I don't know what your teaching experience is or what sort of career move you are hoping for but 5000 a month is enough to live comfortably in Kunming including rent, travel, eating out in Wenlin area at least once a week, buying foreign products like olive oil and cheese etc. It shouldn't be a problem. However saving is not as easy. Why don't you consider asking for a package with benefits included such as an annual return flight to your home country, rent allowance, bills allowance, health insurance etc.? Your employer can pay these items as a business expense so it is preferable for them. Benefits like that can greatly increase your monthly spending money.

that's really sad that market is closing. i have used that one a lot for tahini, peanut butter, nuts and rubing.

esther i suggest the closest market that sells goat cheese is probably the one near the art university. if you follow the train tracks away from the Hong Shan Dong Lu market (away from Jian She Lu), cross the big road and under the next junction (beside Think UK) there is a big market which is on both sides of the train tracks. If you come that way there are a few stalls in the right hand side which sell goat cheese, beef, tofu etc. it doesn't have everything though, none of that tasty muslim bread stuff, or good oats, or peanut butter...

Are you referring to the trade fair? The market stalls on Zheng Yi Lu tend to be temporary every few months. As far as I know anyway. I used to go past there every day for 6 months and those fairs are only up for a few weeks at a time.

If you want tahini and peanut butter there is a lady who sells them at the weekends in the large market beside the train tracks between Jian Shi Lu and Hong Shan Dong Lu. She is on the right as you go in from Hong Shan Dong Lu and she makes them herself.

Hi Ian, I think the wholemeal flour in Wicker Basket is the best value around. I have only been to the West one but I'm sure they have it in the North one too. Not sure about Rye flour.

hi rossa, i have been considering starting to do some writing. maybe something a bit academic, more than fiction. but it might be cool to get a group going. what day/ tome are you thinking? evenings/ weekends suit me better.

i think there already is a reading group ahppening somewhere in Kunming.