you. I've been to several groceries in Beijing, but I didn't find any. Good thing before I left for Beijing, a friend reminded me to bring some with me as I leave. If you're wondering how many bottles of alcohol I brought, I had a large, medium and pocket-sized one so I can use it anywhere I go. A pretty large quantity for 4 months of stay, but it was worth the weight!

2. Deodorant - For women who use deodorant, I heard they only sell deodorants for males. You can't find you're usual Rexona, Dove or Secret deodorants here,. So you better prepare enough for the whole duration of stay.

3. Enough Make up - Maybe you'll say, WHAT?! No need to panic, Beijing sells make up. It's just that most of their products have Chinese brands and you can't really read them so it's better to bring enough make - up of your preferred brand and color. For emergency situations, you can go for the nearest Watsons and grab something that looks familiar.

4. Western medicine - Yes it's hard to find in Beijing. Although they may have western hospitals, the medicine they sell would usually have a Chinese brand, with everything in it written in Chinese! They do have several stores that sell western medicine, but it's terribly difficult to find one. So bring all the medicines that you need, and even bring the ones you might need because you'll never know when illnesses will strike you.

5. Facial Moisturizer - During the winter season, skin dryness is inevitable. You can peel all over your body and you're face will be dryer than it ever was before. Although grocery stores may sell moisturizers, you'll only be confused by the number of products they display. It took me close to an hour just to confirm that the item I was getting was actually a moisturizer and not a facial wash!

So far, those are the things I observed that are hard to find in Beijing. There might be other things I'm missing, so If you know of any others feel free to comment below!

How long should I study Chinese in BLCU?

2012-02-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

I'm finally back home after more than 4 months of study in Beijing Language and Culture University, or shall we say 1 semester. It has been a very rich and cultural experience for me. I did not only get to explore the beauty of Chinese people, the Chinese language and China itself, but I also met loads of amazing people from all over the world who are excellent in so many ways possible.

Basing from my experience, I would want to give you an idea on how long it should take you to study Chinese in BLCU.

Before I went to Beijing, I literally knew almost 0 Chinese. Yes, I grew up in a Chinese Community and learned Mandarin Chinese when I was in elementary, but the words I really knew by heart were less than 20 characters. I arrived in Beijing and felt like I was in another planet... And no I'm not kidding.

It may or may not surprise you, but you cannot use English in Beijing, unless you speak to your classmates or to students taking up English Majors. The teachers, restaurant personnel, drivers, store owners, EVERYONE else you see speaks in Chinese. Although this may sound horrible, but this was the most helpful part for me. The environment itself will push you to learn Chinese. I believe that there's no quicker way to learn than this method.

So, how many days did it take me to finally speak a bit in Chinese? It's actually surprising that after a week in class, and you go to a restaurant, you'd be able to call the waiter, ask for the menu, and then ask for the bill in Chinese. You'll learn to say How much? and Can you make it cheaper? when you go into the clothing market. You'll be able to say Hello to your teacher, say you're present and understand when the teacher says open your book to page so on and so forth. In the first weeks, you'll learn in class how to read the Chinese Pinyin, so you don't confuse the b with the p sound, the g with the k sound etc. It requires daily practice and it may become boring in some days but little do you know that you're actually learning Chinese!

Let me clarify that in the first month you will but learn the very basics of the Chinese language. It can only make you survive. At this point, you'll realize that there's more than 5000 words you need to learn, but you just have to keep motivated. Keep the fire burning. I was taught that if you learn and master even 800 words, you are already considered fluent and able in daily conversations.

After 1 semester of Intensive Chinese study, with several meet ups with my Chinese friend and several exposures to different people I met in Beijing, I can say I am very happy with the results. Although my Chinese is still just slightly above the beginner level, I know I can do what I want, ask for what I want and go where ever I want to now using the words I learnt in BLCU. I flew all by myself from Beijing to Xiamen and it was nice to know I could even understand airport terms.

Maybe you'll think that 1 semester or 4 months of Chinese study is too long, but when you go to Beijing, you'll realize how fast time flies. Beijing is such a fun place! Before you know it, it's time to go back and face your old life.

I honestly think that in order to fully master what you've learned, 1 school year is recommended (around 9 months) of learning. 1 semester though is just enough to get a good foundation of Chinese. If you already have some knowledge in Mandarin Chinese, you can always take the short term courses (3 - 12 weeks) depending on you're preference. Language learning is all about practicing and using what you've learned.

Have you studied Chinese in BLCU before? If not, do you plan to study Chinese? For how long? :)

Internet Connection in BLCU

2011-12-09T02:46:00.000-08:00

When you become a student in Beijing Language and Culture University, you might consider having your own internet connection. The two most popular choices for establishing an internet connection in BLCU University include Cernet and China Unicom. Both of them have stores located inside the school and you can easily notice them because they are usually packed during the first few days of class. If you want to know how to establish an internet connection in BLCU and how much internet connection in BLCU will cost you, feel free to read on.

Cernet

Cernet in BLCU is located near the West gate of the school ( close to the Dorm 17, International students housing center). Due to it's convenient location and quick Customer Support services, it is the most preferred connection by the students. Establishing a connection is also quite easy.

In order to establish an internet connection with Cernet, you will just need to bring your Laptop and a valid school ID/passport to their office.When you open an account with Cernet, they will charge you 50 RMB for setting up your connection and this non-refundable.

Depending on your Internet usage, you can choose among the following plan rates:

-50 RMB - 40 hours / month

-100 RMB - 120 hours / month

-140 RMB - Unlimited Internet for 30 days

-850 RMB - Unlimited Internet for 6 months

All the above connections have a uniform speed of 1 mbps. If ever you stay for 5 weeks and opt for the unlimited service, you can buy an extra 50 RMB card for the remaining days of your stay. If you didn't bring your cable wire with you, you will also need to purchase one for 10 RMB. Eg. If you want an unlimited internet connection for 1 month (inclusive of a cable wire and connection fee), you will spend a total of 200 RMB. The longer your stay, the cheaper the cost.

The steps above are for students who live in a single room dorm and those who are living in Dorm 17. In older dorms, there is only one slot for the internet cable wire, so, in cases where you have a room mate, you will need to purchase an Exchange Machine (this is what they call it) which costs 75 RMB and 3 wires (about 3 meters long) for 10 RMB. Both of you should go to the Cernet office together and open your account.

Before leaving, they will give you your username and password, as well as instructions on how to do the set-up in your room.

China Unicom

China Unicom can be another alternative for those who require cheaper internet connection or don't want to be part of the Long Lines in Cernet during the first few days of class. Their establishment is located across Alliance France which is near BLCU Dorm 4.

