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The Chinese Language Institute

Welcome to Guilin!

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Orientation Plan

欢迎！

  1. Welcome to the CLI Community!
  2. The CLI Team
  3. Your Immersion Program
  4. CLI Daily Activities
  5. CLI Center and Housing Guidelines
  6. Health and Safety
  7. Getting Around Guilin

Note: you will receive this Orientation slide deck by email this week!

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1. Welcome to the CLI Community

Introduction to CLI

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Welcome to the CLI Community!

An Introduction

Founded in 2009

  • One student in fall 2009; class was held in a nearby apartment
  • Our community has steadily grown since!
  • CLI aims to exist indefinitely

Our Values

  • CLI’s mission is to build lifelong personal connections between the world and China
  • We celebrate diversity of background and thought
  • We go the extra mile in service of our students and fellow team members
  • We are a welcoming community

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Welcome to the CLI Community!

An Introduction

Our Core Offerings

  1. Immersion Program
    • Core language track
    • 20 weekly hours of one-on-one Chinese with three teachers

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  • Learn Chinese Online
    • Continue learning Chinese one-on-one with CLI teachers after your depart Guilin
    • Flexible scheduling

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  • Custom Travel Programs
    • Customized group trips throughout China; covers various topics related to China
    • Email anias@studycli.org to travel with a group of students, friends or family!

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Welcome to the CLI Community!

An Introduction

Our Core Offerings

  1. College Study Abroad
    • Semester abroad at GXNU, CLI’s university affiliate
    • Four fixed terms per year (fall, winter, spring and summer)

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  1. Teach in China
    • Ready to call Guilin ‘home’? Consider teaching English at a local grade school or university!
    • Email tania@studycli.org for more information on CLI’s Teach in China program

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2. The CLI Team

Team Member Introductions

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黄郁萍 | Abby Huang

Director of Operations

Abby is from Nanning, Guangxi and holds a BA in Education from Guangxi Normal University. From 2006-2009, she taught Chinese in Thailand on behalf of China’s Hanban organization before transferring to GXNU as a language instructor for international students. Abby joined CLI in the summer of 2015 and now serves as CLI’s Director of Operations. In her spare time, she enjoys playing badminton, swimming, and watching Japanese anime.

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梁琨漫 | Anna Liang

Head of Teaching Staff

Anna is originally from Beihai, a coastal city in southern Guangxi, and holds a BA from Guilin University of Electronic Technology. She worked in foreign trade for over a year before transferring to human resource management at a local five-star hotel with over 500 hundred employees. After joining the CLI team as a language instructor in 2016, Anna became CLI's Head Teacher for Academics in 2018 and oversees teacher recruitment, teacher training and development, and a variety of other academic tasks.

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林雨菲 | Esther Lin

Student Affairs Manager

Esther is from Guilin, Guangxi, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Chinese Language and Literature from the Xingjian College of Science and Liberal Arts at Guangxi University. She joined the CLI team in October 2024. Esther is an explorer of life—warm, humorous, and always eager to try new things. She loves traveling, calligraphy, and handicrafts. She is passionate about learning local customs and enjoys connecting with people from around the world. As Student Affairs Manager, Esther is responsible for understanding students’ needs and helping them make the most of their study and life experience at CLI.

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刘春平 | Summer Liu

Activities Manager

Summer is from Guilin, Guangxi. She holds a BA in English and an MA in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from Guangxi Normal University. Summer started her career in education as a Chinese teacher with China’s prestigious Hanban organization. During this time, she taught in Thailand and the Philippines. In 2014, she joined the CLI team. As Student Activities Manager, Summer is responsible for organizing the out-of-class component of CLI's language learning system.

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潘姿 | Susan Pan

Administrative Coordinator

Susan is originally from Yizhou, Guangxi, and she joined the CLI Team in spring 2014. Susan is passionate about enhancing the learning experience of CLI’s students and makes it a personal goal to see that every student’s needs are met. Susan holds a BA in Business English from Guangxi Normal University. Susan is an avid reader and an aspiring photographer and world traveler. She believes that “everyone is like a book with their own unique stories,” and getting to know people is the only way to truly know their story.

