Experience Life in Beijing, Experience New China

①TASTY FOOD & CUISINE

When you are asked to name a few things that you are fascinated about or that you are particularly eager to experience in China , TASTY FOOD & CUISINE is most likely your first choice. While with ENC Abroad, our students will have the chance to go to many restaurants to taste China ’s unique cuisine from different provinces.

Beijing , as the capital city of China , has got a variety of cuisines from all corners of China , including the eight widely-known styles of cooking, i.e. LU (鲁) 、CHUAN (川) 、 YUE (粤) 、 MIN (闽) 、 SU (苏) 、 ZHE (浙) 、 XIANG (湘) 、 HUI (徽), all with distinctive and special flavors and tastes. The food from one of these regions will surely become your favorite. Some of the dishes that ENC Abroad students will enjoy in our group together includes the famous Beijing Roasted Duck （北京烤鸭）and also the Hot Pot dinner (火锅).

There are also various kinds of traditional snacks—Yanrouchuan （羊肉串 (mutton cubes roasted on a skewer), Shuanyangrou（涮羊肉）(instant boiled slices of mutton), Zajiangmian（杂酱面）(noodles with a specially-made sauce), Jiaozi or dumpling（饺子）.

The new Beijing , being an international city as well, attracts foreign chefs of first-class level come to Beijing to prepare exotic and genuine cuisine for you, such as the Thai, Indian, Japanese and Korean food.

And when you're in the mood for something more familiar, Beijing offers you Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, Sizzler, American Steak House, Subway, KFC, and, of course, McDonald's.

②CRAZY SHOPPING

If you are that sort of person who is CRAZY about SHOPPING, Beijing is sure to be one of your favorite cities. You can buy clothes in the many shopping malls, such as Jun Tai, Parkson, Yan Sha, Xi Dan, Silk Street, and so on, all considered to be leading in following the fashion. You can also buy daily necessities in such supermarkets as Carrefour, Wal-Mart, and Itoyokado, etc.

You may prefer the local merchants where you'll find that bargaining (讲价) is a very common practice. In fact, not only is it acceptable, but also expected. Our friendly ENC Abroad will help teach you the fundamental of bargaining, when shopping. You'll soon discover that you can buy many items at a fraction of what you would pay back home.  And in bargaining with the local merchants you'll have countless opportunities to practice and improve your Chinese.

③Cozy LIVING CONDITIONS

Since our students are required to live in the dormitories on campus, the LIVING CONDITIONS will be relatively Cozy, tranquil and quiet. The positive and active studying atmosphere on campus will enable you to learn your Chinese more easily.

④CONVENIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Beijing has one of the best mass transit systems in the world and offers a most CONVENIENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. You can get anywhere inside the city by bicycle, bus, subway, or taxi. Depending on your destination, the bus fee is about 0.4-0.8RMB, if you have got a bus card, and the price for the subway is 3-5RMB. Public transportation is extremely reliable and is available all the day around.  However, during the rush hour, most public transportation can be very crowded, and can be inconvenient. Since our student dorms are located on campus, students normally don't require public transportation during rush hour, and simply bicycle or walk to and from class.  Many students will find out that bicycling around Beijing can be a fun and exciting way to explore the city.

⑤FASCINATING ADVENTURES AFTER SCHOOL

One of the best ways to get to know a city is to have a close and direct contact with the city. So why not do some FASCINATING ADVENTURES AFTER SCHOOL.

The many places of interest and historical sites in Beijing that you can not miss —the Great Wall(长城), the Summer Palace（颐和园）, the Forbidden City（紫禁城）,  the Garden of Perfect Brightness（圆明园） , the Tiananmen Square（天安门广场）,  the Ming Tombs（十三陵）, the Imperial Palace（故宫）, etc. ENC Abroad staff will organize many trips for students to travel to many of these fascinating and historical places.

Si He Yuan（四合院） (quadrangle)—the most typical residence for people of the Qing（清朝）and Ming(明朝) Dynasties.  These residences, where still some of the retired Beijing people reside at, provide the tranquility and the simple life away from the city in a city.  We make sure all of our students have the chance to visit Si He Yuan（四合院）. 

Hou Hai (后海)-- One of our scheduled travel destinations is Hou Hai, a charismatic and traditional part of China that is just as pleasant at night as it is during the day. Hou Hai is one of the few areas of Beijing that have been preserved and protected from China 's recent reconstruction. Students will see Hou Hai first hand as they bicycle through the traditional, narrow streets, and experience a part of Beijing that has not changed in centuries.  

⑥RELAXING LEISURE TIME

There are many Be For Time Tea Houses (避风塘茶楼) in Beijing , where you can enjoy the self-serving drinks of a wide variety for a time as long as you wish, only at the price of 18RMB for each person, and you can enjoy your RELAXING LEISURE TIME with your friends. Like many other cafes, this café has a wireless internet. Some of our past students favorite places in Beijing includes:  

Wu Dao Kou (五道口)-- Just a ten minute walk from BLCU campus, you will find western cafes, Japanese and Korean restaurants, movie theatres, bars and night clubs.

San Li Tun (三里屯)-- Next to the embassies of the world and with a vibrant and exciting night life, San Li Tun is a popular destination for those wishing to sample authentic cuisine from around the globe. When the current construction is complete, San Li Tun will feature one of the biggest malls in Beijing .