If most of your destinations are those famous cities and tourism attractions, then, you are all good for only using English as there are enough numbers of people(staff, tourists) can help you come through. But if you wanna do more self-explorations, it would be better to learn some basic Mandarin skills, at least you need to know how to ask price, how to pay, even how to bargain for fun, directions, transport stuff, etc. right? what kind of experience do you prefer for your trip will lead you to different advice. modern city trip? then Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing modern but not that advanced (most first and second tier cities are advanced enough though),with beautiful combinations of artificial and nature views, Hangzhou, Suzhou....... countless. culture-focused ( especially minority culture), Lijiang, Dali.... countless. Oh... if you wanna a trip that mixes Russian culture and language, then Haerbin hahaha. Anyway, the country is big enough to explore for decades. No one can give you a ultimate advice. It has to be based on your own interest ^_^ For the 2-week quarantine, everyone is same on this topic even. It is for the sake of the whole world, locals come back from overseas will take the process as well. If you wanna travel during the challenging time, then it is inevitable. Lastly, whenever you come to China, welcome!

you can understand it as a collocation in Mandarin, just like those in English, learn from... for example. and here, there is a collocation - cong(从）...... zhong （中）, in this situation, this is equal to from, like learn from, pick from. But!!!!! Though your teacher told you that you can omit the cong , but the nature will be different , and it'd be easily used in an inappropriate way. Of course, native speakers will understand you , just same as when Chinese speaking English to you with errors but you understand them. I am looking for a partner to help each other if you are interested in, let me know. By the way, maybe I can show you more Mandarin knowledge in a logic and proper way.

电视节目不是现实生活.

我最喜欢的中国电视节目（电视剧 or 偶像剧 ）是《微微一笑很倾城》. 我觉得杨洋太帅了！我也想认为这个北京的节目非常有趣. 在微微一笑很倾城中, 演员出去的时候, 他们总是 唯一的人在没人的公园或餐厅…… 他们在街上骑自行车的时候, 非常浪漫因为没有其他人， 街上的人很少。好像是住在大学的宿舍里的只有微微和她的朋友. 但这不是北京吗? 为什么北京街上没有人? 如果我不知道更好（？？what you want to say？），就我认为北京是一个非常空虚的城市... 我猜想电视节目不是现实生活. (但我仍然非常喜欢这个节目!)

Chinese Words of The Week 25/9/17 (2)

可以 = can; may
Kěyǐ (kéyǐ)
存  存在= to exist; live; survive 
Cún zai（4）

存= save

生存=live; survive

sheng(1) cun(2)

吃 = to eat
Chī
喝 = to drink
Hē
是 = to be ; also means' yes' when someone confirm something is true or follow orders
Shì
去 = to go
Qù
说话 = to speak; talk; say; chat
Shuō huà
懂 = to understand
Dōng
认识 = to know; understand; recognize
Rènshi
看 = to see; look at; watch
Kàn

我的朋友可以来参加我的聚会吗？= Can my friend come to my party?
Wǒ de péngyǒu kěyǐ lái cānjiā wǒ de jùhuì ma?

我们需要共同努力才能生存下去。 = We need to work together to survive
Wǒmen xūyào gòngtóng núlì cáinéng shēngcún xiàqù

我不喜欢吃柠檬。他们太酸了。= I don’t like eating lemons. They are too sour

我喜欢下班后喝啤酒。 = I like to drink a beer after work.
Wǒ xǐhuān xiàbān hòu hē píjiǔ.

我的母亲是护士, 我的两个姐妹也是。 = my mother is a nurse, and so are both of my sisters.
Wǒ de mǔqīn shì hùshì, wǒ de liǎng gè jiěmèi yěshì.

我必须去看医生 = I must go and see the doctor.
Wǒ bìxū qù kàn yīshēng

他说话太多了‘this is not a way Chinse speak you should say: 他的话太多了‘  to show disapproval’= He speaks too much.
Tā shuōhuà tài duōle                                                                             ta（1） de  hua（4） tai（4） duo（1） le

我不懂很多中文 我有很多中文不懂 = I don’t understand a lot of Chinese.
Wǒ bù dǒng hěnduō zhōngwén.    wo(3) you(3)  hen(3)  duo（1）zhong（1） wen （2）bu（4） dong（3）

你认识我的太太吗？ = Do you know my wife?

我很少看电视 = I rarely watch TV.
Wǒ hěn shǎo kàn diànshì