Learn Chinese in the Most Beautiful Town in China

Preparation

Cooperation

Since January 2008 Mandacentre and JoHo Nederland have joined in cooperation. JoHo is an international organization that aims for creating centres all over the world for travelling, volunteering, jobs and international cooperation. The exchange of knowledge and information, promoting international contacts and stimulating cultural understanding are the main core of their efforts. JoHo has several offices in Holland, but can also be found outside the Dutch borders. 

Preparation

You require a travel, health and theft insurance: Important: inform in advance if your travel insurance covers volunteer work. This is different with every insurance company. A temporary expansion or even a separate insurance during your stay in China can be necessary. Contact JoHo for the best possible insurance for your case.

Necessities

Even though China is a developing country, this does not mean that you can not buy things here. We advise everyone to bring as little luggage as possible, as it is almost always possible to buy anything you need here, especially in nearby cities. It is a good idea to bring both summer and winter clothing, as the climate can change very often in China during the year.

In Yangshuo it is possible to find ATM machines, and you can easily change foreign currency. For traveling it is advisable to have around 100 US Dollars with you, divided in smaller amounts. This can easily be changed at the local banks. It is not really necessary to bring cash with you from your home country.
At this moment one Euro equals nearly 11 Chinese Yuan, or RMB, to be exact 10,60.

Vaccinations
You need to be vaccinated around 6 weeks before your departure to China. Recommended vaccinations are:
- Yellow Fever
- Repeating DTP (depends on your age)
- Hepatitis A (sometimes it is necessary to vaccinate for Hepatitis B if you are staying for a longer time in China)
- Typhoid

Furthermore we get a lot of questions about Rabies. Almost everywhere in the world there are animals infected with Rabies, mostly dogs, but also cattle, cats and foxes. If an infected animal bites you it can pass the disease to you. After being infected it can take two weeks before you will get ill. The disease itself is deadly, but there is a vaccination. The vaccination contains a series of three injections. Vaccination against Rabies does not give protection, just more time to get started with further treatment. If you are not vaccinated, you need to call for a doctor within 24 hours. If you are vaccinated, you need to see a doctor within 2 days. In La Paz there is a small chance of getting infected with Rabies. It is also easy to get the anti rabies injections here in the pharmacies. This is a series of 5 injections over a period of 21 days following the possible infection. That is why we think it is not really necessary to take the (very expensive) vaccinations against Rabies.

Malaria tablets are also not necessary, unless you are certain that you want to make a trip through South-East Asia.

Ask your doctor for advice about vaccinations. In some cases the insurance will cover (a part of) your costs.

If you watch your personal hygiene carefully (do not drink water from the tap, do not eat from the street, etc), you will not face a lot of problems.
If you get ill, or would like to see a doctor or a dentist, someone in Mandacentre will offer to go with you. You need to pay the consultation in cash. You will get a receipt which you can use to declare to your insurance company in your home country. Especially in the bigger cities the (private) healthcare is of good quality. For a doctors visit you will pay around 10 Euros and a visit to a specialist will cost you around 30 to 45 Euros.

Visa

At this moment the Visa situation in China is very unclear, due to the Olympics and the Tibet situation. We therefore suggest you to contact us first to ask for the latest updates on Visa’s.

Flight tickets and insurance

Flight tickets to China are not expensive. From Europe flights can be booked for a 650 euro for a return ticket. The prices can change, especially in high and low season. A flight ticket to Beijing or Hong Kong is a good option for a lot of visitors. From Hong Kong you can take the overnight train to Yangshuo, which is also possible from Beijing. There are also flights available for around a 100 euros. For more information about cheap flights check out www.joho.nl.
You need to take care of your own health and travel insurance and a cancellation insurance. We can strongly advise you to book your insurance with the JoHo company in Holland. They are specialized in insurances for long-term abroad stays.

JoHo Nederland can provide you with a very good insurance. Also for non-Dutch people.

JoHo Nederland.