This internet connection is quite fast, but some people will encounter problems during installation like my roommate and I experienced when we first tried to establish a connection. Unlike Cernet where the technician tweaks your laptop as soon as you apply, China Unicom is more of a do-it-yourself Internet company. They will also give you instructions, but it's all written in Chinese. If all else fails, you can contact their technician (which I found quite rude because he walked out on us without fixing my laptop connection), but he will come when you request for him in the office.

Anyway, if you also want a connection that allows you to use a router, you can go for this connection. China Unicom has routers for rent at 105 RMB and they will refund you 100 RMB as soon as you return it.

They also have several cards you can choose from. Here are their Internet rates:

-30 RMB - 50 hours / month

-80 RMB - Unlimited Internet for 1 month (1mbps speed)

-120 RMB - Unlimited Internet for 1 month (2 mbps speed)

-420 RMB - Unlimited Internet for 155 days (2 mbps speed)

In order to contact their technician, you can call these numbers 82303144 / 82303155. Sometimes they have staff members who can speak English, but most of the time they don't. So if you don't know any Chinese Mandarin, better proceed to their office instead of calling so you can ask help from other people around.

BLCU Chinese Courses

2011-11-28T04:24:00.000-08:00

I know you visited this page because you plan to study in BLCU University but you have this question in mind, should you take up the Chinese Intensive Course or the Basic/Regular Course? What is the difference between the two? Since I am a Beijing and Language Culture University intensive course student, I can think I can give you more information about the Intensive class, but I did some research about the Regular Class as well. I will try to compare these two courses the best way I can and I hope I can help you decide which one suits you better.

First of all let me give you a brief background about the Intensive Course. This course is comprised of 30 hours/week which means that you have classes from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm from Mondays to Fridays. You can choose to study for a length of 4-20 weeks depending on your preferred length of stay.

The 20-week program is equivalent to 1 semester and usually begins from September to January (winter semester) and March to July (summer semester). I will discuss further about the 1 semester stay in BLCU since it is the program I took.

INTENSIVE COURSE

Some books used in the Intensive Class - for A Level Students

Advantages
- Since the Intensive Course is designed for you to learn in 6 months what a regular student can learn in 1 year, your vocabulary is definitely going to be wider and more comprehensive than a regular student.

- You have an extra 3 hours of class everyday, so you will literally be "forced" to study Chinese and not sleep in the afternoons!

- Usually, you will spend every Friday afternoon for each of these extra class activities: visiting the Great wall, going to Summer Palace, learning the Chinese Culture (Calligraphy, Chinese Painting, Opera Mask making, Knot Making etc.), Watching the Beijing Opera, Meeting Chinese Friends.. the list goes on.

- Since you have only an hour to spend for lunch, you will usually eat with your classmates everyday so you will soon become really close with them.

- Your tuition fee includes 1 free long distance trip (about 5 days) to different places in China, usually in Nanjing-Suzhou-Hangzhou-Wuzhen-Shanghai for the Winter Semester and in Zhengzhou-Luoyang-Xi'An for the Summer Semester. (I have to admit, this was my reason for taking up the Intensive course.)

Disadvantages
- Since most of the day is already spent in the Classroom, you have less time spent to practice your Chinese in the outside world.

- You need to do homework after class! Sometimes you have a lot, and sometimes you have more than a lot! So yes, it will exhaust you at one point. You'll need to keep yourself motivated.

- It's hard to juggle your time. If you are a gym buddy, it will be hard for you to schedule your time to the gym especially during the weekdays.

- Hard to fix meeting time with a Chinese Tutor because of your schedule.

- Too many things to learn in one time. Sometimes you just cannot pack in everything.

- You only have the weekends free. It's hard to go out shopping or travelling during the weekdays because of, again, your schedule.

- If you plan to get a part-time job like teaching English, I suggest that you do not take the Intensive course!

Now that you know some things about the Intensive Course, let me talk about the Regular Course. This course is comprised of 20 hours per week which means that you only have classes from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon from Mondays to Fridays. Your afternoons are free. The length of program is still between 4-20 weeks.

REGULAR COURSE

Some books used in the Regular class - for A level students

Advantages
- Your schedule is so much more relaxed. You still learn Mandarin but the teaching method is at a slower pace so there is not much pressure on you. Learning becomes much more natural.

- You have the afternoons free so you can either choose to still study Mandarin (in a different school), go shopping, go to the gym, travel around Beijing, take a nap or just do whatever you want. You're free!

- You can have more time to spend with a Chinese tutor (If you want to enhance your speaking skills more or if you want to learn business Chinese since it is only taught to more advanced students).

- You can also look for Language Partners. Apart from having a Chinese tutor, you can spend your time meeting Chinese Friends who want to learn English, French, Spanish etc.

- You can take in Part-time jobs like teaching English and get paid while you learn.

- You have more time to do your homework!

Disadvantages
- If you rely solely on Classroom learning, you will be behind students in the Intensive course. Unless you take 1 year Regular Course.

- If you don't have a Chinese language partner or tutor, it will be harder for you to be conversational. This is because You have less time in class (so less learning) and no practice!

- It comes out to be more expensive because you pay for your daily living expenses and it's advised that you spend at least a year if you take Regular classes to learn Mandarin.

- No Long Distance Class trip and extra Friday activities (except for a trip to Great wall).

- Not that close with classmates because you separate ways as soon as you depart class. (Debatable)

The choice of taking up either the Intensive or Regular Class will always depend on your priorities. Have you decided which course to take and why?

If you are or have been a student of BLCU, please don't hesitate to give comments below and help out other students to decide!

Inside the BLCU Library

2011-11-25T21:25:00.000-08:00

Once you become a student of Beijing Language and Culture University, you'll probably pass through this building everyday. Whether or not you've attempted to go in, you deserve to know what it's like inside and what this place could offer you. Located at the heart of the school, the BLCU library or better yet known as 图书馆 (Túshū guǎn), is actually one of the most useful places for students who are looking for a quiet and convenient place to study and read books. Here are several places you might want to visit in the Library:

The Sauce - Cafe

Before you even recognize the building (that it's actually the library), you will surely see this place first. The Sauce sells a variety of snacks/meals which includes Sandwiches, Salads, Coffee and the like. Coffee is sold at around 10-20 RMB a cup. Some students choose to spend their time studying inside the Sauce rather than the library, some also like to spend time chatting outside this Coffee shop, since they have chairs and tables arranged outside as well. I have never tried their Sandwiches, but the large ones are about a foot tall and they look really good! Not bad for it's price.

Photo booth

When you enter the Library, just look at the immediate left area and you will see an instant photo booth. This will be very convenient for you especially when you need your photos taken during the enrollment procedure.

