I'm sure there may be some threads on this somewhere but wanted to see if anyone has recent/current experiences with the Chinese programs at Yunda. I'm planning to be in Kunming this summer (I'm a semi-resident of Yunnan for at least a few months every year as a graduate student conducting research). This summer I have a grant from my university to take language classes at Yunda for six weeks, though I've has some trouble getting any definitive info out of them about their programs.

Their website clearly states that even during summer vacations they regularly offer 1-1 student to instructor lessons in Mandarin and that one can request such instruction at any time. However when I sent them application paperwork they responded after I indicated my desired study period was from June through August that school is not in session in in July and August and they would only invite me for the one month in June. That part is not a problem since I have plenty of colleagues at various places who can invite me for an F visa. But, what concerns me is whether or not Yunda's Foreign Studies school will actually live up to what they say and allow me to register for 1-1 lessons after June because my grant is predicated on me actually taking Chinese classes for a total of six weeks while in China? Anyone have experience with them on this? When I wrote back to the office there after their explanation regarding my application and explained my intentions I simply got no response and when I had a colleague from a research institute at the university call them for me they told her that they were not going to accept my application unless I altered it to be for only one month since there are no formal classes in July. Any thoughts? Seems like the typical Chinese bureaucracy I've come to know after many years but I just want to have some idea that I won't show up in June and then have them tell me that they don't offer any mandarin lessons or something to that effect.

Per my previous post try Expedia's U.S. site rather than Elong (which they own). Unlike Travelocity and others more often than not they also won't charge a service fee and your credit card will be directly billed to the airline. Plus good prices of course.

Assuming you mean expedia.com, elong.net is actually an expedia company now, so it serves as their China based website. The real Expedia is actually my website of choice for travel in China now because they have the same prices (in USD) as elong and you can pay with a US credit card and not pay a service fee for using an international card as you would with elong. I just get to expedia through my VPN (also for secuity with credit card use) but I'm sure you should be able to figure out some way to get to the US based site.

I get the same type of build up occasionally which I have to get cleaned out, hereditary from my mom I'm afraid. The last time this happened I happened to be down in Chiang Mai actually and there it seems the hospitals all have standard ENT clinics with the pressure washers. If you really want to be safe about it, Thailand would be a good bet.

The doctor I saw in Thailand was actually pretty funny about the whole thing (though he kind of stereotyped me). When I mentioned I seem to get this problem occasionally and that it comes from my mother he actually then said in his experience wax build ups are a problem for western people but not something he typically saw in Asian patients.

Seems you're already there but I definitely recommend Rent-A-Room Hong Kong in the Jordan area for future trips, which can be booked on Expedia. It is about the price of a Best Western and while the rooms are small (typical anywhere in HK) they are immaculately clean and the staff is also very friendly. Free Wi-Fi, business center computers in the lobby area, and plenty of great food nearby.