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吕勇 | Tristan Lv

Property Manager

Tristan is from Guilin, Guangxi and holds a BA in English from the Guilin Institute of Tourism. Tristan worked as a tour guide for four years before moving to the famous city of Hangzhou to work as a manager for an international hotel. He returned home four years later and became CLI's Property Manager in 2012. Tristan is a true international football fan and frequently organizes pick-up games on the weekends with CLI students and Chinese locals.

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Who to Consult If/When Needed

Add us via the CLI Activities WeChat Group!

Key Areas

  • Housing and facilities: If any facilities in your room are damaged or you need supplies replenished, please contact Tristan. He will assist with the matter.
  • Classes or academic affairs: If you need to adjust your class schedule or apply for leave, you may inform Anna老师 or your instructor directly.
  • SIM cards and bank cards: For new SIM card applications or bank card inquiries, please consult Amanda or the interns. They will provide the necessary assistance.

Note: you will receive this Orientation slide deck by email this week!

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Who to Consult If/When Needed

Add us via the CLI Activities WeChat Group!

Key Areas

  • Airport transfers: During the final week of your study program, an intern will ask for your ticket information. Esther will then arrange a driver.
  • Activities: We arrange a variety of activities each week. If you have any ideas or requests, please chat with Summer!
  • Visas: If your visa is about to expire or you encounter any issues, please consult Susan老师. Submit the relevant materials to process renewal or resolve the issue.

Note: you will receive this Orientation slide deck by email this week!

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3. Your Immersion Program

Aim for Fluency

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Your Immersion Program

General Introduction

20 Weekly Class Hours

  • 10 hours comprehensive
  • 6 hours speaking/listening
  • 4 hours reading/writing

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Class Materials

  • Customize your one-on-one classes by choosing the best materials for you
    • Most common selections include: New Practical Chinese Reader and Integrated Chinese

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Your Immersion Program

General Introduction

Schedule Conflicts

  • If you have a conflict with your current class schedule, please see Anna Liang (梁老师), CLI’s Head of Teaching Staff

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Class Absence

  • Non-illness related: Class absences will only be honored if sufficient prior notice is given (ideally two weeks). Please speak with Anna for more information.
  • Illness-related: If you are feeling unwell and cannot attend class, please notify your Chinese instructors or Anna as early as possible. A maximum of 4 hours of class can be made up per month due to illness-related absence.

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Your Immersion Program

Conceptualizing the Process

Learning Chinese is easier than you think. Do the following consistently and your Chinese will improve dramatically:

  1. Stay focused in class
  2. Self-study every day, ideally between 2-3 hours
  3. Get out and engage in Chinese, everyday, and always focus in on the Chinese spoken to you and around you
  4. Surround yourself with Chinese (Chinese TV, music, movies, podcasts, etc.)
  5. Think in Chinese. Starting today, sustain significant periods in which you exclusively use Chinese in your internal dialogue! You can do this at any level.

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Why is thinking in Chinese so important?

It’s all about recall.

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Why is thinking in Chinese so important?

Each time you recall a word unaided, the rate at which you forget that word decreases. The closer to the point of no return you successfully recall the word, the flatter the subsequent “forgetting curve.”

% likelihood you can recall a piece of information

Recalls across time (e.g., hours/days/weeks/months)

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Why is thinking in Chinese so important?

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Each time you think of a word, you recall it

and bring the “forgetting curve” back to 100%.

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Note: Reviewing flashcards and vocab lists

produce this same process of recall.

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So does conversation!

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Why is thinking in Chinese so important?

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Finally, when you form the habit of thinking in Chinese, your thoughts flow directly into speech. You remove the otherwise necessary step of internal translation.

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Your Immersion Program

CLI Language Pledge

Take the CLI Language Pledge!

