Globe Mandarin School, Taipei, Taiwan

Location: Globe Mandarin School is in the bustling district of Da’an, situated on one of the main roads in the area.

Getting around: It is seconds away from the Taipower Building subway station which is on the Songshan-Xindian Line. From this line, students can visit landmarks within the city of Taipei such as the Taipei 101 skyscraper in 20 minutes and the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in just under 10 minutes. This makes it a perfect base for exploring this diverse city after class.

Local attractions: Taiwan is known for its food and has countless food markets to visit and taste local dishes. The Shilin Market comes highly recommended and is a 30 minute subway trip from the school. The Da’an district has its own night markets such as Gongguan and Linjiang along with ample bars and student hangouts, in particular the area around the Gongguan subway station has numerous concert venues, a popular choice with locals. Da’an Forest Park offers a peaceful get away from city life, with its maple trees, ponds and plenty of walking trails is a nice 20 minute stroll from the school.

Cultural experience: As Taiwan is a country rich in culture and history, Globe Mandarin School tries to incorporate this into the school environment, and recommends a minimum of 6 weeks attendance so that you get the true experience of the city. The school organises cultural activities throughout your time at the school and tries to incorporate local events to immerse its students into the Taiwan lifestyle.

Course structure: The courses all include accommodation and they vary in style from group courses to private classes or a combination of the both.

School facilities: Aside from the excellent location, Globe Mandarin School has a lounge, a garden, a movie room, a student support desk and free wifi all available during opening hours for students who attend the school. The classrooms all have air conditioning and heating for comfort during the changing seasons. Visual learning stimulation is important for learning a language and most of the classrooms are fitted with a television and some rooms having electronic whiteboards.

Teaching style: The school is popular for all age ranges with a slightly higher number of students over the age of 35 as a yearly average. All the teachers are highly trained in teaching Chinese each with a degree and high level certificates in teaching the language to foreign students. The curriculum is designed to challenge each student and the school provides its students with an engaging and practical learning environment.