Our Clients’ Testimonials
“Andy is simply the best language instructor I’ve ever had. I’ve studied German, Russian and Spanish prior to studying Mandarin. He provides a fun, interesting and insightful foundation for learning the language. Going in I thought Chinese would be difficult. Instead, it has been a joy to learn and relatively easy to understand because of Andy’s teaching style and methods. He provides great cultural context and operates at an appropriate pace. Within the first 60 days I could see significant results including being able to actually read and write the language around everyday situations. I highly recommend him. He’s worth ten times what he charges for lessons”.
–Steven D. Light, VP/GMM, Sears Holding Corp, Hoffman Estates, IL
“Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center has transformed my life! Depending on your motivation or reasoning to learn, I believe that CMCC will definitely help you as well. I have had the luxury of meeting both Andy and Rebecca by taking classes through CMCC. I must say that my comprehension and understanding of Mandarin Chinese has dramatically improved. Thank You!! Andy is very practical and brings real life experiences from his past as he presents class material. He is very funny and captivates the class with his rich personality. Rebecca is also a very excellent teacher. My classmates and I excelled tremendously through her ability to explain concepts. She took her time and made sure that everyone understood the material. Her teaching style was fantastic. Rebecca is definitely an asset to CMCC!
Because of Andy and Rebecca, I now have more confidence in Mandarin Chinese. I hope to further my education of this beautiful language through CMCC before my journey to the unknown begins (moving to China in July/August 2011)!”
— Henry Wong, Naperville, IL
“Thank you again Andy! Best of luck with your Mandarin Center- I really enjoyed it, and it was a great time to be with you for learning the language “!
–Archie Kao (高圣远), A Well-known Hollywood Movie Actor
Good morning Mr. Zhang,
Thank you very much for dedicating your time, energy and enthusiasm to help us learn Mandarin Chinese. I have been wanting to learn this language for more than 20 years, but for various reasons, it took until now. I am so glad I learned about your class.
I never imagined I would know as many vocabulary words as I know now in Chinese. I am even more excited for the characters I can recognize without using pinyin or English! I have begun watching movies and YouTube videos (including music videos) in Mandarin Chinese as well which is augmenting my language learning, but is also adding joy to my life as I am experiencing aspects of Chinese culture that are new and very enjoyable.
–Tracy Guo, WI
“Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center is an exceptional place to go for students of all levels. I took lesson there for about a year after college and dramatically increased my skills. The teachers are both talented and patient. The two instructors I had were both flexible to work at a speed that matched my skill level as it evolved but were professional enough to challenge me along the way. Andy who runs the programs was very receptive to coordinate my private lessons and reschedule them when need be. This program has given me both the skills and confidence to come to China and utilize my hard work as I travel the country. I would recommend this school to anyone looking to expand their Mandarin proficiency”.
–Mark Castro, Chicago
“I have studied many languages in my lifetime and although Chinese (Mandarin) is one of the toughest, I am grateful to be working with Rebecca at Chicago MCC. Her strength as a language teacher stems from her knowledge and approach. Her excellent command of the English language makes it easy for her to relate to the English speaker when teaching Chinese. She is able to logically explain the significant differences and well as the similarities between the two languages in a way that is easily comprehended. Her experience of working with children gives her the ability to be patient and to use praise and encouragement appropriately. While she can be very result oriented, she makes learning the language a fun and fulfilling experience. She is a very engaging teacher!”
— Joseph Khairallah, Vice President, Hyatt Hotels Corp, Chicago, IL
“Dear Andy, I wanted to take this opportunity to express my thankfulness for all Jane’s efforts…for her patience, and her undying commitment to help me with my Chinese language skills. I have recently returned from China. The trip was a resounding success. That success would not have been possible without the aid of Jane. Her efforts encouraged me to work hard, and it forced me to push myself…to make myself better than I was before. As a result, both the trip and speaking Chinese was much easier to accomplish, and so much more rewarding. My Chinese skills are still limited, but they certainly have improved with Jane’s help. I certainly owe a lot to her. I thought you should know that she represents all that is good and positive. She is a wonderful teacher, and I look forward to my next-level class with her. Sincerely”.