  • You’ll often see students and team members wearing language pledge bracelets.
  • While wearing your bracelet, you may only speak Chinese: 今天我只说中文
  • It is 100% all right (and even encouraged!) to politely decline speaking English with others! Just let your new friends know that you’re only speaking Chinese for the duration of the day/week/month. It’s up to you!
  • It may be awkward at first. 没问题! Taking the language pledge will drastically increase your rate of improvement.
  • Please take this pledge seriously.

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A Note on Pleco

Step 1: Copy a block of Chinese characters in WeChat

Step 2: Open Pleco

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A Note on Pleco

Step 3: Navigate to “Clipboard”, which will automatically populate with whatever you just copied.

Step 4: Select any character to see the translation. Pleco will automatically highlight and translate words and character phrases.

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Consider selecting the plus (+) button in the top center to add the word or phrase to your Pleco flashcards.

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A Note on Pleco

Do: Use Pleco to translate Chinese messages word by word.

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Try to read the message—to recall the characters—before using Pleco.

Don’t: Use WeChat Translate…

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A great way to improve your Chinese is to chat in WeChat in 汉字 (hànzì, Chinese characters). This learning opportunity is lost when you use WeChat Translate.

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4. CLI Daily Activities

Practice What You Learn

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CLI Daily Activities

Practice What You Learn, Learn What You Practice

Daily Activities Board

  • Keep an eye on the activities board on the 2nd floor. Sign up whenever interested!

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Activity Request

  • Want to try something new? Write your suggestion down on the suggestion sheet near the 2nd-floor activities board.

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Teach The Community!

  • If you are interested in teaching CLI’s Chinese instructors and your fellow students about a topic you’re passionate about, speak with Summer Liu (刘老师), CLI’s Activities Manager, to organize a special activity.

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朋友 Program

Make Friends and Explore the City

Your Guides to Guilin

  • If you need to go out for an errand (e.g., to buy groceries, mail a package, withdraw money, etc.), we encourage you to travel in style with a 朋友! Invite a 朋友 anytime, or speak with a CLI team member about arranging for a CLI 朋友 to accompany you.

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Your Conversation Partners

  • CLI Pengyous are available throughout the day to help you practice what you’ve learned. If you see a 朋友 at the CLI Center, strike up a conversation!

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朋友 Program

Make Friends and Explore the City

By taking part in the 朋友 Program, we ask that you and your 朋友:

  • Have at least one meal together per week outside of CLI. No other international students should take part, but your local 朋友 may invite his or her own local friends. You are responsible for paying for your and your 朋友的 meal, but your 朋友的朋友 pay their own way.

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  • Take part in at least two activities together outside of CLI per month. We strongly encourage that no other international students take part. 朋友 are expected to share the cost, if any, of the activity, but we also encourage you and your 朋友 to take part in free or low cost activities (e.g., visiting a park, arcade or shopping area; playing sports or board games together; etc.)

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5. CLI Center and Housing Guidelines

Wishing You a Comfortable Stay!

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CLI Center and Housing Guidelines

The CLI Center

  • Shared work and living space by CLI students and team
  • 1st and 2nd floors are open to CLI students 24/7
  • Detailed building guidelines for CLI Center residents in each room
  • CLI Center residents are provided a monthly utility stipend of 200 RMB; apartment residents are provided a stipend of 400 RMB per month. CLI’s property manager will let you know if you owe any money at the end of the month
    • The purpose of this policy is not to nickel and dime — it is to encourage community members to turn off AC and lighting when not in one’s room. 谢谢理解！
  • CLI Center residents: make sure windows are closed each time you leave your room. Unexpected rain storms arrive quickly!

