Hi guys!

It's been exactly a year since I started learning Chinese. I study at a Confucius Institute. First month, I felt that I was wasting my time, so I decided to study by myself. I got to HSK 3, and applied to HSK 3 level in the Confucius, got in, but kept studying by myself. At the end, I got to HSK 4 and learned all the words and grammar, catch is: I could not say anything. I felt like an idiot, I understood the grammar, I knew the words, but all these time felt like a waste of time, I did not acquire language, I learned language.

I wanna change this. I am willing to spend one to two hours everyday on Chinese, but I want this time to be worth it. Can you give me ideas please. Also, I know this is a lot to ask, but I don't want this pseudo language Chinese people teach those who are learning Chinese, because they don't talk this way! I want the real Chinese that is talked on the everyday.