Newspapers and Periodicals Reading Room

This area is located on the First floor of the BLCU library, beside the staircase. It is opened from Mondays to Saturdays from 8:00-11:30, 14:00-17:30 and 18:30-21:30. In this area, you can find a lot of reading materials including magazines and the like, but as far as I'm concerned, they have English newspapers, which you can read when you want to get updates about the World Events.

This is my secret study area. Whenever all the Quiet Study rooms are full, you can always try to visit this room because usually, there will be a free space. Once you enter the room, you'll need to get a number with a key, open a locker and leave your bag inside. Don't forget to get your things back when you leave and return the key!

Book Shops
There are 2 Book Shops inside the Library. One is located at the first floor, close to the toilet area. All the books inside are in Chinese. It sells maps of Beijing, Chinese to other languages dictionary and many others. If your Chinese is quite advanced, you can come by to buy books that you may like. The other book shop is located at the second floor. It's not very noticeable, but you just need to turn right as soon as you get up and you will see it. This book shop sells books suitable for foreigners like us. It sells all kinds of Learn Chinese Books, Dictionaries and DVD's. It also sells our own Text books! This book shop is pretty interesting, I think it has all the resources we need for our study in BLCU.

Quiet Study Room

For people who like a well-lighted and quiet place to study, you can come by the library and take a spot on it's Quiet study rooms. The quiet study room is opened from 7:00 - 22:30 daily. It is really quiet inside, barely having any noise except for people coming in and leaving the area. Also, everyone inside is studying so you can get the motivation to study yourself. But because it's free for everyone to use, it is more often than not, full.

There are I think about 3 study rooms in the BLCU library, one in every floor. You can come by at an earlier time to reserve your seat by leaving a book/notebook on top of the table. Make it appear like you're in the middle of studying by opening your book and you can come back again later when you decide to study. You can also do the same when you're out for lunch/dinner so that you're seat will not be taken from you.

Convenience Store
This store is located just beside the book shop. You can buy some snacks, bottled coffee, notebooks and other basic necessities inside. You can also enter and exit the library through this store.

Copy/Print Shop

The Copy/Print Shop is located right after the Convenience store. If you enter from the back door (exit leads to the Conference center building), you just need to walk pass a small tea shop to get here. For photocopying, it will cost you around 1 mao (1/10 of an 1 RMB) for each copy. They also offer scanning services for 2 RMB per page.

Tea House
There is a tea house located just behind the Copy/Print shop. You can try coming by to study if all other areas in the library are full. I think this area is usually less visited by students.

Getting a China Mobile Sim

2011-11-21T03:54:00.000-08:00

If you plan to study in Beijing Language and Culture University for a semester or so, you can consider getting yourself a China Mobile SIM Card. China Mobile is the most popular network used among students and teachers in BLCU. It is a very convenient way for you, your family and your new found friends to contact each other especially during emergencies and group outings. Here are some places where you can get your China SIM:

Airport
If you need to contact someone in Beijing, you can get a SIM card from the airport. These cards are sold in one of the smaller type of stalls inside the Arrival area. But unless you have an urgent need to use a China Sim, don't buy your SIM card here! The airport sells it for thrice the amount with which you can buy it from other areas. I think it's around 120 RMB for one sim card and it doesn't necessarily have any credits inside it!

Friendship Store
When you become a student in BLCU, you will definitely recognize the Friendship store! It is a one-stop shop for all students selling school supplies and many other things that you might need in your stay here. It is located across the basketball court near the HSK building. A China Mobile SIM will cost you around 70 RMB (if you don't haggle) and 60 RMB (if you do). It has around 30 RMB credits inside so it's quite a good buy.

Outside Dorm 17

The next closest place you can buy your SIM card is outside Dorm 17. After you exit the South Gate, turn right and you will see the BLCU Community Market, a Dumpling store and finally, the SIM card seller. You can get your SIM card at 50 RMB with 20 RMB credits inside. Actually, it is quite at the same price with the Friendship store, just depends on which place you think is more convenient for you to buy it from.

If you exit from the South gate, you can also turn left and see this store on the photo above. These two stores both sell SIM cards and Call Cards at about the same price so you can go to either stores and buy your China Mobile SIM Card from them.

There are other places where you can buy your SIM card, but I think those 3 places are the most convenient ones. You can also replace your credits by buying a China Mobile Card for 20,30 or 50 RMB. Higher values are also available.

The cost of each text message in China is very cheap. It costs around .10 RMB per message and around .30 RMB per minute. You can always check your balance by calling up 10086 or texting Ye and sending it to 10086. Generally, I think 50 RMB of credit is enough for the whole month, as long as you use your SIM card in moderation.

If you plan to travel outside Beijing (to places like Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou etc..), you should know that turning your Roaming on is necessary. You can activate Roaming by texting KTMYYH to 10086. Other networks may require a different process of activating.

That's about it! Enjoy your stay in Beijing!

How to pay your BLCU Tuition Fee

2011-11-10T03:59:00.000-08:00

As part of your journey to enrolling in BLCU, you might be wondering about how you can pay your tuition fee. Student Enrollment usually a few days before the classes start. During this process, you will be asked to pay for your tuition fee. To help you decide which option best suits you, Here are the possible ways on How to pay your BLCU tuition fee:

Telegraphic Transfer

A telegraphic transfer is a bank-to-bank transaction which allows you to send your payment in advance before your arrival to Beijing. This option will be for students who would like to settle their payments ahead of time.

The process of paying via Telegraphic Transfer will be similar to that of reserving a dorm room in BLCU, but you have to change the details of Charge into Tuition Fee.

This method though is seldom used (and I will not suggest that you pay by this method) because you will never know if the school received the payment you sent until you arrive in Beijing. But if you have to, or still opt to pay by this process, here's how.

During the enrollment process, there will be no line for telegraphic transfer payees so you will have to go to the Finance department to confirm that they received your payment. The finance department is located in Room 108 at the same building where you can find the bank. Once you get the receipt, you can go back to the building where you enrolled and continue the process.

Cash

Paying by cash is the most commonly selected option. You can either opt to pay in US dollar or in RMB. Since the school prefers that you pay in RMB, people paying in this currency will probably finish first.

Students paying in US dollar, should take a bit more time falling in line, but it will not take more than 30 minutes compared to RMB payees. There is another line specifically made for conversion payments. The conversion rate will be a bit lower than usual, but the difference won't be too much either.

Credit Card

The school also accepts credit card payments. This method is the easiest one if you enroll within the set enrollment dates. Otherwise, you will need to go the the Finance department and that will be different story. Anyway, the school accepts American Express, Visa, Mastercard and JCB accredited credit cards ONLY. So before leaving your country, make sure that you have these seals on your credit card. Otherwise, they will not be accepted.

