A Tour of my Room at the Hainan Premier Language School in Haikou

I’ve lived in some pretty interesting places over the last couple years. In Manila I went from staying in a 4-star hotel with a butler to crashing in a dorm room in a hostel. I also slept in a nipa hut for 3 weeks while in Bohol, which is still one of my favorite spots in the Philippines.

Living simply in a nipa hut at Coco Farm in Bohol, Philippines

When I’m back in the U.S. I’m all over the place when it comes to where I end up sleeping. Sometimes that’s on a Greyhound bus and other times it’s at a friend’s house, with one of my brothers or sisters, or at my mom and dad’s.

In Atlanta I slept on a futon in my buddy Scotty’s dining room for 2 weeks

Here in Haikou at the Hainan Premier Language School I’ve actually got a really cool setup that has everything I need. It’s minimal, which I like, and over time if I need something I’ll get it But, I like to start off with less and see what I need along the way.

My Current Setup

Here are some photos and quick descriptions of how my room is setup right now. I’m up on the third floor of a 4-story building and there are probably another 10-12 students and teachers who are also staying in here with me. I’ve met a few of them, but with the holiday just finishing up not many have been hanging around.

When you first walk in the door there’s so much room for activities. There is also a TV that I’ll never watch, along with a desk that I’m currently typing this on. Next to that is a little mini fridge and an air conditioner that I’m sure will come in handy once the summer heat hits.

This little nook by the window serves two very important purposes. First, it’s where I hang my wet clothes (Chinese people don’t use dryers, ever) and second, it’s my gym. Well, by gym I mean some dumbbells someone gave me that are sitting on top of a doormat. It’s simple, but way better than lifting my bag every day.

Moving right along, here you can see where I put my massive wardrobe. There are some wooden things that work great as little shelves for my t-shirts and other things and next to that is an empty closet that I’m sure I’ll never use. But hey, you never know.

My bed is big, which is a bonus, and the mattress is just hard enough to where I don’t want to sleep in it all day long (even though I have a few times already). I have a little nightstand next to it, which is nice and the LED reading light that’s hooked to the bed is something I would never buy, but is really handy to have now that I own one. There’s also a little chair that I can chill in, which I’ve used once. It’s pretty comfy.

The shower has hot water, which is something I never had at the hostel in the Philippines, but the water pressure sucks and the drain is a little iffy, but nothing I can’t handle. The little squeegee/mop thing is to push the water that doesn’t go down the drain by itself and to dry off the floor of the shower. I also keep the window open next to it when I shower to give it the “I’m showering outside” feeling even though I’m sure the neighbors can see me, but whatevs.

Last, but definitely not least, here’s the sink and the toilet. There are mirrors all around it, which is a little weird, but it has allowed me to send my first ever toilet selfies. If you haven’t gotten one, just wait — I’m sure it’s coming soon. 🚽 📷

My New Home

Well, that’s my new spot here on Hainan Island, I hope you enjoyed the little tour and if any of you reading this want to check out the place for yourself, I’m always up for hosting visitors. Like I said, it’s not the most amazing place, but it’s got everything I need and is already starting to feel like home.

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7 Comments

  1. MATTHEW

    Wow That’s pretty good. I mean quite modern compared to a lot of places in China. Count Yourself Lucky! Have fun and don’t forget to come to shenzhen to visit

    • Hup

      Yeah, man — not bad. Especially when compared to sharing a room in a hostel with a dude who eats a few pizzas everyday.🍕

  2. Tiffany

    Hello, Ryan

    Could you recommend study in Hainan Premier Language School Haikou? I’m seeing the possibility to study Chinese their during 1 year. Are the teachers good? the Chinese program is good? and How is the internet speed connection?

    I appreciate your comment 😉

    • Hup

      Hey Tiffany, thanks for the comment and I’m happy to tell you about my experience so far now that it’s been two weeks. But, just know that I’m still very early with my learning process and I’ve never studied anywhere else, so this is the only school I’ve experience for learning Chinese.

      With that being said, I love it here and I would highly suggest it. In just two weeks I’ve been able to learn enough to survive in China when it comes to ordering food, telling people what I want, and knowing my numbers and other basics.

      To answer your questions, I really like the teachers so far and mine in particular has been very, very helpful (plus she has the cutest daughter, ever). I feel like I’m learning very fast and with just 10 days of class I’ve come a long way. The internet connection speed is fine, but just remember that you’ll need a VPN to access many sites that are outside of China (Facebook, YouTube, etc.). It’s not really a problem, but something to keep in mind if you’re going to be here for a year.

      I’m documenting my time here at the Hainan Premier Language School over here on my YouTube Channel. You can get a better feel for the school there since I talk about a lot about what I’m learning and the overall experience of the place.

      Also, Haikou and Hainan are amazing. Great weather and not too expensive.

      Let me know if you need anything else and good luck with your decision!

      Ryan

  3. Glenn

    Hi Ryan,

    What is your opinion of the language school there? I have been unable to find much feedback about the place on the net.
    Hope your enjoying your time there.

  4. Bing

    Hi! Are you still studying in Hainan Premier Language School? I need to ask you a few questions about the school. What is your email address?

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