If you're on a business trip in Beijing and have some free time, what's on the sightseeing program? Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and No. 18 Beijing Middle School. The latter may not be the classic address for Chinese tourists, but this is exactly where six selected people from Europe stay every year as part of the CEGO programme to (maybe?) become professionals at some point in the future. This year's participants: Stanislaw Frejlak from Poland, Oscar Vazquez from Spain, Anton Chernykh from Russia, Sinan Djepov from Bulgaria, Dominik Boviz from Hungary and Gabriel Wagner from Germany. As a correspondent for the EGF, Gabriel also regularly writes articles here about living and learning in China, but maybe a neutral investigative journalist like me will uncover secrets about their stay?

During our visit we spoke with five of them who are all still enthusiastic about their stay in Beijing.

What do you particularly like?

We have many strong opponents here. The tight schedule forces us to learn. I can make Tsumegos at home, learn with Leela and play online games, but here I simply have a unique learning atmosphere. Here I regularly get Tsumegos as a homework assignment, have to play serious games against strong opponents and just spend the whole day learning Go.

How are things in the leagues?

There is a "professional league" and 9-10 others. Only Dominik is currently in the professional league, which is of course something special, because normally only professionals play there! But Stanislaw and Anton are also just one below, in the 1st amateur league.

And what do you like about life in China?

The food is great, super cheap, and there is a huge selection.

Have you already had time for sightseeing?

Not yet. We could theoretically go out, of course, but here is always something on in the school, even on weekends, and you don't want to miss anything.

Even during the holidays?

Well, on the national holiday we actually had a free evening. There the Go-School went "only" until 17:15h! Otherwise always full program, even if the normal middle school pupils have holidays.

Do you have any contacts with the Chinese Go students?

Not so much, because unfortunately they don't speak English, except for one or two, and even they only know a few words. (Three of our young players, however, know a bit Chinese in the meanwhile, so that helps a bit.)

Well then, have fun and good luck with the Go!

We also asked some of the Chinese students what they thought of the Europeans. Unfortunately the only answer we got was: They play quite well... (But it was probably quite intimidating for the Chinese kids that suddenly visitors from distant Germany showed up. So they were too shy to say more…)