Should I go to China to study Chinese?

My dad keeps on telling me that I should go to China to study Chinese, but there are a couple of things to think about:

A) I was born HERE in the USA
B) Most of the JC's (Junior colleges) here in Southern California offer summer Chinese classes
C) My friends would miss hanging out with me during the summer.
D) I could get a part-time job here in the United States and make some money
E) I could save some "plane ticket money" for my parents.

What should I do? Should I stay here in the US and find some classes that offer Chinese @ a JC or should I fly 15 hours out on a plane to a foreign country to study a native language there?

Stay here and see if you even like studying chinese before going overseas. It would be very hard to find yourself there with no way of going home early if you don't like it, don't like being there, or got sick. And you will be able to come away with an associates degree or be able to roll it into a bachelors if you stay here. Who knows if they would accept you into school there.

My cousin majored in chinese in college, so there ARE programs of study as you know. Also, you can try to find someone who is a native speaker and ask them to mentor you or ask if they would be willing to just converse with you a few times a week.

You probably have university students from china, or if there are a lot of chinese american immigrants in your area, someone probably has a parent or a grandmother who speaks the language.and would probably be interested or flattered that you want to learn. Not that you would totally learn from them, but if you take a class, and then speak with a native speaker, you might learn faster.

things you would have to pay a lot of money for over there

After you get the hang of it going to China to VISIT on a tour or for a week or two would be apropriate, but not going lock stock and barrel without speaking it!

First of all it depends solely to you. But what I can recommend is that nothing is more effective than being laden with a rich culture and to find yourself in the environment.

Here I attach some links regarding language courses in China:

http://journeyeast.org/studyinchina/...

http://www.prcstudy.com/mandarin_chinese...
Hi Jonathan,

Nima is right, it's up to you if you want to go to China. Studying a new language is much more effective if your environment is the same as the language you're trying to learn.

But if you really insist on studying in the US, don't despair, GoAbroad.com's Language Schools Directory has chinese language studies right here in the United States. Check it out in this url: http://www.languageschoolsguide.com/list...

GoAbroad.com staff took the time to verify most of the program providers(look for the light green logo check, check+ or check++).

Hope this helps and good luck!
GA :)
http://www.goabroad.com/
http://www.languageschoolsguide.com...
A) What has being born in the US to do with learning a language?
B) Being immersed in the language works much faster and more motivating.
C) You would not miss your friends? ;) You can make new friends, meet people from other countries and get a broader perspective on life. Another thing is you can lead your own life there. I guess you're pretty young and still depend much on your parents. It will be good for your personal development. You don't have to go during the summer. I know a dutch guy who is doing one year before going to study business. He is now thinking of doing a business course at a good school in china.
D) You can get a part-time job in china teaching or tutoring English easily, and get some rich experience
E) You would have to talk to your parents about that. It sounds like your father is prepared to invest in you. Take that opportunity, you're only young once!
you can email me for the email address of the dutch guy.