When paying via Credit Card, you will be charged an additional amount for the Commission Fee. Generally, if you use a credit card, you will need to pay the tuition fee + the designated commission fee. Here is a summary of Commission Fees collected upon payment:

Visa/Mastercard = 2.5%
American Express = 3%
JCB = 3%

Debit Cards
The process of using Debit cards are the same with using a credit card. You still have to make sure that you are using either Visa/Mastercard, American Express or JCB accredited debit cards.

How to Open an ICBC Bank Account in Beijing

2011-10-27T03:27:00.000-07:00

ICBC or Industrial and Commercial Bank of China can be found in almost every place in Beijing. You can find 2 or more banks in a single location and ATM Machines can be found almost everywhere. Just look for the Union Pay Icon and you can instantly access your account. If you're planning to stay for a long time in Beijing, you can consider opening an RMB bank account in this bank.

For Beijing Language and Culture University students, there are 2 branches within the vicinity that you can choose from. The first one is located inside the school, right behind the East building (the biggest school building). While the second branch is located outside the school, somewhere around the South East Corner. I don't really think the directions I'm giving right now are relevant, but you'll know their locations once you get here.

Advantages of Opening an Account

First and foremost, the greatest advantage of having an account is being able to put your money on a safe place. Rather than keeping all your money in the wallet and taking the risk of losing it throughout the semester, it will be better if you just decide to put it in the bank.

Getting an ATM card is a breeze. As soon as you open an ATM account, the bank immediately provides you an ATM card and you can withdraw from it anytime.

After converting your money, you can just put everything in and be worry free. You can also use the ATM as a debit card so you can use it like it's a credit card (in places that accept card payment of course).

Requirements in Opening an Account

In order to open an account, you'll should just bring with you two things, your Original passport and the money you want to deposit. You'll also be filling up a few forms.

Steps in Opening a Bank Account

Once you enter the bank, you can just get a number from the machine and wait for your number to be called. If they ask you what you want to do, you can just say you want to open a bank account and Exchange your money (if it's still not in RMB). If you can't speak Mandarin, no worries, just speak in English and they'll find a way to understand you.

Before filling up the forms, you will be asked to choose whether you want a checkbook account or an ATM account. It actually depends on your preference. In my case, I chose the ATM account since it's tiring to keep on returning to the bank each time I need money.

If your money is not yet in RMB, and you want to convert it, you must first fill up a Currency Exchange form. On top is an example photo of the Currency Exchange Form I filled up back then.

After filling up the Currency Exchange Form, you can start filling up the form for opening a bank account. I think there are 2 sheets of paper for opening an account. It includes several details about you, including your passport number. Once your done, you just need to wait for a while until your numbers are called. Remember to give the Currency Exchange form first.

Once your account is opened, you'll be asked to enter a 6-digit password for your ATM card. Simply press the numbers on the machine and in a few more minutes, you're done!

Did this article provide relevant information?

Tips on Pocket Money and Currency Exchange for Students in Beijing

2011-10-21T02:08:00.001-07:00

Weeks before I started my study in Beijing Language and Culture University, I encountered this problem on exactly what currency, how much and where to keep the money I'll be using for my entire stay in Beijing. This post will give you a few tips about what to do with your cash and pocket money before traveling to Beijing.

Amount
Rather than bringing just your credit card, I would suggest that you also bring cash. In my case, I brought the whole amount I was going to need for my entire stay in Beijing. Take note though that you can't bring more than $10,000 cash with you(due to some airport rule that I'm not so familiar about).

So, yes, the whole amount. It included my tuition fee and my allowance for the whole semester. It was really a risky thing to do, but it was an assurance for me that I have money to survive in Beijing.

If bringing that much cash with you makes you feel uneasy, you can just bring some cash and your ATM card with you. Just make sure that it has the Visa, Cirrus or Master card logo on it. Else, the machines won't be able to recognize it and you won't be able to withdraw. Since it is an international card, each pull will cost you around 30 RMB and it also has a daily withdrawal limit.

Currency

If you intend to bring cash with you, it wouldn't be a smart decision to bring everything in RMB. This will be equivalent to bundles and bundles of cash and it will not be easy to handle.

I would suggest that you bring some cash in RMB, any amount that you think can last you around 3 weeks in Beijing would be good enough.

For the remaining amount, you can use a different currency. The best currency to bring with you is US dollar. The thinner your wallet looks, the better. ;)

Currency Exchange in Beijing
If you cannot exchange your money to RMB in your own country, you don't need to worry. There are currency exchange counters found in the arrival area of the airport but it will cost you an extra 50 RMB if I'm not mistaken.

But the best place to get currency exchange would be at the ICBC bank, located inside the school. It is packed with people especially during the first few days of enrollment, but it gets better after a week or so. They don't have extra charges for the currency exchange and the rates are not so bad either.

Did I give enough information? :) Your comments will be highly appreciated.

Dormitory versus Apartment

2011-10-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Prior to their stay in school, many students encounter this dilemma of either renting an apartment or living in one of the school dormitories in Beijing Language and Culture University. In choosing your own living space, here are some points to ponder:

Personalized space
One of the main differences of apartments and dormitories is the way they can actually design the space. If you rent a dormitory, then you'll only probably have a bed, a study table with chair, a closet for your clothes and a toilet. There will be no area for hanging your clothes outside, so you should buy a clothes dryer rack or maybe just hang your clothes on top of the curtains. The space is not very generous and you cannot really decorate it since pasting on walls is prohibited. If this doesn't bother you and you don't really have passion for interior decorating (like me), then living in the dorm will be fine. Otherwise, if you want a homey space with a living room, kitchen,dining area and personalized room, then you should stick with the apartment.

Convenience
For people who take convenience as the most important priority for a living space, then I suggest that you stay in a dormitory. If you live in a school dormitory, especially at Dorm 4, then everything is just so near to you! The classroom is less than a hundred steps away and the Dining hall is just in front of the Intensive Building. You can wake up at 7:30 a.m. and still be early for class! If you stay in Dorm 17, it's quite farther away from the classrooms but still, it will only need 10 minutes by foot and around 5 minutes by bike. There are some apartments nearby, but the closer the apartment, the higher is the price to pay. So, if you don't mind spending extra few minutes to ride the bus to school, you can take an apartment.

Residence permit
For dorm residents, the residence permit will be given within the enrollment procedure. For those residing in apartments, you and your landlord should go together to the police station and claim your residence permit. This will only take less than a day or so, so the earlier you come to Beijing (before the class starts), the better.

