4 Week Intensive Course

Gateway was the organization that facilitated the school in Kaohsiung. I did not. not opt into the full set of services, but they facilitate not only classes but also housing, activities. cultural outings, etc. They were able to facilitate and customize the program based on my needs. The language school itself was Taiwan Language Institute which was also very customized in its approach and materials. The combined experience was comprehensive and seamless.

The classes were amazing, the teachers really know what they're doing, and I loved how they only spoke to us in Chinese, it really helped me and by the end of the course, I was able to have normal conversations with native Taiwanese people! I feel like my speaking, listening and reading abilities have all improved considerably, and all that only in one month! The location of the school and the dorms was nice, we had a really nice view from the dorms and the city was quite close to the campus. The only thing that I didn't really like were the stairs that we had to go up and down everyday to get to class (but it was good exercise). The dorms were ok, not really clean but also not dirty, and I had a really nice roommate, so I didn't mind that at all. The best part of the whole experience, however, was by far the people I met there. I will never stress enough how kind Taiwanese people are, and the advice I want to give everyone else is to use Chinese as often as you can, talk to everyone and meet new people wherever you go, you will not regret it!

The teachers are great, they know how to adapt their teaching methods and goals to the student's wishes, while at the same time holding firmly to their duty, i.e. teaching Chinese!

Gareway Chinese Ltd does more than opening the door towards Taiwanese society, they do everything needed - being asked for or not - for you to feel comfortable and discover the best in the city and its surroundings, with valuable tips to what can be useful for someone who does not know Taiwan and the way of living of the people there, like shopping, public transportation, bike renting, restaurants, or places of interest.

One small disappointment about housing (no direct sunlight in the studio), although I'm conscious that real estate and flat renting are quite costly in Taiwan. My disappointment was more than compensated for when I was offered to stay in a hotel with a beautiful view on the sea for my last two days in Kao Hsiung!

I found the course excellent. Learning Mandarin was always going to be difficult for me, I'm not great at languages and Mandarin is so different compared to English or Spanish. However, I found the guys in Gateway to be excellent, I really learned a lot and made a lot of progress in a short period of time. I can now get by quite confidently which is great. I would like to say a big thanks to all the guys for their help - I would really recommend them.

Chinese is not an easy language to learn but the staff at Gateway helped me get past that. The methods they used provided me with the right tools to build on my language skills. The teachers helped me through my difficulties in the beginning to achieve success in learning Chinese.

Everyone was so kind and helpful, and it really made the experience much more than about the language! A fantastic opportunity for cultural awareness and a lot more.

After doing many hours of research online, I've decided to go with Gateway and I am so glad I did!! Great teachers and the whole set up with the activities really improved my Mandarin. Thank you Gateway!

I found the process very rewarding and a great overall experience. The teachers and classes were well prepared and engaging. The city is vibrant and modern and the people were very friendly. The facilities were new and similar to what I have experienced at home. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone.

I simply arrived and started studying! Everything was already set up and waiting when I arrived. What a great way to learn a new language. The price was cheaper than others I've seen. And everything was included! Nic and his team made it so easy. Thanks!

Brand new building on campus. All the latest equipment.
Teachers were professional.
Loved the excursions at the weekend.
The best part was the software they gave me on the laptop. I'm still using it... lol
They set me up with a local student (Peg) we spent a few hours every Friday night chatting. I thought that was a great idea. I practiced what I learned during the week.
I didn't fancy staying on campus in the dorm rooms, so I asked for a room off campus. They sorted it out.
Highly recommend.

My boss sent me to Gateway to learn Chinese as we're moving into Asia to find new buyers. I did the intensive Business Mandarin course for 4 weeks with 25 hours a week. I have to say, I was very apprehensive about the whole experience. I learned French in school but was never any good at it. But teacher Tess took me under her wing and brought me through it. Thank you so much teacher Tess! You're a star, and I'm very grateful. Most of what I learned was directly related to our business. They tailored the vocabulary for me and I can now chat about fashion with our buyers quite confidently. My listening still needs work, but I'm getting better. I'm going to Shanghai in a few weeks, and I'm thinking about dropping by to say hi to my favorite teacher!

I loved the city!! It was so beautiful. My favorite part of the experience was the weekend trips with the Taiwanese students. We went waterfall chasing and river tracing in the mountains. It was like hiking in the amazon! The lessons were well organised with really good teachers. I was a total beginner, but I've got a good grasp of the language after 11 weeks. I'm actually planning on going back to Kaohsiung again to do another course. My advice to other students would be to talk as much as you can when you can to whoever you can. The more you practice, the more it sticks. I was talking to all the locals everywhere I went. They're so friendly.

From the very first day until the last, the staff really took good care of us. We were given orientation packs when we first arrived which we used throughout the month. The teachers were excellent. I learned more in that one month than I did for the whole six months I was studying Mandarin at home. Highly recommend, this program. Thank you to Nic and Jaclyn for all your help. And hopefully I'll see my exchange partner, Tina, in Europe soon.