Well, I think one of the main problems with teaching in Kunming is that the qualified teachers with lots of experience are pretty much paid and treated the same as the unqualified teachers with virtually no experience whatsoever. I have an MAT in TESOL and 23 years experience and what do I get offered per hour? 100-120 kuai! It`s bullshit!
Also, I really think that Kunming needs some kind of language teachers` organization. TALC = Teachers Association of Languages in China.
Thanks for the information. It sounds like more trouble than it is worth. Unfortunately, at this point, I will seemingly have to get another L-Visa because someone at the university that is hiring has not done his work and gotten the paperwork ready for me. Which means I will have to leave, come back, and leave again. I wonder if it is worth it? Really! TIC or TIFC! Anyway, what is the deal with Hong Kong these days? I heard that it is no longer possible to make visa runs there now. What does that leave one? Laos or Thailand I guess!
Oh Yes, And from what I understand, one needs to catch Bus # 60 to get out to the Eastern Bus Station to get the bus to Hekou or other destinations in that direction. Does anyone know where to catch the # 60 Bus in Kunming or where I can get that information? prd34
Isn`t that the truth! I was working for Rinky-Dink Language School (a pseudonym) here a few years ago, who offered to pay me I think 100 or 110 per hour for teaching and then asked to train their Chinese English teachers but then only paid 80 an hour for this. I told the principal there that I could not teach these people, who after I tried to introduce the idea of "reflective practice" via experiential learning, complained that this was "useless" and that they just wanted me to "tell them what to do." In other words, "We don`t want to think or reflect on our practice; we just want to be mindless zombies."
I did go to a conference on Experiential Education in Shanghai <www.aee.org/conferences/AEEAC2010> last year and this thinking about education is apparently starting to take off in China and it seems as if one of the language schools called Meten has taken it on board as part of their program <www.meteni.com/english/AboutUs_Experiential.aspx>, but unfortunately not with the small-minded people at Rinky-Dink Language School. LOL
I have 23 years experience teaching ESL/EFL in a wide variety of contexts (university, high school, junior high school, elementary school, kindergarten, community center, language school, etc.) and countries (Japan, Australia, China, India, Thailand). I also hold an Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) not to mention a BA in Psychology and an MA in Advanced Japanese Studies. So what do you think I should be asking for a private lesson in case someone asks me to teach them or their children?
With all this air traffic, I wonder why I never say — what are called — "chemtrails" while living in Kunming like I have in the USA, Europe, and Japan?
Good one! Hah! I met someone in Chiang Mai who was telling me that her husband was abducted by aliens. And then I met a ex-pat doctor who told me that he had a patient with a chip implanted in his spine. So who knows?
At any rate, I was just relaying an observation (the same observation that probably at least 500 other people saw that same evening) -- and not an interpretation, though it seems that my response was being prematurely interpreted. Go figure! Some people are just too smart for their own pants! :) What can you do? The "conspiracy theorist" thing had to do with research I have done on the dangers of EMR, which is pretty much an established fact. See the Bioinitiative: www.bioinitiative.org/ (two of which the authors are Chinese). However, rather than trying to find the truth about things some people would rather just try to "win the argument." peace
I posted a comment about a year ago where I described walking down WenlinJie -- about four years ago when I was visiting Kunming for the first time -- and seeing all the people on the street looking and pointing up at the sky. Some of them were taking photos with their cell phones. I looked up and saw a white light fly across the sky and immediately thought it was a meteor shower. However, the white light started hovering back. It looked like an orb of white light and it seemed to be conscious and was hovering above us. I and a group of Chinese people followed it down to Green Lake where it eventually disappeared into the clouds. However, when I posted this story, some anonymous smart ass attacked me and called me all kinds of names. When I talked to Chris about this, he decided to delete the story from this forum and commented that some "people" think I am a conspiracy theorist. However, my comments are based on both experience and research. "Conspiracy theorist" is just a word invented by certain people to keep people from truly looking at the truth. It is similar to the terms "Junk Science" or "Pseudo Science" which anyone with any critical thinking skills would realize as any "science" which threatened corportate profits. peace, prd34
With 300 new cars being added to the roads of Kunming daily, this will only be a temporary solution. In the long term, improvements in public transportation (like we have seen in Bangkok with their new subway system and tramway system) would do much more to improve the traffic situation in Kunming. High taxes on the people buying cars (and polluting the environment/contributing to global warming) and catalytic converters to halt the pollution coming from automobiles might also be a solution for keeping the city of Kunming clean and green in the near future. Then it might even be a good idea to market the city as the cleanest and greenest in China. Just because China is a developing country doesn't mean that they can't develop "Smart."