Safety
The BLCU school ground is open to the public so anyone can just enter the school and pass by, but each dorm has a front desk and a number of CCTV cameras to watch who comes in and out the dormitories. Apartments don't have front desks, but it shouldn't be that unsafe either since the main doors have big locks to keep you safe from burglars and the like.

Electric and Water bill
When you rent a school dorm, your rental fee includes your stay, water and electric bill. You can use the electricity without limits provided that they are included in the dormitory guidelines. You don't need to refill electric cards so the problem about getting power shutdowns are out of the question. But if you're renting an apartment, you should coordinate with your flatmates in paying for the bill since it will be divided among yourselves. I'm not sure how much it costs every month, but it shouldn't be that big. Electricity is not very expensive in China.

Internet
The most people that can share an internet connection in the dormitory are two people (in a double room), unless you have friends next door who are willing to share with the internet expense. Routers can be rented at a really low price so it won't cost too much. In an apartment, you can have at most around 3-4 flatmates, so you can share the cost amongst yourselves.

Chill time
Since most apartments have a living room, with a sofa and television and a little bit more extra space, then this will be great for people who like to chill with friends. You can invite friends over for dinner or drinking sessions anytime since it doesn't have limits on visiting hours like dormitories have.

Where do you think it's more suitable for you to stay and why? Tell us more about it!

Adventures in Inner Mongolia!

2011-10-05T23:58:00.000-07:00

After being away for my 4-day trip to Mountain Heng Hanging Temple, Datong Yungang Buddhist Caves, Inner Mongolia Grassland and Desert, I have this irrevocable feeling of having the need to post a blog about that indescribable trip! With a mix of fun and a few woeful events, it was indeed a very, very memorable one.

When I enrolled in BLCU, I wasn't able to prepare extra money for this additional expense trip to Inner Mongolia. The school arranges a 4-day trip and it costs about 1,750 RMB. My friends told me that it would be much cheaper to join a trip arranged by an agency, so my classmates and I chose to go with an agency instead. True, the trip costs only 1,460 RMB compared to the school's trip so we saved around 300 RMB in the expenses.

The trip was organized by Happy Holiday - an agency located on the 9th floor of the Conference Center. They organize people in groups. So if you're planning to have friends with you, register yourselves under one name so that you can be together in the bus and the places you are going to.

The first day of our trip was spent on visiting the Mountain Heng Hanging Temple and the Datong Yungang Buddhist Caves. The place isn't really enormous or entirely breath taking but they do have positive sides. First is, your stay in the bus will be shortened immensely and you'll spend the night in a hotel, so the number one priority of including these places in the tour is your comfort. You can also spend some time appreciating how much effort, time and skill were placed in creating the Buddhist caves. I'm giving a salute on how perfectly they carved on the stones to create the altars for their gods.

The second day was spent in the Inner Mongolia Grassland where we met the locals and rode horses through the grassland. I've never really seen a grassland before, but when I saw it, I just knew why it was called a grassland!! Haha. There weren't any trees and the wind was so cold. At first, we didn't pay the 300 RMB cost for the horse because we thought it was too expensive. But realizing that we can only stay in the bus while waiting for our friends to finish riding the horses, we knew it was going to be extremely boring. So we got the cheaper one at 200 RMB and still rode the horse but to fewer places. We never regretted spending extra though. At night we slept at the Yurts (without heater and hot water), so I kind of suffered the whole night with roughly 3 hours of sleep due to the cold weather.

On the third day we went to the Inner Mongolia desert and I think this was the best day of the trip. We rode the cable car, the camel and took the sand slide. The camel-riding was really a cool experience. It was much slower than the horse but the experience was unique in it's own way. At night we were able to stay in a hotel so it made up for our 1 night stay at the cruel yurt!

Going back to Beijing took us around 13 hours and that includes a couple of stops (for lunch and stopping by the toilets). 13 hours and we were counted lucky because the tour guide said that it could have extended to 17 hours if we were caught in the traffic jam. That was indeed an adventure!

If you are planning to go to a trip to Inner Mongolia, be ready to bring hand sanitizer, face moisturizer, baby oil for your hair, lots of tissue, a face mask (to cover your face when using the most gruesome toilets) and as many thick clothes as you can! Enjoy!

Beijing's Week-long National Holiday

2011-10-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

Every year, Beijing (as part of China) celebrates it's National Holiday for a week. This is the time when many workers, including students, get a week off from their daily schedules and enjoy their vacation by doing any of the following activities:

Visiting Different Tourist Spots

Inner Mongolia - The usual package for Inner Mongolia includes a trip to Mountain Heng Hanging Temple, Datong Yungang Buddhist Caves, Inner Mongolia Grassland, Desert and Beijing. Inner Mongolia has a rich history and culture, the scenery is also somewhat odd but incredibly amazing. This trip will last for 4 days and 3 nights by bus. For the people who want a backpacker's trip and experience a camper's life, you should try this trip. It will cost you around 1,450 yuan.

Shanghai - The tour includes visiting Nanjing, Wuxi, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai. This whole trip will take about 7 days by train. The trip will mostly be comprised of viewing scenery like rivers and gardens and taking a glimpse of the city life in Shanghai. It will also cost you around 1,450 yuan.

Tibet - The places you will visit will include Lhasa, Podala Palace, Dazhao Temple, YangBajing, LinZhi, NiYang River and Lulang Forests. Since Tibet is located in a high-altitude area, it is advised that you ride a plane on your way there to avoid ear discomforts due to air pressure changes. This unique and peaceful trip will cost you around 7000 yuan.

Go Shopping for Winter

Since the National Holiday is the season of transition from Autumn to Winter, it is the best time to shop for cold winter outfits and boots. By this time, many shopping areas have already changed their season's wardrobe collection and you can haggle for the best bargain before the prices shoot up.

Best places to shop for great bargains will be: Xidan, Silk Street, Houhai and Golden Towers.

Spending the Free Time to Relax

After being in stressful daily situations, spending 7 days to rest will be more than enough to revitalize and refresh yourself. Chilling out in coffee shops or spending time with your closest friends can be the best activities to help you unwind and break free from your everyday worries.

How to go to BLCU from the Airport

2011-09-16T20:53:00.000-07:00

Arriving at Day time

After passing through the Beijing Capital International Airport Immigration and reaching the departure/arrival area (of Airport #2), you can exit through gate No. 5. You can find many green colored taxis parked outside. Please take note that Black taxis may also be present. If you can speak Mandarin then you can agree to a price for them to take you to BLCU. Please also take note that these taxis are illegal, and therefore you must be careful when riding these taxis. If you cannot speak Mandarin and are new to Beijing, I would advice though that you take the green taxi, it has a meter and is legal, so chances of arriving safely are higher.

