Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sion and color. Alternatively, you may want to find a school that will prepare you for the
hàny
ǔ
shu
ǐ
píng k
ǎ
oshì
(
汉语水平考试
), more commonly simply referred to as the HSK
exam. This is the only standardized proficiency test of Chinese for foreigners, and equates
somewhat to the English TOEFL exam. It's highly structured and graded from levels one to
six, and covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Certain companies or schools may
require that you have achieved a certain HSK level before you can be accepted. Many ex-
pats shy away from the HSK, claiming much of the language isn't useful and that too much
emphasis is put on writing and memorizing characters. Not everyone agrees, and under a
good teacher, it can be quite a thorough way to learn.
When you first start to consider a life in Beijing, educating your child or children might
cause a bit of anxiety. Though its MBAs and Chinese programs are world-class, the city has
yet to become a global destination for most other areas of academia. Fortunately, Beijing
offers a broad spectrum of choices—from the very local, strictly Chinese environment to
the high-achieving, fully independent international school, many of which will proudly tell
you that they have past students who have been accepted into Ivy League universities. In
reality, the major determiner of where your child goes will not be a lack of options, but your
budget. Before you move your family over here, it's critical to decide what education style
or standards you're happy with, and if you can afford the school that meets those require-
ments.
To begin your search, look at the schools' websites, where you can check out everything
from the admission process to photos of the school's latest social event. But this really isn't
enough. The glowing marketing language and imagery that promote these sites can be mis-
leading. That isn't to say they're deceiving you, but it does tend to have a homogenizing
effect. Only a personal visit will really reveal a school's individual character and culture, so
it's essential to line up a barrage of visits as part of your fact-finding trip.