Yep! I finally made it out to the Red Star after hearing one of my colleagues rave about this place. Sorry to say that I wasn't that impressed. Didn't eat anything! Just had a Ching Tao and left.
You are right! I have changed it to a 4. But I have yet to get sick at Salvador's. The rating at Silver Spoon still holds. To make food and leave it out all day is just not Kosher! And then they have the nerve to complain about my complaint - rather than trying to change anything! At least Salvador's is open and receptive about complaints - and they are considering losing the WiFri. (When you start to develop Alzheimer's you might also agree.) Peace!
I have been patronizing this place more recently - I started mainly because I heard a rumor they were going to get rid of their WiFri (your brain), but it has yet to happen. Having said that, I have become addicted to the burritos, which from my experience so far, I would say are the best in Kunming. When they do get around to doing away with the WiFri, I hope that they also make it a non-smoking establishment (or at least in the mornings and afternoons) since it is extremely annoying to non-smokers to have smoke blowing over to where they are sitting when they are trying to enjoy their food. Yes, definitely take Mulga's advice on doing away with the WiFri (your brain). I concur!
I went to their new restaurant on WenHuaJie the other night and I have to say the food was superb - and no MSG. Real Authentic Japanese food. I had a California Roll and the Teriyaki Chicken Don. The rice was excellent - just like in Japan. I will definitely be going back to this place.
This place is a bit expensive at 50 kuai for a cup of coffee. They are indeed catering to people from out of town (mainly Japanese businessmen and tourists - who are accustomed to paying such prices who live on foreign salaries). It is not really within the means of many ex-pats who are working here in China on a Chinese salary though - except for perhaps some foreigners on pension plans and rich Chinese. Well, those are pretty much the only people you will find in a place like this since the prices are even more expensive than what you would pay in Tokyo for something comparable! Having said that though, the coffee is probably the best you will find in Kunming. Cheers!
I was disappointed with this place mainly due to the fact that I have a mold allergy and the rooms there were pretty musty smelling - and the fact that I was looking forward to staying there. We turned around and went back down the mountain and stayed at a nice little Youth Hostel near the lake instead.
Cookie Preferences
Please select which types of cookies you are willing to accept:
Mapping Yunnan's surprisingly hectic airspace
发布者saw
Mapping Yunnan's surprisingly hectic airspace
发布者With all this air traffic, I wonder why I never say — what are called — "chemtrails" while living in Kunming like I have in the USA, Europe, and Japan?
Kunming to hold UFO forum this month
发布者Chris,
Good one! Hah! I met someone in Chiang Mai who was telling me that her husband was abducted by aliens. And then I met a ex-pat doctor who told me that he had a patient with a chip implanted in his spine. So who knows?
At any rate, I was just relaying an observation (the same observation that probably at least 500 other people saw that same evening) -- and not an interpretation, though it seems that my response was being prematurely interpreted. Go figure! Some people are just too smart for their own pants! :) What can you do? The "conspiracy theorist" thing had to do with research I have done on the dangers of EMR, which is pretty much an established fact. See the Bioinitiative: www.bioinitiative.org/ (two of which the authors are Chinese). However, rather than trying to find the truth about things some people would rather just try to "win the argument." peace
Kunming to hold UFO forum this month
发布者I posted a comment about a year ago where I described walking down WenlinJie -- about four years ago when I was visiting Kunming for the first time -- and seeing all the people on the street looking and pointing up at the sky. Some of them were taking photos with their cell phones. I looked up and saw a white light fly across the sky and immediately thought it was a meteor shower. However, the white light started hovering back. It looked like an orb of white light and it seemed to be conscious and was hovering above us. I and a group of Chinese people followed it down to Green Lake where it eventually disappeared into the clouds. However, when I posted this story, some anonymous smart ass attacked me and called me all kinds of names. When I talked to Chris about this, he decided to delete the story from this forum and commented that some "people" think I am a conspiracy theorist. However, my comments are based on both experience and research. "Conspiracy theorist" is just a word invented by certain people to keep people from truly looking at the truth. It is similar to the terms "Junk Science" or "Pseudo Science" which anyone with any critical thinking skills would realize as any "science" which threatened corportate profits. peace, prd34
Major Kunming traffic arteries converted to one-way roads
发布者With 300 new cars being added to the roads of Kunming daily, this will only be a temporary solution. In the long term, improvements in public transportation (like we have seen in Bangkok with their new subway system and tramway system) would do much more to improve the traffic situation in Kunming. High taxes on the people buying cars (and polluting the environment/contributing to global warming) and catalytic converters to halt the pollution coming from automobiles might also be a solution for keeping the city of Kunming clean and green in the near future. Then it might even be a good idea to market the city as the cleanest and greenest in China. Just because China is a developing country doesn't mean that they can't develop "Smart."