Upon taking your seat, show the driver this text: 北京语言大学 (Běijīng Yǔyán Dàxué), it means Beijing Language and Culture University. There is another school nearby with a similar name, so be sure you say it's in 五道口(WuDaoKou).

As you can see on the Beijing Language and Culture University Map (sent to you along with the admission notice), the school has 3 gates. The East Gate (Main Gate) or 东门 (Dōng mén), the South Gate or 南门 (Nán mén) and the West Gate 西门(Xi mén). So check beforehand where your dormitory or apartment is closest to, and ask the driver to take you to that gate.

Remember to wait for the driver to go down and open the back compartment before leaving the seats, the driver might forget you put your stuff there and leave immediately --- and that would be a nightmare!

Arriving at Midnight

It's quite odd how I always get to experience things the hard way! My friends and I arrived in Beijing at around 12 midnight and we were so tired that we couldn't bear staying up at the airport for 6 hours waiting for morning to arrive. So, in my honest opinion, arriving during the day would have been much easier.

Nevertheless, if you arrive at midnight, you can proceed to ask the Customer service area for a hotel to stay. The staff can understand a little English so if you want a cheap one, you can inform them. Since we were asking for the cheapest one, we were directed to this small and shabby hotel around 10 minutes away from the airport. It was merely livable, but it got us through the night. We spent around 300 rmb, 100 RMB is the commission for the airport and the other 200 RMB paid upon reaching the hotel. You will be guided to the free airport van, and the van will take you there. Make sure you request the airport personnel to take you back to the airport early in the morning so you can go back to the airport and ride a taxi. But you may also call for a taxi from your hotel.

Life in Beijing

2011-09-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last updated my blog, I have been really busy with my life here in Beijing. Beijing is just truly an amazing place! After staying here for around 18 days, the place no longer feels strange to me.

The first few days have been exhausting! The airport transfer was a hassle, unpacking my luggage was extremely tiring and the enrollment procedures felt like it was taking me forever. Nevertheless, after getting pass through that stage, I began to love Beijing so much that I didn't even notice the days passing by.

If you have been living in a tropical country, where it is most often than not hot and sunny, it is quite interesting to know that the weather here is sunny but cold. I find it really funny that the weather outside is so much colder than the air conditioner in my room! The bright skies seem to never end until 7:00 in the evening, which is quite odd, since in the Philippines it's already dark at 6:00 pm.

The mix of races and the harmonious blend of different languages made me feel like I already traveled the world! I love listening to people conversing in their own native language, even if I couldn't understand a word. Indeed, the world is magnificently made by a Supreme Being, who had the power to make everything possible.

Although I still cannot speak fluent Mandarin, my vocabulary has improved a huge percentage in a few days time. Before, I can hear, but totally not understand what the locals are saying, but now I can hear and understand some words, ultimately making my life so much easier!

Beijing is a huge place with many beautiful tourist spots and historical places, and I don't think I can complete them all in 1 semester, but I just cherish each day that I am here and live it to the fullest.

Yours truly,
Stephanie :)

Countdown to BLCU

2011-08-19T21:05:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends!

It's 15 more days until my flight to Beijing!! I'm not sure what I'm feeling yet. It's kind of a mix of nervousness and excitement for this fast approaching date. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really ready for it, or if it's even REAL. I never thought I'd get the chance to study somewhere really far from my hometown.

I've been looking forward to this trip since I was in college... So now that I'm officially a professional (since I passed the board exam and got my license), I can finally get the chance to explore a different side of the world by studying in BLCU!

After getting the official permission from my parents, I began my preparation last May. It's basically a 3-month preparation for me. With several ups and downs along the road, it pays off in the end.

I don't have too much expectations from this trip, but rather, I'm yearning more for the independent life of living away from my parents. I think it's the best time to learn to do things on my own, face problems on my own and survive on my own. It's actually the best gift ever!

So I've enrolled myself to the Intensive class, only then did I realize that most people are enrolling for the Regular Class! LOL for me. But my friends who've been there gave really good feedbacks about the Intensive class. For those who haven't decided yet, I'll be making a comparative post really soon (when I get there).

Are you going to study in BLCU sometime soon too? How do you feel about it? :)

Your EMS package, due taxes and the Philippine Customs

2011-08-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

Before I ordered an item from abroad online, I never knew that items bought with EMS should pass through the Philippine customs. I know that Ignorance is a crime, and that was a crime I don't want anyone else to commit, hence, this post.

If you are a Filipino, or even a person who lives in a country under UNESCO and are having intentions of ordering items from abroad, then you should keep reading. There are several things you must know before you order an item online. This can save you a lot cash and can make you wiser in terms of decision making.

So I bought a Chinese-English Electronic Translator Dictionary online. The package was worth $30 and around $14 dollars shipping fee. It was a small package sent through EMS. EMS is an express mailing system that sends items to anywhere in the world. But most of their items should pass through the Customs.

You must know that the Customs is not a passive area through which your item passes through. It undergoes a rigid screening, where they decide which items to tax and which not to tax. If you are like me, who hasn't had the idea which items are taxed heavily, you can try checking out the Florence Agreement. This is an agreement made by several participating countries, Philippines included, on which some items are exempted from tax. So if you have such items for delivery, then you need not worry. You'll only need to pay 40php for the Philippine Postal Handling Fee.

For other items which are not in the Florence Agreement, then there is a 50-50 chance for your items to get taxed. Here is an idea on how much tax you need to pay for an item shipped from abroad: (total USD value of the package x 10% customs dues) + (total USD value of package x 12% VAT) + (750 php customs miscellaneous fees) + (40php Philippine postal handling fee). In short, you'll have to pay more than double the declared amount of the item you bought online.

Upon the advice of those who have sent their packages, they say that if you declare an amount other than the US dollar currency, like for example, RMB or Yen, they are less likely to tax you since they will not have time to compute the real value of the item. But nonetheless if the item is above $50, then you should quite expect to be taxed. I don't know the exact parameters or criteria of the customs, I'm just sharing the things I learned from other people which can give you an idea based on their experience. Another tip from my seller and from most online people, is never to send or order items which are huge in size. The larger the size of the package, the more doubts it will create on the customs. For your information, they can open the package if they opted to.

I was quite nervous about my package. Once the package was sent by the seller, I started tracking the package in the EMS website. Here is an image that shows my package being tracked.

Normally, packages sent through EMS should only take around 5-10 days. And if you can see that the item is at the Customs, wait atleast a week more for your package. If it doesn't arrive, then something might have come up.

