Personally I don't think separating students based on nationality, culture, ethnicity or race should occur, even if it supposedly helps with teaching. I have been studying Chinese in a classroom full of only Lao students, and it is a wonderful experience to be around them, as they are studious, quiet and friendly. Last year there was another foreigner in my class from Norway who was also very pleasent and friendly aswell as a disruptive student from Laos that rarely showed up to class and was eventually kicked out of China for starting fights with authority.

While I'm not satisfied with the service at my university either, I have come to expect relatively little and now I try to attend class as much as possible since it does help you improve your Chinese. However, the best option is to make Chinese friends, get around so that you can use Chinese in a practical setting, and study by yourself at home using online materials such as videos etc. All of these have generally benefited me much more than attending classes.

By the way, I have been studying at Yunnan University of Nationalities. I would recommend Yunnan Normal over my one, although a small class of American students at the new campus of YNU are quite satisfied with their program since there are only 2 students in that class and thus they receive significant one on one interaction. Perhaps those of you interested in studying Chinese in Kunming could see if a small, private class at one of the universities might also be an option for you.

Also, there seems to be a return air ticket requirement for Chinese citizens to be able to apply for a Thai tourist visa (actually, this requirement is in effect in general for every foreigner except for citizens of neighboring countries) however, I believe the Kunming consulate enforces this on Chinese citizens, but probably not other foreigners. Therefore, if your girlfriend was planning on travelling overland, she probably won't be issued with a tourist visa. The only way she could make an overland journey to Thailand and stay for 2 months would be to travel down to Vientiane, Laos first and pick up a Thai visa there (air ticket is unlikely to be required, particularly not for first-time or irregular applicants), but this is a lengthy and expensive detour..especially if she wants to visit you in Chiang Mai. Secondly, she would need to get a Lao visa in advance too as Chinese authorities won't let her apply for a Lao visa on arrival.

Well in that case it would be rather expensive taking a flight, especially since you won't be travelling alone. Kunming-Jinghong flights start at like 400 or 500 Yuan if booked in advance, don't know about child discounts but even that looks like it's too expensive in your case.

To save money on the Lao overland section, you'll need to catch a bus rather than charter a vehicle. Catch a direct bus from Mengla or Luang Nam Tha. Jinghong-Huay Xai services exist but are said to be rather unreliable; Mengla (Muang La) is a better bet. A very rough guide for prices would be around 250 Baht per person from Luang Nam Tha to Huay Xai. This may have changed since fuel prices are higher than when I last made this journey, and next time I will be driving a Lao car rather than catching a bus.

My friends told me that in January, they (a whole group of 7 people) chartered a vehicle from Boten to Huay Xai for 3,500 Baht. This is roughly 800 Yuan after getting off the Kunming-Vientiane bus at the border. Since that bus does not pass through LNT, but rather Udom Xai, this allowed them to cross from China to Thailand within 4-5 hours. After leaving Kunming around 7 or 8pm (China time), they arrived at the Thai border at 3pm the next day.

What's your country of citizenship? Thai, other ASEAN, Swiss and Luxembourg citizens don't need a Lao visa. Not sure about Russians, but I think they may be eligible too. Many other countries can buy a Lao visa on arrival, except China, which requires their citizens to buy a Lao visa in advance.

The boat is OK too, although it doesn't run daily and might take a day or so to reach Thailand (going down river to Thailand is faster than the other way round). Still, I doubt it would be faster than going overland since the roads in both China and Laos have greatly improved, though it does sound more convenient.

You could also save a bit of time by flying to/from Jinghong and Kunming, making the overland journey only between Chiang Mai and Jinghong. If booked in advance, flights to Jinghong can be quite cheap and they save you the torturous bus journey up and down the mountains from Kunming. On the other hand, it's still a long haul from Jinghong to Chiang Mai, and by bus the journey from Chiang Khong to Chiang Mai takes more like 5-6 hours, not just 4. The direct flight from Kunming to Chiang Mai is offered 3 times weekly, however, prices are quite high considering the distance (usually around 3000 Yuan round-trip) so check out if there are any discounts, otherwise it's usually cheaper, but certainly a long way round, if you fly THAI via Bangkok.

In Thailand for example, you go to your local computer shopping mall and find out which ones buy back used laptops...they usually give a fair price and every second store seems to offer this service. I would be puzzled if you couldn't do the same in China, including Kunming. Go to the computer shopping malls located near Yunnan University of Nationalities and find out. It will depend how old your laptop is. If your laptop is very old, no one will want it, but if it's like up to maybe 4-5 years old you should be OK.

In developed countries the mentality is different, which explains why no one, except perhaps pawnshops (but they'll give you a horrible price) will buy back any used electrical appliances...and they probably won't even look at a 2 year old laptop!