HBA Week2 Study environment

Two weeks have passed. I've already been to many famous places in Beijing, eaten many Chinese dishes, and remembered 300 new words (ideally). Though students have free time on weekends, weekdays are almost dominated by study. SO how is chinese study environment of HBA?

Basic information: Classes are held every weekdays from 8am to 12pm. The first 2 hours are large class with 8 students and the rest is small class with 4 students. One-to-one classes are held every Monday-Thursday in the afternoon. Chinese130 focuses on formal Chinese usages and topics the textbook treats are about social problems contemporary China has, like work, food, economy, and migration. Teachers are generally young and friendly.

Two features I think good about HBA in terms of its language education are "only Chinese rule" and office hours. Students are prohibited to speak languages other than Chinese during HBA. This rule means students cannot use English not only during the class but also in daily conversation. Using dictionary apps is one way to find the exact word I want to say, but often coming up with easier words I already know is faster. Thus students can foster an ability to explain things with what they currently know. In office hours, students can practice and talk as they wish with teachers. I sometimes practice pronunciation and discuss social problems China has other times. This is a good opportunity to both learn about China and practice talking about rather difficult, scholastic concepts.

↓Dining in the university. 4 stories high, the higher the better, but more expensive. Many often eat lunch here.