Your package could either be a.) Detained in the Customs. Not all areas in the Philippines have customs, so they might not ship your item to your area especially if they are going to charge you of the said taxes; you should claim your package directly from the main office in Pasay City or b.) Left at the local postal office for you to claim. This is what happened to my package. It arrived in the Customs at July 29, 2011. That's how far the EMS tracking could go. I waited patiently for my package to arrive, but after around 2 more weeks, I started worrying... If it was going to be detained in the customs, I should ride a plane from my place to Manila just to get my package and I wouldn't know how much they will charge me. It was too risky. So yesterday, August 09, 2011, I decided to call the main office of the Customs. The numbers were busy and I tried several more attempts but to no avail. I finally encountered the EMS Philippines contact numbers from google and called. I gave them the tracking number and was told that my package was already in my place since August 02, 2011.

So I called the local post office in our area and inquired about my package. It was there! But it was left there for days without informing me. I was supposed to get it myself but I decided to request the postman (who was my dad's friend) to deliver it to our home instead. So for my EMS package, I paid an extra 40 php postal handling. Thank God!

I take this incident as a great learning experience and an opportunity to share what I know with my fellowmen. If you plan to order items from abroad, make sure you're willing to pay the extra charges that would incur for the items covered by tax. For items that are tax free, then you need not worry. A constant follow-up and a reliable tracking system will keep your package from delays and being lost.

English to Chinese Electronic Translator Dictionary

2011-08-09T23:40:00.000-07:00

A few more days from now I will be posting a topic on Countdown to BLCU since my travel to Beijing is getting really really close. For now though, I will be talking about my recent purchase, the Comet Chinese to English Talking Dictionary model 602.

Basically, ALL my friends who have been to BLCU, did not finish a semester without acquiring for themselves a Translator dictionary. For those of you haven't thought of buying one yet, then I am telling you that you are going to need it, especially when you know less than a hundred Chinese words. You'll never know when an emergency arises and you have to relay a very important message.

There are 2 types of translator dictionary. The first one, which you might be more familiar with, is the traditional dictionary where you scan its pages and search for the word you are looking for. The best part of choosing this dictionary is it's convenience and availability. You can simply buy this at any bookstore or department stores or you may even bought one years ago without you noticing. They are also sold at a much cheaper price. These dictionaries are widespread and they also come in handy since they don't need batteries or electric supply.

The second type of translator dictionary is the Electronic Dictionary. This is the one I decided to have for myself since I am quite a techie person, I love gadgets and I would rather search for words by typing than find myself manually searching for pages in a traditional dictionary. The only hassle is on acquiring the item itself. Unless you live in China or Hongkong or Taiwan, you may try looking at all the bookstores around you and you still won't find an Electronic English to Chinese Translator Dictionary. Also, if you don't like to buy batteries once in a while when it depletes and would like to save on your electric bill, then you shouldn't get one.

After a pretty long wait, I finally have my Comet English to Chinese Electronic Dictionary. I bought it from a really cool Ebay seller named Zhidong zhou. If he permits, I would want to feature his ebay account on this blog. You may also comment if you want to learn more about this item. So this dictionary, for it's tiny size, is jam-packed with lots of fun and amazing features. It has the New Oxford American Dictionary, English-Chinese Dictionary, Chinese to English Dictionary, Chinese Idiom Dictionary, Specialized Dictionary, Ancient Chinese Dictionary, Practical English for Sports Games, Sports Dictionary and a Chinese Speaking bible. Plus, it has study, memo, calendar, calculator, games and even an alarm clock! To top it all off, this dictionary is a TALKING dictionary. So while you're reading the words in pinyin, you just press the yellow button to hear how the word is correctly pronounced. It also comes with a set of earphones, but don't expect them to be really high quality. The earphone I received was only in mono. You can replace this with your own earphones instead and it will work just fine. So for all it's useful features and very minor flaws how much would you price this item?

Made a guess? I bought this dictionary for only $43.95 (without box) inclusive of worldwide shipping, so for me, it was all worth it. If you want it to come with a box, then you just need to add $10. I had it shipped without the box to save on a few dollars. Anyway, the sender protects the item by using a bubble wrap so your item doesn't get damaged during the shipping process. I sent my payment through paypal. The courier is Worldwide EMS or Worldwide Express Mail Service which sends packages throughout the world. You can track the items online through their main website.

It's actually just my Fourth hour of owning this electronic dictionary so I haven't explored all the features yet. Even so, I find it very user friendly, as long as you read the manual (it's written in English). It's also very light and handy. But you're gonna need 2 triple a batteries for it to work.

To sum it all up, both types of dictionaries are useful for travelling or studying in China. The option whether to go for a traditional or electronic translator dictionary will always depend on you, how you learn and how you choose to learn.

P.S. I was not paid or asked to endorse the item but since I liked it a lot, I decided to post it here. If you own a dictionary like this or you want to recommend another type of electronic dictionary please do so by commenting below. You could be of great help to someone who's going for a trip to China. Your comments and feedback are highly appreciated!

How to Reserve a Dorm Room in BLCU

2011-07-21T07:23:00.001-07:00

One of the most commonly discussed topics about Beijing Language and Culture University is how to reserve or book a dorm room from the Housing Center. This may be one of the most crucial steps in enrolling yourself to BLCU university simply because if you ran out of accommodation, you will have to look for other places to stay, and you can only do this, once you get there. It's a lot better to know beforehand that you have a room to stay in Beijing once you arrive. It can also help you calculate the total cost of your dormitory stay ahead of time.

The steps you are about to read are for Dorms under the Housing center: Dorm 4, Dorm 6, Dorm 7 and Dorm 8. This does not include Dorm 17 and Conference center.

Dorm Reservation Fee
This is the initial amount you need to pay in order for a dorm room to be reserved to you. You can email zhusu@blcu.edu.cn to inquire about the dorm reservation fee. They don't reply immediately, so in the mean time here is a word file that the school sent me about the dorm reservation fees. It can serve as a guide for you.

Dorm 4 room reservation rates for the September semester of 2011 are 4800 RMB for a BIG single room, 3600 RMB for SMALL single room and 2400 RMB for a double room.

There are 2 possible ways to reserve a dorm room in BLCU:

# 1 - Call a Friend
If you have a friend who is studying in BLCU a semester earlier than you, then I would definitely suggest that you ask the favor of dorm reservation. This doesn't only lessen the hassle on your part, but it also reduces cost (from expensive long distance phone calls to the dormitory office). You just have to email your passport and acceptance letter to your friend and then coordinate the best way to send the money. You can send your payment through his/her bank account or atm. When he/she gets home, ask a copy of the receipt and bring it with you on the date of your travel.

