I lived in Qingdao for a year, back in 2012-13. The new parts of the city are great, but they had not completed the subway system yet, causing trips downtown to be a frustrating experience at times. The expat community is very friendly and supportive. It's a very vibrant and welcoming city. I looked up the school's location, and it's in a pretty great part of the city. You aren't too far from the waterfront and housing in that area isn't too expensive. So long as you aren't living in the older part of the city, which most people call the old downtown, it should be a good time. If you do end up in Qingdao, I highly recommend that you try out the Sitting Bull restaurant.