Hi Jonna! Our trip to China was fantastic! Over the years it seems that everyone there have converted to speaking only the Mandarin dialect. I know two dialects in Chinese, unfortunately Mandarin isn't one of them. I haven't a clue to that dialect besides the usual thanks, no thanks, hi, bye routine. My husband learned Mandarin from co-workers and TV, lucky butt.
Our tour was in English (thank God), and Mandarin. So I got the gist of everything we needed to know. So if there is an advantage to knowing the language I wouldn't know. It sucked when my DH spoke Mandarin with some fellow travelers who didn't speak much English. I would sit there like a smiling fool, nodding and prodding my DH to translate. He's not so good at that
This is interesting: During the tour at the end of a day we would get a massage either in the hotel's spa or the local guide would arrange a service to come to our room. Any how I had to remind my DH to explain to the masseuse that I couldn't handle the full killer rub down (hurts like heck, but DH loves it) and that I didn't speak Mandarin (OMG or maybe in their case OMB). They almost always said, "She looks Chinese; why doesn't she speak the language; and didn't her parents teach Chinese her in America?"). Oh the shame!
BTW: The massages were very very good, full body massages, lasting at least 60 to 90 minutes. Oil is extra.
The price, a whopping 60 to 80 yuens = $8 to $10 US. We rich Americans can afford to tip the masseuse the same amount as the price! Even though our dollar is low. So if you're ever in China the best deal is the massage. I look forward to these massages when we tour China. Nothing better than the feet massage at the end of a long day walking.
I'd be lucky to get a 15 minute back rub and a few of hot rocks (?) on my spine for $50 here in SoCal.