If you’re interested in learning Mandarin Chinese—and it may not be a bad idea considering how much the Chinese economy has been growing—the place to be is Shanghai. While one could always move to Shanghai and immerse themselves in the culture, the Mandarin language is complex enough that you will probably want to attend some Mandarin Schools in Shanghai for proper instruction.

 

There are a number of ways to go about doing this. The first is straightforward—move to Shanghai, enroll in a Mandarin Chinese class and see how you do. However, this isn’t much of a plan and can be expensive. So perhaps the more intelligent way to go about learning Mandarin yet without having to pay for it is to enroll in a au pair program, where you can move in with a family to teach them English. As a part of these programs, you are also allowed to attend Mandarin classes for a minimum of 12 hours per month, educating you more or less for free.