best site to study chinese / social network to find chinese people or worldwide

[JessicaRomani]

friends interested in China ? I am italian, but I can talk english, so it's not a problem if you suggest me an english site. I've already searched online a lot and I've found some websites, but they are all so poor !
I am searching for something really cool and complete. It must be a free site, because I hate websites asking you to pay to become a premium user or similar!

 

[kitty]

I don't know what you have in Italy, but I have a DS and use a game that teaches you basic Chinese.
I also have a learning partner who is from China. She had posted something on an ad site at my work looking for a French tutor and said would teach Chinese in return. Maybe put an advert out at work or something.