I’d like to study Mandarin the Taipei area this coming winter. I’v tried to contact both TMI and TLI. I’ve tried email, the online form, and now telephone. I just can’t get through. I can’t even find a proper course schedule on the TLI site.
Just how is this supposed to be done? I ran into a similar issue when I tried to get some elective surgery arranged last winter. I got nowhere until I actually flew over and started making calls from a local cell. That hardly seems a practical way to sign up for classes. Am I missing something here?
[quote=“rowland”]I’d like to study Mandarin the Taipei area this coming winter. I’v tried to contact both TMI and TLI. I’ve tried email, the online form, and now telephone. I just can’t get through. I can’t even find a proper course schedule on the TLI site.
Just how is this supposed to be done? I ran into a similar issue when I tried to get some elective surgery arranged last winter. I got nowhere until I actually flew over and started making calls from a local cell. That hardly seems a practical way to sign up for classes. Am I missing something here?[/quote]
Yeah, I’ve noticed Taiwanese companies almost never answer emails. I get something like a 5% response rate when contacting suppliers by email. This is probably related to the fact that most of them have a half-assed website and a Yahoo email address - they simply don’t consider it important. Face-to-face is what it’s about, although it’s pretty hard to arrange a face-to-face when people won’t even answer enquiries.
Phone calls usually work better, if you can’t get there in person. I’m surprised nobody’s answering, although bear in mind that people are on holiday today and tomorrow.
[quote=“Hokwongwei”]Most things in Taiwan work better in person. You may find more luck with MTC (NTNU) or CLD (NTU), which are bigger and hopefully more professional.
Did you try calling today? They’re off for Mid-Autumn Festival…[/quote]
Yeah, I had just been trying them via Skype.
So, how far in advance do I need to come in before the slots are all taken? I’m not averse to bumming around a month or two on visa free entry, but I’d like to know what I’m in for.
Not an efficient way to do things, it seems to me.
I found TMI to be a shambles. I emailed many times with no reply. I went in person and spoke to one of their staff explaining I wanted a one to one class, he kept putting the hard sell on group classes. There’s a group class that is only a few chapters in front of where you left off in the evening that has a slot. I want one to ones during the day ?! I left him with my email and mobile number, to get back to me, that was 6 months ago.