— Robert P. Meara, Senior Executive, Mad Group Investment LLC
“Thanks for the excellent introduction to Chinese social and business culture. It was an excellent presentation and thoroughly interesting”.
— Mark Pullman, Vice President of International Business Development, HGI WCHI
I am from Brazil and learn English is not very easy. Imagine learn Mandarin with a Chinese teacher speaking English. I thought it would be impossible, but on the contrary, Andy make Mandarin easy, ahah… NOT. Mandarin is not easy, but Andy is very articulate, intelligent, knows everything about his country, traditions, culture, food, geography, history, and knows a lot of the rest of the world. He speaks other languages and even try some words in Portuguese (I don’t speak Spanish, ok?). Classes improved significantly after Andy’s book “Mandarin Chinese – Beginner Level I” be published, because it teaches step by step how to write Mandarin too.
I finished Level I and II and I am anxious for the Level III start in August 2013.
— Debora Matedi, Brazil
“Andy’s introduction to Mandarin Chinese made the whole effort much less intimidating. There is no doubt that I entered the class with great trepidation, but I feel I made good progress in a short time. I look forward to learning more and getting more than just a toe wet. My only recommendations would be to have more exercises to work through in between classes. My style of learning requires that I write and rewrite to gain comprehension.”
–James P. Chicago, IL
“Hi Andy, I’m traveling with Dave Brewer from the class currently and want to mention again how much we and the rest of the classes enjoyed learning from you”.
–Tyler McLean, Mechanical Engineer, Motorola Mobility
“I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your Mandarin Chinese Beginner’s Level I course very much. Not only did I learn many new and useful words, but I also got an insight into how to improve my learning methods.
Please let me know when your Level II Mandarin Chinese Beginner’s course starts.
— Boris Bakunas, Chicgo, IL
“I just arrived home after the first beginning Mandarin I class, and I felt very encouraged and positive. I have to admit that as a person who speaks a couple of languages, Mandarin was (categorically) a very intimidating language. Somehow you made so much sense of it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the class. I was speaking to a few of my classmates as we departed, and they were excited and positive as well. Thanks for making the subject of Mandarin fun, fresh, and interesting!”
— Neka Borders, Chicago, IL
“Studying at CMCC helped me tremendously with my mandarin and I am now much more confident with using the language than ever. I was able to move to HK before Chinese New Year and have started recruiting again after all the festivities. I had another interview yesterday where the Partner tested my Chinese (both reading and spoken). I think I did well since I was invited back to meet the 2 remaining Partners in HK, both of them Caucasian”.
— Chris Kwan, Hong Kong
“Andy Zhang delivers a fast paced, content-rich class. The materials are extensive and applicable and he makes learning Mandarin a light-hearted thing. Andy brings logic and humor to the class to expand the materials with what he calls learning by correlation. Andy is personable and patient when answering questions during and after class time and I can always ask questions outside of class via email. I am looking forward to continuing my studies”.
–Julia Wong, Chicago, IL
‘Thank you for introducing Alan and I to Anna Gustafson. She is not only a wonderful teacher, she is a great person. You are very lucky to have her on your staff and I cannot recommend her enough.
Best of luck with your school. I think it is a great asset for Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center”!
— Laura Barrett, Chicago, IL
“Thank you so much Mr. Zhang. A great book, a great teacher, and now great recordings – I will be talking like a native of Beijing! Well, maybe not that good but my Mandarin should improve tremendously. Thanks for your effort and energy in putting together these recordings. I really appreciate it”.
Sincerely,
— Robert Tisdale, Chicago, IL
“I wanted to extend my thanks to you and Helen for these last 8 weeks. I’ve really enjoyed the lessons and I’m eager to learn more. I know I still have a long way to go, but your classes have given me a lot of confidence in my ability to learn Chinese”.
— Joe Burns, Chicago, IL
“Before I started taking Chinese lessons I was trying to teach myself for several months. I feel that I have learned significantly more in our first 4 lessons than what I did in the months alone. I feel that you are an excellent instructor and have been designing the course very well to fit me. In addition to teaching the language, I really like how you give background information on the language as well as the characters. I am looking forward to future lessons and beginning to implement what I am learning”.
