Then again, Kunming hua is a dialect of Mandarin Chinese and not some other Chinese that you might hear if you were to go to Shanghai. It's just a heavy accent and has its own choice of vocabulary, but most of these words exist in Mandarin Chinese.
However, with regards to teaching methods you may want to consider studying at a private institution instead of a university. Unis do cram-style teaching: "all 100 of you repeat after me at the same time".
Also they require a lot more attendance hours and often take attendance and can revoke your visa and/or scolarship if you don't show up enough.
Private schools don't normally do that, and they can support their Chinese teaching with some English.
Rule of thumb for bankcard use in China: if it's partially aimed at foreign tourists, it will probably accept foreign bank- or visa-cards.
Examples:
Carrefour: local visa card yes, foreign visa card no
Jewellery shop: foreign cards yes
Agricultural Bank of China in 南沙: local cards yes, foreign card no
Agricultural Bank of China in 新街 (a much smaller town 40km further up in the mountains but renowned for its rice terraces): foreign visa accepted
What people always forget when complaining about anything in China (democracy, pollution, human rights ...) is that _is_ a developing nation. Don't stare yourselves blind on technology, fancy cars, high-rises and the ubiquitous use of concrete. If Kunming was built out of wood and clay, most would accept the situation as it is.
The beautification project has made my life easier every day now since the western ring road and xichang road can now be used properly without risking metal fatigue on my bike.
Things are being done: gatekeepers with booms trying hard to keep people from crossing, parking tickets being handed out and cars that really are in the way are being dragged away.
Many more things are on the list:
- revising China's insurance system to allow parties in a car crash to go to the side and let traffic flow freely
- dealing with cars driving on sidewalks/bike lanes
- teaching buses not to squeeze (e)bikes off the road when halting
- dealing with the horrible turning left and right whereby bike lanes are crossed
- more parkings where you can attach your (e)bike to something anchored in the ground
- re-allowing motorcycle taxis
- adding to the taxi fleet (in progress)
- clean buses
- getting rid of those traffic control barriers so people don't have to go against the flow of traffic all the time
...
Since Saturday 3 October is either a long time in the future or in the past, I take it you meant 3 November? I won't be in Kunming around that time but am still interested. Can you keep me up to date via phone or e-mail
don't forget that Dulong is a heavily Christian area, AND that drinking there is a serious issue. You can compare it to the droughts and the alcohol bans in both the US and in the Nordic countries in the early 20th century, when drinking had half of the country on its ass. Or Kunming.
"However, the RMB has, despite dropping recently, grown overall against foreign currency, so the real cost in global terms has risen even further, perhaps 15x and 6x. Yes, there has been inflation, but that happens everywhere and not 15x in 15 years, ie. 100% per year!"
That doesn't sound right. If you're consuming domestically, you can't state that food prices have actually risen a multiple of the actual inflation because of a difference of RMB vs foreign currency. At least that's not a good indication of economic situations.
This only holds true in the eyes of the few who shop in Yunnan using foreign currency (I guess importers are feeling it).
First and last experience. Absolutely horrible. I came in late with a big flesh wound. The doctor sewed it up and told me to come back in the morning "perhaps to redo it, and to change the bandage". When I did come back the next morning, they just changed the bandage and sent me off.
When I peeked at my own wound, I noticed it was horribly done. "Like a vet did the stitches," as someone commented. I then had to stay a night in a different hospital in order to do it right, with a 40% chance of getting infections. This cost me a lot more, thanks to Richland fucking up in the beginning.
Whatever X-rays were taken were not printed out and given to me so I couldn't go to another hospital for a second opinion or treatment.
The nurses didn't seem to know where half the things were and the doctors had to repeat orders to get basic things like scissors.
In the next hospital, it was noticed that I had fractured my jaw in two places. On the five X-Rays taken at Richland, they did not notice the fractures.
Pretty sure these people are not actual doctors and are therefore criminal.
Four people signed up for the highest-level class and got a teacher who does all the talking, refers to herself as 老师 and makes classes absolutely uninteresting. As of this moment, only 1 person is still going on a regular basis.
While staff is friendly, they are absolutely incapable to help out with visa matters in an adequate way. Lack of information beforehand, lack of support and lack of information during the visa process meant that I am waiting forever for my residence permit to be processed, without any information about why it's taking so long, why they can't get started ... I'd say this school is a good option if all you wanted is a visa, but they can't even handle this properly.
Anyone giving this school a 5-star rating hasn't been to any decently-run schools in Kunming, such as Keats'. The only redeeming quality is facilities and space, those are indeed excellent.
Have been studying at Keats for almost four semesters now and I'm very enthusiastic about the quality of the teachers and the commitment of the school's staff.
One point of criticism is that I think they could put in some effort to group people of the same level together, rather than base it on who was together in last semester's class.
I stayed here in the early days of March 2013. Dave and his wife are swell owners, the staff attentive, the food good, rooms in perfect order, WiFi fast enough... Much like the old hump, the entire place is an excellent place to relax and make friends. And that is what you come to do in Dali, after all. The location is a bit isolated from the old town, but nothing is really far away in Dali. Besides, it makes for a better starting point to walk up Cangshan.
Cookie Preferences
Please select which types of cookies you are willing to accept:
Rural Yunnan township takes flak for alcohol ban
发布者don't forget that Dulong is a heavily Christian area, AND that drinking there is a serious issue. You can compare it to the droughts and the alcohol bans in both the US and in the Nordic countries in the early 20th century, when drinking had half of the country on its ass. Or Kunming.
Study: Re-greening of China possibly not so green
发布者Refer to this ghostwritten blog post for a discussion of this topic elsewhere.
blog.worldagroforestry.org/[...]
Getting Away: Winter hiking on Yunnan's Laojun Mountain
发布者I'm sure the lakc of human habitation is because of the strict park law enforcement. How did you get in? You normally need to obtain a permit.
Food prices across China continue to soar
发布者"However, the RMB has, despite dropping recently, grown overall against foreign currency, so the real cost in global terms has risen even further, perhaps 15x and 6x. Yes, there has been inflation, but that happens everywhere and not 15x in 15 years, ie. 100% per year!"
That doesn't sound right. If you're consuming domestically, you can't state that food prices have actually risen a multiple of the actual inflation because of a difference of RMB vs foreign currency. At least that's not a good indication of economic situations.
This only holds true in the eyes of the few who shop in Yunnan using foreign currency (I guess importers are feeling it).
Life in Kunming: Urban gardening with James Osborne
发布者love your garden James