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CLI Center and Housing Guidelines

Front Door Access Codes

  • The access code to the CLI Center and CLI Art Gallery classroom space front doors will be updated on the 1st of each month
    • We'll post the new access codes in the CLI-Guilin WeChat group around the 28th of each month and again on the 1st when the codes are updated
    • If you haven't joined the CLI-Guilin WeChat group yet, chat with me or one of your teachers to do so
    • If you prefer not to use WeChat, no worries! Just ask a CLI community member for the new access codes around the 29th or 30th of the month
    • Be sure not to share the access code with anyone outside of the CLI community

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CLI Center and Housing Guidelines

CLI Center Specifics

  • WiFi Password: studycli
  • Want to use Facebook and other Western websites at CLI?
    • Feel free to use the VPN on the 1st and 2nd floor computers
    • Try LetsVPN on your computer if you need a VPN
  • Put trash bags outside your door as needed. 阿姨 (ā yí) will collect them each weekday.
  • Laundry machines at top of main staircase. Do not wash or dry shoes in the machines.
  • Quiet hallways after 10:00 PM — we kindly enforce this together as a community
  • You’re welcome to sign a signature wall at CLI! Please only sign close to other names :)
  • No alcohol consumption anywhere in (or on!) the CLI Center
  • No smoking anywhere in the CLI Center!
  • Strict zero-tolerance drug policy

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CLI Center and Housing Guidelines

Your Room Lights

  • The ceiling light in your room has three color tone settings
  • To try the different color tones, flip the light switch on, off and on quickly

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6. Health and Safety

Stay Safe and Alert

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Health and Safety

Know Your Surroundings

  • As with every city, crime and safety can be an issue in Guilin, too
    • Always remain aware of your surroundings
    • Always travel in pairs or in a group
    • If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, threatens you or touches you inappropriately, walk away and immediately call for help
  • Be extra careful when crossing the street
  • Always carry your cell phone
  • Expect occasional firecracker noises
  • Emergency contact card
    • Call us anytime, or use card to take a taxi back to CLI

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Health and Safety

General Information

  • Do NOT drink tap water
    • Drinking water is located in two small water jugs in the CLI second floor kitchen
    • Drink as much as you want — stay hydrated!
    • Buy bottled water outside of CLI as needed
  • If you are feeling unwell, inform Joey as soon as possible
    • Ask Joey for help anytime, but note that we are not medical experts and cannot give medical advice!
    • CLI teachers and interns are not trained to deal with health and medical issues and are instructed to relay all medical issues to CLI’s directors.
    • Note that medical facilities and personnel are not of the same caliber in Guilin as in major international cities; if you have a serious medical issue, we recommend seeing a doctor in an international city like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc.

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Health and Safety

General Information

  • We highly discourage CLI students from purchasing, renting, operating, and/or riding on electric scooters and/or motorcycles during your program dates. If you insist, please speak with a CLI team member, in which case you will be required to sign a CLI waiver form.
  • Special considerations:
    • Toilets – always carry tissue paper with you
    • “Hello!” and curiosity toward foreigners
  • Call Susan (152-9599-3061) in any emergency situation or to report incidents of harassment, etc.

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7. Getting Around Guilin

Never Stop Exploring

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Getting Around Guilin

Exploring The City

  • Utilize bike rentals and public transportation
    • If you ride a bicycle, always wear a helmet
  • Active nightlife and lots of restaurants to choose from
  • Points of interest and fun activities:
    • “Cultural Walking Street”
    • Sports
    • Hiking
    • City Center
    • Dong Xi Xiang and tourist attractions in Guilin
  • We are happy to make recommendations!

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Note on International Travel from China

This Includes Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan

  • From a customs and border perspective, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are administratively separate jurisdictions from Mainland China.
  • Every few years, a CLI student will travel to Hong Kong or Macau during their program and be blocked from re-entering Mainland China because their Chinese visa was single-entry!
  • If you’d like to travel internationally from China (including to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), please do two things before you leave Guilin:
    1. Confirm that your Chinese visa is either two-entry or multiple entry. If your visa is single- entry, once you leave Mainland China, you cannot re-enter until you re-apply for a new visa.
    2. Inform Susan of (1) where you plan to travel and (2) your travel dates.

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谢谢！