–James Baldino, University of Illinois at Chicago
“I really enjoyed the teaching style of your teacher Rebecca Yang, particularly the way she pushed and challenged us by bringing back vocabulary from prior classes. I also liked the way she guided us to re-structure sentences using different terms, it is a very effective way to teach the language”.
–Julia Akman, Chicago, IL
“I wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed this course. I plan on working through your book and refresh the vocabulary several times over the next few months and then will sign up for the next Beginner Level class”.
–Mark J. Segrist, Chicago, IL
“Not having any Chinese background, CMCC helped me to focus learning conversational Mandarin in 10 weeks. The one-on-one instruction allowed me to move at my own pace and focus on problem areas without the worry of distracting others. I also had the privilege of attending the group classes which helped to hear others speaking and make me not feel so self-conscious! I am also very grateful to my patient instructor and for her preparation outside of class which made each class an effective use of our time. For me, the learning of the Chinese language will take much more time but I feel like I received a great foundation to build upon.”
–Derek Ho, Mundelein, IL
“From the first moment it is evident that Andy Zhang has a genuine love of language, any language. His passion and enthusiasm to teaching Mandarin Chinese is infectious. He is extremely knowledgeable, and know all the “ins and outs” of Chinese language and culture. His teaching style is direct and effective, and he makes a real effort to have the student fully understand what is being taught. Overall, I cannot think of a better person to learn Mandarin from than Mr. Zhang”.
— Kacper Lastowiecki, High School Student, Rolling Meadows, IL
“The course materials and the software are very well prepared and provide a great resource for additional study. The time spent in class is focused, well paced, and the content of the lessons is very relevant to real situations that one encounters, gives important cultural context, and allows students to gain quick proficiency in basic everyday communications. I also appreciated very much the guidance your center has given on how to approach the study of Chinese–how many vocabulary words we needed to learn, how many characters, etc. Your expectations were clear, the standards set were rigorous but reasonable for adult learners who often have full-time jobs, and the pace challenging. Overall, I think the course is excellent”.
–Brian Whiteley, Chicago, IL
I love this Mandarin class. They way Andy teaches makes it so simple and easy. If you’re looking to understand Mandarin by reading, speaking and writing in less than eight weeks this is the class for you!
–Ovetta S, Chicago, IL
Hello Andy,
I wanted to let you know your class has helped me a lot so far! I passed HSK1 with 190/200. Without your class I do not think I would have been prepared enough.
Thank you,
–James Traver, Chicago, IL
“The best part about the Group Mandarin Chinese Class is that you hit the ground running before you even start your first Beginner Level One class. Andy Zhang makes it a policy to personally meet with you for a free trial lesson. As soon as you arrive, you start working on grammar, pronunciation, and written characters right there on the spot – and this is before you’ve even signed up for anything. This instant immersion really gives you an idea of Andy’s skill as a teacher as well as his commitment to his students. Although the class is designed to give you an intensive introduction into Mandarin Chinese, Andy’s patience and sense of humor keeps the environment lively and productive. And as a busy professional, I also appreciate the flexible scheduling that Andy provides to all of his students.”
–Stephen Hernan, Chicago, IL
“I always wanted to learn Chinese but was afraid of starting because I heard that it was very hard. After the twelve sessions of the beginning Chinese with Andy Zhang, I am no longer afraid. The class was small and consisted of people who already graduated from college, which I liked. After the classes, I now have quite good knowledge of basic grammar and of how to read pinyin. I also memorized many words and some simple sentences. With the knowledge and confidence gained from Andy’s class, I am going to take more formal intensive Chinese class this summer”!
–Boyeon Kang, Chicago, IL
“I found the reading and vocabulary components of the Beginner-Level II Class to be especially beneficial. In addition, the class helped me to correct key pronunciation problems.”
“Thank you for your sincere and enthusiastic dedication to helping others understand the rich and wonderful language of Chinese!”
–Nicole R Montgomery, MPH, Executive Director, Chicago, IL
“I was a near-beginner when I started with Kit, having struggled through a handful of sessions searching for a compatible instructor. Making the switch, I quickly found that Kit’s strong ability to communicate in English differentiated her lessons from the ineffective ones I had prior to meeting her. I am now at the stage in my studies where I know all basic and intermediate grammar rules.”
