I have been studying the Mandarin Chinese language for almost seven years at many different universities and schools. At the beginning of this journey, I needed almost two years to finally comprehend how the Mandarin Chinese language “works”. This is coming from someone who spent a good while studying the language. Considering this, I want to share my experience with That’s Mandarin Chinese online course.

(No spoiler alerts – my Chinese language level is still only average, and I believe that learning languages is a never-ending process, anyway. But small progress (and sometimes tiny frustrations) is what keeps me going).

Chinese Language is Complicated!

After two years of studying the Chinese language, I decided that the best way to improve my Mandarin Chinese level was and is, to study in China. I chose Shanghai as my destination and started an intense language course at one of the top universities in Shanghai. After that, I did another year of language courses at a different university and a Master’s degree.

My biggest challenge during these years was my inability to express my feelings and my opinion. I struggled a lot and that led to frustration with the language. All the programs I attended were focused mostly on HSK test preparation.

After completing my studies I found a job in an international setting, where I don’t use Chinese daily. I decided to pick up where I left off and signed up for classes with That’s Mandarin. In my first lesson, my teacher asked me if I would prefer classes in person or online. I said: “in person, always”.

Not seeing a person speaking Chinese is scary (I should mention that speaking on the phone using Chinese language is my worst nightmare!).

My teacher at That’s Mandarin immediately understood my frustration. She chose topics that interest me. She asks me questions where I am forced to express my opinion (and I am very grateful she is patient with me when I do so). With the help of these classes and my teacher, I am finally slowly able to express myself better.

My Experience With That’s Mandarin’s NihaoCafe: Chinese Online Courses

After a couple of classes, my teacher recommended That’s Mandarin Chinese online course – NihaoCafe. I decided to give it a try. The platform NihaoCafe for online classes is as simple as it gets and is super user-friendly (And I am all about user-friendly). To be completely honest, the online class didn’t feel much different from the in-person class. (Good news, yay!) The platform is designed the same as the one my teacher uses in the classroom, except that here I could also write on the whiteboard and was able to participate even more.

I am happy to experience how online classes at That’s Mandarin work. There is nothing to be worried about if you’re like me: old school and prefer face-to-face interaction. I will definitely take an advantage of this option in the future, as it offers me more flexibility with time and place, and does not compromise the quality of my classes.

If you enjoyed reading about what one of our students has to say about our classes, consider having a read about the different options of learning you can find here at That’s Mandarin!