Client Reviews
See what our clients are saying about us.
Lorna and Stan
We have had the pleasure of having an association with Pistachio Mandarin for approximately one year. We did not know any Mandarin at the time. Besides wanting to learn a 2nd language later in life, my wife wanted to learn Mandarin to support new migrants coming into NZ at her workplace who are non-English speaking. I, myself am of Chinese heritage and wanted to learn the roots of my grandparents. Lorna embellished being able to practice with customers at her Reception, meeting and greeting customers.
Lorna approached Pistachio, Yatchun, with a goal of learning to speak Mandarin through private lessons at a pace that would fit in and around our work and family lives.
The most important asset for any organisation is the people. We found the people we interacted with to be welcoming, patient, understanding and most knowledgeable, we immediately connected with Yatchun and felt a sense of family.
Our curriculum was bespoke and tailored to meet our requirements. The timetable was flexible and we benefitted from both in person and online tutoring. We were able to set the pace of progress by reviewing topics or subjects when necessary.
Apart from learning the language, the course also covered cultural and historical issues where appropriate. For example, we learned about the importance of the Chinese New Year and the Moon Cake Festival. This gave us a feeling of being more connected to China and her people
Covid-19 initially interrupted our face to face learning. However Yatchun set up weekly online Skype lessons, which although took out the direct contact but worked well.
Unfortunately due to Lorna leaving her job we have had to take a step back from lessons. We do look forward to resuming our classes when we gain some normality.
We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Pistachio Mandarin to anyone wishing to learn to Mandarin and highly recommend their syllabus which can be tailor made to each client.
JA from Auckland
Nin hao. My daughter and I have been learning Mandarin for 2 years with Pistachio. I have always wanted to be able to converse with those in my workplace and felt it would be hugely helpful for my daughter in future for any career she might chose. I wanted to support her learning by being able to provide reinforcement and encouragement whilst she learns. We have had the benefit of both group classes and individual teaching, which has really helped us move forward in our understanding of Mandarin language and culture.
The teachers are native speakers and young and energetic. They are friendly and really help explain the language points that are vital to understanding this language. We have loved the mix of customs, cuisine and language that has made it come alive for us. A variety of different teaching approaches is also helpful, with songs, text, characters, poetry, games and you tube videos all being used to help us learn. We have learned a lot but recognise there is so much more to go and look forward to the challenge. Mandarin is so sensible in so many ways, and it is novel learning the characters which are so foreign to English speakers. Gaining confidence to use Mandarin in everyday life has been tough, but I feel we are seeing this come to reality now.
Yatchun and her team are always responsive and willing to work with us to make the lessons relevant and current and to work around difficult things like the COVID shutdown. Nothing is too much trouble, and this again has helped us in fitting in our learning around our other commitments.
I would recommend Pistachio Mandarin to people who want to do more than just learn words, but to understand Chinese as a whole and to appreciate the rich culture, heritage and beauty that the Chinese language has to offer. Wo men xi huan xue xi putong hua!
NK from Auckland Central
My 8 year old daughter and I have been attending Pistachio Mandarin lessons for nearly a year now.
The kids class is a fun mix of songs, craft activities and games combined with conversational and written language skills. The homework is manageable.
The adult class covers both written and oral language, mixing conversational stills with grammar and syntax. Everything is explained in a cultural context, where we learn about traditional and modern China. It is highly interactive where questions are welcomed, and enjoyable.
The school has dealt well with the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, transitioning seamlessly online for both adults and kids.
Overall, I highly recommend Pistachio Mandarin to adults wanting to learn Mandarin themselves and parents wanting to help their children learn this valuable skill. We are a New Zealand Pakeha family and the skills we have learned so far have already helped us in our daily lives living and working in Auckland.