–Christopher A. Laurence, President and COO
“Thanks much, and thank you as well for the excellent introduction that you’ve given me to the language. Languages take years to learn, but you have given such an exciting taste of it, that I am actually considering studying Mandarin Chinese in earnest”.
“Jane, by the way, did a great job. Energetic, smart, skilled in the mechanics of languages, flexible, and imaginative. Thanks again for her teaching the last make-up class.
–Matt Matcuk, Ph.D. Exhibition Development Director
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to study in your group class. I never thought I could learn so much in such a short time. Your class materials are already packed with valuable information and then you add wonderful correlated information that helps make learning Mandarin fun. I always appreciate the way you patiently respond to my questions and give clear explanations and examples. I am looking forward to continuing my studies with you in advanced classes”.
–Michelle Cheung, Schaumburg, IL
“I made it to China! The classes have paid off as I am speaking Mandarin every day and learning new words”.
–Mark Miller, Chicago, IL
“I do want to thank you again for your class. It gave me a great start to the language, becoming familiar with tones and more comfortable reading Pinyin. You were also a wonderful resource to have in the anxious weeks before I left for working in Beijing”!
–Ariel Lown Lewiton, Chicago, IL
I just wanted to tell you again that Elaine is an outstanding teacher..Our Nanny told me that she was totally involved with the children. She constantly strived to keep the children’s attention on becoming familiar with Mandarin language. Thank You for sending the best teacher to our home.
— Katrina B. Grey, Chicago, IL
“My private mandarin lessons with Andy Zhang from Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center have been very helpful. Andy is a very knowledgeable teacher with great personality. I enjoyed a lot learning from him”.
–Stanley Chiu, Evanston, IL
“I have found Ms. Fung to be extremely intelligent, energetic, creative and excited about her subject. She really makes me enjoy learning and motivates me to succeed in my studies. Thanks for her instruction, I have made a great deal of progress.”
–Stephen B. Frew, Kiesler & Berman, Chicago
“I took Andy’s private tutoring lesson in Mandarin Chinese a little bit more than 6 month ago and I have learned lots of new words and daily communications from him. Andy combined his language tutoring with sufficient introduction on Chinese historical background and etiquette. After I finish my wrestling class in this spring, I will continue my Beginner Level III lessons from Andy”.
–Mark Jolcover, Buffalo Grove, IL
“Thank you for your help, support, and teachings. You have furthered my interest and passion for a culture and language I am excited to learn more about!”
— Sarah Jones, Chicago, IL
“I took Andy’s Beginner Level I introductory class. Andy is a natural teacher who seldom teaches a dry class. He incorporates humor and personal experiences into his lessons which make learning more enjoyable. His introduction to Mandarin instills confidence, and the subsequent lessons pertain to real-life situations. I would certainly recommend taking a class with Andy”.
–Michael M. Appleton, WI
“I am taking Mandarin 1 at the Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center because of the excellent reviews it received on Yelp. Andy Zhang is still the teacher for the “First-Graders”, and I can confirm that he totally deserves all the praise. He is one of the best teachers I have ever had. He cares about his students and their learning success. He loves his native language and is so knowledgeable about it that we want to learn. And if we did not study hard enough he will remind us to practice, practice, practice. I expect that of an excellent teacher”!
–Rita S., Glencoe, IL
“Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center is an exceptional place to go for students of all levels. I took lesson there for about a year after college and dramatically increased my skills. The teachers are both talented and patient. The two instructors I had were both flexible to work at a speed that matched my skill level as it evolved but were professional enough to challenge me along the way. Andy who runs the programs was very receptive to coordinate my private lessons and reschedule them when need be. This program has given me both the skills and confidence to come to China and utilize my hard work as I travel the country. I would recommend this school to anyone looking to expand their Mandarin proficiency”.
–Mark C., Western Springs, IL
“Thank you for taking the time to teach me. It was challenging, but fun. There are two things that I would find very useful: (1) more speaking; not just conversation, but to improve pronunciation; and (2) some simple reading and writing “homework” to improve those skills. I will probably want to continue with Level II at a later date. I need some time to fully absorb all the materials from Level I.”