# 2 - Reserve the room yourself

This was the only option my friend and I had. Although we had another friend in BLCU who was willing to reserve a room for us, we were unable to send our documents to her on time because of our visa interview.

Okay, so the first step here is to call the dormitory and ask if there are still available single/double rooms in your dorm of choice. Contact the Housing center at this number: +86-10-8230-3300. Just for your information, most of them don't know how to speak English. So try to ask for someone who can atleast understand english. Use the simplest words possible so you can understand each other. Don't forget to get the name of the person who answered. You're gonna need that name again when you confirm your payment.

You may encounter someone who will tell you that there are no more rooms left, don't panic! Try to call again after a few hours, somebody else might answer and tell you that there are still a lot of rooms available. (Trust me, been through this!) :D

Once you've confirmed that there are still rooms available, send your payment via telegraphic transfer. Ask your bank for telegraphic transfer charges. BLCU bank details that we used are as follows:

Intermediary Bank -
INTERMEDIARY BANK: CITIBANK, N.A. NEW YORK
SWIFT/BIC: CITIUS33
A/C NO. 36082562

Account with Institution -
HUA XIA BANK，HO SWIFT/BIC:HXBKCNBJ030

Beneficiary -
HUA XIA BANK, BANK DEPT
ROOM 311, BEIJING INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CENTRE
NO.11 FINANCIAL ST., XICHENG, DIST., BEIJING
100034, CHINA SWIFT BIC:HXBKCNBJ030

Details of Payment -
A/C NO.: 0301123-8194127
BEIJING LANGUAGE AND CULTURE UNIVERSITY
15 XUEYUAN ROAD, HAIDIAN DISTRICT
BEIJING, CHINA

Details of Charges -
Dormitory Reservation Fee of -your name here-.

I find the telegraphic transfer really confusing. But that's how we sent our payment. Also, send your payment in US dollars. Our first transaction bounced back because we sent our payment in RMB. You can send an email to zhusu@blcu.edu.cn just to confirm if the details are correct.

So after sending your payment through telegraphic transfer, fax the receipt, your preference (single/double room, what floor you prefer), your passport and admission notice to BLCU Housing center: +86-10-8230-3589. Then you can call them again to confirm if they have received the payment.

If you have any trouble understanding their English and vice versa, I suggest you look for someone who can speak to them in Mandarin. Try looking for a Chinese-owned travel agency nearby and ask for help. This was what I did when I couldn't comprehend what the person from the dorm was saying.

Finally, after several phone calls to the housing center, we were able to reserve a dorm! I hope I posted enough details and instructions to help you through your dorm reservation. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!:)

How to Apply for a Chinese Student F Visa

2011-07-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

Finally, after waiting for more than 2 weeks, my visa has been approved! Although not very many people get rejected in applying for a Chinese student visa, I couldn't say it was very easy to get one.

Different countries may not have the exact same embassy procedures. Let me clarify that the steps I'm gonna be posting are for Filipino Citizens applying for a Chinese student visa for the first time in the Manila Chinese Embassy. If you live in a different country, you can still read on though just so you get an idea.

A short introduction about the Chinese F visa: It is issued for people who are planning to stay in China for 180 days or less. They could be for business trips, seminars, or for students who wish to study in China.

What to check before preparing other documents?

I had to renew my passport 2 months ago because I found out that it was about to expire! So first things first, you have to check your passport. It's not supposed to expire in the next 6 months from your intended travel date. China will not allow you to travel if your passport is close to it's expiry.

Make sure you still have the JW202 form that the school sent you. That document is very very important in applying for your visa. Through that form, the embassy knows you are seriously doing some legitimate business in their country and not just fooling around.

For some reason, people born in the years 1988-1991 are required to have a personal appearance before the embassy. So if you fall between those years (like me), then you should have a scheduled appearance before the Chinese embassy. I had mine around 2 weeks after I submitted my documents.

Do you need an agent?

For people living in provincial areas, where you can't directly go to the embassy without riding a plane, I suggest you get an agent. In my experience, I can't say it will be totally smooth sailing, but it will lessen the hassle on your part since they take the responsibility of mailing the documents and contacting the embassy when problems arise.

But if you live where the embassy is, then you can apply for a visa yourself. Just submit the complete documents, schedule your interview if you need one and don't forget to do constant follow-ups.

What are the requirements?

1. Fill up the Chinese Visa Application form, prepare 1 passport-sized photo with white background. Write your name at the back of the photo just to be sure. This will be glued to the application form.

2. Prepare a photocopy of your roundtrip ticket. A One-way ticket will do though, especially if your going to stay for months in China and don't have a definite date of coming back yet.

3. Obtain an NBI clearance - make sure it is valid for travel abroad.

4. Request for a bank certificate with official receipt from the bank. If you're still unemployed, or in no way able to prove that you can pay your expenses, ask your father/mother to prepare a guarantee letter, to assure the embassy that your parents are going to sponsor your education, food and stay. Submit it together with the bank certificate.

5. Don't forget your JW202 form and original passport. Compile all these papers and submit to your designated agency or to the embassy personally if you can.

After submitting all the requirements, you can schedule your personal appearance a week after with the embassy. Sometimes they only open half day, so the earlier you arrive, the better.

A few simple questions will be asked during the interview. No worries on your part though, they're really easy! So when it's done, the consul will just say "Okay", then you're free to go. If he/she returns the JW202 form, keep it! You're still going to need it in China. If not, it will be sent along with your passport and chinese visa 1 week after your interview.

That's about it.I hope future applicants will not encounter the same problems as I did. I lacked the bank certificate and many other documents because the consul didn't ask it from me when I appeared for the interview. When I followed up the week after, I found out that they did not process my visa because of lacking requirements. Now that you know them, submit them in full! I'm 99% confident you're Chinese student visa will be done in no time.

Best of luck!

What is a JW 202 Chinese Student Visa Form?

2011-06-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

After you have sent your application details to the BLCU email, they will send you a reply that in a few weeks time, you will know if you are accepted in the school. If you are, expect a snail mail to arrive at your doorstep after 1-2 weeks.

Your snail mail contains four sheets of paper: BLCU map, Application notice, JW 202 form and school guidelines. Most of you, who are going to China for the very firsttime, might not be familiar about the JW 202 form.

A JW 202 form is produced by the university you applied in once you have been accepted as their student. This contains your personal information as well as a seal from the Chinese government to prove that the form is official (and that you have actually been formally accepted). This cannot be taken from the internet faxed but only forms sent through snail mail shall be considered valid.

Your JW 202 form shall also be used in acquiring for a Chinese Visa. You should submit this form along with the other requirements for visa application when applying through the Chinese embassy.

I hope I helped :)