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Post by mequese on Jan 30, 2007 1:26:45 GMT 7
My daughter has applied to the University of Nottingham (in the UK) to read French and Chinese. As part of her studies she could spend 1-2 semesters at Ningbo. Looking at various web sites and maps, we couldn't find where Nottingham in Ningbo is -- is it within the city? If yes, what landmarks is it near (so we could find it on a map)? If not, what kind of area is it in, how far from the city is it, what transportation is there?
Also, any comments about the university itself?
Many thanks for any info!
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Post by Craig on Jan 30, 2007 4:18:39 GMT 7
It's outside the city, in Yinzhou district, in the education zone. The area is pretty empty and undeveloped still, but that's changing rapidly. It's about 20 minutes drive into the city proper, with buses during the day, and taxis thereafter.
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Post by pregnantbob on Jan 30, 2007 21:15:56 GMT 7
It's not really far at all from the main city, so in terms of your daughter wanting to get out of the campus and seeing the city it's really easy.
The campus itself is actually quit nice since it's newly built, but some of the architecture were designed by Scandanavian architects and have been featured in coffee table books... but i digress.
The district it's in, Yinzhou is seeing some heavy duty development, blocks and blocks of 'modern' apartments have sprung up out of nowhere, but they are yet to be filled. However, since it's essentially the only area of Ningbo that's seeing real development it'll be big soon enough.
Fairly certain they're building teh Hilton... or one of the other big name hotels in the district.
As far as the university itself is concerned, i've heard good things... especially in regards to the different styles of teaching from Chinese universities. There are non Chinese students there and since the classes are conducted in English, your daughter wouldn't have too much trouble if her Chinese isn't perfect.
The staff seem okay, i've read a few of the papers published by one of the Australian academics who teach there (I myself am an student Academic) and it seems the staff are competent.
What i find interesting is their Student Representative Council, but that's again a distraction from answering your questions.
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Post by mequese on Feb 4, 2007 19:54:15 GMT 7
Thanks for your answers.  Of course, one of the main reasons she'd spend time there would be to improve her Chinese language skills. I wonder if she'd have much less contact with the Chinese language, especially if she's living on campus, than she'd have if she were to attend university in SHanghai or Beijing or even Hong Kong, for ex.. Also, I wonder if attending Ningbo-Nottingham is a somehow more "sanitized" experience of China? You mention the architecture: apparently the campus is an almost exact replica of parts of Nottingham's UK campus! |
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Post by Craig on Feb 4, 2007 21:57:43 GMT 7
Certainly, it is possible to live in the "foreigners bubble", and stay almost completely isolated from "the real China". Satellite TV, internet, imported foods, foreign restaurants and pubs, and living in the dorms can keep you busy. The Chinese people that your daughter meets at Nottingham will be the children of wealthy, urbane Chinese parents.
In other words, there is plenty of the "real China" here in Ningbo. We are no Shanghai or Beijing. However, you do have to choose to interact with it. If you choose not to, you can keep contact to a minimum. I've known people who live here full-time for years, and know maybe fifty words of Chinese.
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Post by pregnantbob on Feb 6, 2007 21:35:25 GMT 7
Craig raises a really good point about that the ambivalence that most people experience in China.
Your daughter's experience will more or less depend on what she wants out of it.
Ningbo certainly is no Shanghai or Beijing, but neither are Beijing and Shanghai Ningbo. It's quite hard to find comparable aspects of any Chinese city since the country itself is dynamic and diverse and has been throughout the entirety of its vast history.
Her staying on campus will be no more of a bubble than going to a heavily cosmopolitan metropolis like Shanghai. If anything, it's more likely to be a Western bubble there and in Hong Kong since both has much more western influences, not to mention expats.
I think it could be good for her to goto Nottingham. Cause honestly, unless she goes to one of the to Chinese universities... it's not really worthwhile since Chinese universities aren't exactly known for their beautiful campuses (campii?).
Sure the Chinese students will want to try their english with her, but they'll be just as eager to help your daughter with her Chinese. Most likely it'll be one of those "she speaks chinese and they answer in English kinda thing".
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Post by wongcan on Feb 11, 2007 22:53:39 GMT 7
I speak Chinese and Ningboese...
if a foreigner want to know the real China or Ningbo, the best way is to know the local not only wealthy people.
Most of Ningboese are kind and nice.
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keran
Junior Member
Posts: 8
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Post by keran on Feb 13, 2007 15:34:14 GMT 7
take the no.367 bus,you will there ..not far from Ningbo middle school....there r so many schools around it
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Post by molly on Feb 15, 2007 11:37:53 GMT 7
it's not really worthwhile since Chinese universities aren't exactly known for their beautiful campuses (campii?). ..... i'm pretty sure it's campuses |
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Post by naspo on Mar 29, 2007 15:31:16 GMT 7
I speak Chinese and Ningboese... if a foreigner want to know the real China or Ningbo, the best way is to know the local not only wealthy people. Most of Ningboese are kind and nice. In Ningbo, I think, the richest people are chinese...and not foreigners who live here  |
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Post by The Man on Mar 30, 2007 10:48:35 GMT 7
I know this guy who has lived in Ningbo for a few years now that doesn't seem to know much more than 50 words of chinese now that you mention it.. wei ni hao bitches! I have no idea how to spell that. The trip is still on holmes.
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