–William W. Leathem, Chicago, IL
“Thank you so much! Your class has been most helpful and I definitely enjoy practicing what I have learned in your class”!
–Nick Cichon, Chicago, IL
“I very much enjoyed Andy’s class. You are a very intelligent instructor and were able to answer any question I asked. I especially liked how you were able to explain a lot of cultural ideas that connected to the language. You speak clearly and make the tones very understandable. I also liked your willingness to deviate from the lesson plan if students had specific questions”.
–Jon Macha, Chicago
“I am thankful for finding you and your excellent organization this year and starting a great business partnership. You are obviously the best!”
–Linda Chencinski, Deerfield, IL
What Our Clients Say About Our Translation/Interpretation Services:
“Thanks Andy for your wonderful service yesterday. I really appreciated your willingness to join us, your professionalism, and your ability to blend into the situation. If things continue to develop, I am sure that I will use your services again.
— Judy Harris Helm, Ed.D. Peoria, IL
“Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center helped Gorilla Inc develop a website for a Chinese division of one of our clients. Gorilla’s developers do not speak or read Chinese, so we hired Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center to translate the designs and content sent from the Chinese design firm. The services offered by Andy and his team were critical to the success of the project. Andy went above and beyond at every step in the project and we would not hesitate to ask for his assistance again”.
— Eric Walter, Principal. Gorilla
“We are very much honored to hire Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center for the localization of our website. The excellent translation work done by CMCC has enabled our company, C Plus Electronics, to penetrate into the enormous electronics market in China. C Plus Electronics expects to generate 2 million dollars extra sales revenues from the rising business empire in 2007.” www.cpluselectronics.com
— Froy Becerra-Cochez, VP of Global Operations, C Plus Electronics, Inc.
“We take our growing business relationship very seriously. We cannot possibly succeed with our desire to attract Chinese firms to Asheville without an experienced and dedicated translation company like Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center”.
“We have been most favorably impressed with the Center’s professionalism and genuine desire to help its clients. We are each committed to bring value to our clients, our stakeholders, you might say, shareholders, and to our allies, in this case, the Center is our ally”. www.ashevillechamber.org
— Ray Denny, Vice President of Economics Development Division of Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina.
“Working with a language expert like Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center enables us to dramatically boost our market reach, competitiveness and customer base. Having our footprints in China represents a giant step in becoming a truly global publication”. www.us-tech.com
— Jacob Fattal, Publisher and President of U.S. Tech Magazine
“I needed some translating work done for materials I was taking to China for a conference. After unsuccessful searches of Craig’s List and other sources, I came across Andy Zhang’s Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center in the Loop. It’s a small operation, but I got quick and excellent service.
I had my translation work finished in two days. Plus I met with Mr. Zhang and went over a couple key phrases, which he discussed with me and then modified to better saying when I wanted. The total costs were amazingly low. This is a professional operation (translating and interpreting) that I will use again.
— Dennis S Comments made on 11/13/2009
“The major considerations that we selected Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center as a service provider lie in its high working efficiency, cost-effective solutions as well as its rich country-specific expertise and excellent customer services”. www.gmatscore.com
— Jasmine Dhingra, President of Time Tested Group LLC
E. “We are very much honored to select Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center as our strategic business partner. We highly value the company’s proven expertise and massive resources in both Greater China and North America market. It’s a significant asset that we can leverage to better serve our clients”.
— Thomas Chang, President of Beijing Tuoming Communication Technology Co., Limited
“We are glad to build up a significant partnership with Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center, an experienced and specialized translation and interpretation organization in the Chinese language”. www.CPAnalyst.com
— Dr. Irwin Jarett, CEO and Chairman of Tomorrow’s Software, Inc.
“We are so impressed with the services provided by Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center in localizing our website in such a short time. The entire localization and content integration processes went on so smoothly and cost-effectively”. www.nstechnology.com
— Gary B. Munoz, President and CEO of NetSource Technology, Inc.
“Chicago Mandarin Chinese Center has significant advantages and experiences in website content localization and it is undoubtedly an ideal service provider to work with”. www.fostonn.com
— George Zeng, General Manager at Shenzhen Fostonn Communications Technology Limited.