Job Discussion Forums

piglet · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 22

thanks again Vikuk I will investigate Kunming further

mondrian · Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:21 pm Post subject:

piglet · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 22

thanks Mondrian (love the nic) so do you suggest another city or do you agree with the previous posters?

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

I've been in Shanghai for almost 10 years now. It has some definite plusses and minuses. PM me with ??? if you want and I'll gladly answer them.

br

mondrian · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:18 pm Post subject:

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

piglet · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 22

thanks eddy I am actually quite keen on Kunming and in fact Yunnan in general. I am just looking for specific recommendations from expert China people on the board regarding towns and even better, universities/colleges they have experience with.
I am not ready to write off any place ,and since I am at the beginning of my quest, not intending to leave for a year or thereabouts, I have lots of time to pursue all recommendations anyone here may have.
thanks to all of you for the help so far..

flutterbayou · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 244

I'm older than you but consider myself a youngie. Cool

Let me say that I had no problems with heat in Shanghai. Some of the newer buildings are installing central heat ( I know of several in the Century Park area), but when I was living there, my air conditioner affordably kept things toasty warm.

Yunnan would certainly be a lovely place to experience. At the same time, if you'd like western conveniences and a large ex-pat community with whom to get together, well... then Shanghai would be another option.

Look up joint venture projects at the various job sites. Some send students to Canada for higher education and other foundation year projects prepare their flock to go to Australia. Many of these groups would be able to use your hubby's PA background for special purposes courses.

I liked Shanghai because good hospitals can be found, banking and making overseas transactions are simpler than in less developed areas, and finding a support community is easy. In Shanghai you have opportunities to go to concerts, Broadway shows on tour, art museums, ballet... it all depends on how you like to spend your time while tasting Asian culture in gradual nibbles.

Best wishes to you.

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

Looking for jobs in Kunming is less promising than looking for a job in Shanghai, which is not exactly short of expats and expat teachers.

But looking for two vacancies in Kunming looks like the proverbial search for a needle in a haystack. To top it off, salaries are notoriously lower than in other big cities.

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

To the OP:

Some people will try to make you feel bad if you accept any wage that they wouldn't.

Pay them no mind. You owe them nothing.

Bargain for as much as you need and let everyone else worry about themselves. Regardless of what they say on chat boards, it's what they'll do the second they log off.

piglet · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 22

thank you shuize I am not easily influence by others' needs, as I know my own well enough at my age Embarassed

anyway as I said we are not looking to hang out with expats or to go to KFC but rather to get some insight into Chinese people's lives /culture, therefore we are leaning away from Shanghai etc and more in the direction of Kunming or somewhere of that kind.

beck's · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 426

You might consider Guilin. The climate is okay, the scenery is outstanding (karst mountains), the city is not too polluted and there are several universities there. Guilin is only an overnight train ride to Hong Kong and about an hour to Yangshou (a westernized tourist town and the backpacker capital of China) by bus if you need to decompress and "get out of China" for a little while. There are also direct flights from Guilin to Bangkok which makes it very convenient. From Bangkok you can easily get almost anywhere.

Kunming is also pretty cool, has great weather and they have those Across the Bridge noodles which are outstanding. Kunming is also fairly close to Dali, another stop on the GAP year field trip. On the other hand Kungming is more isolated than Guilin.

jimmymac27 · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 2

I am intereted in this thread. I would also like to know more about Kunming. I'd like to go to work in China also and Kunming sounds good. I have taught in Taiwan for 2 years so I have some experience with asia and teaching ESL. Anyone living and working in Kunming now who could give more specific info?

Pelican_Wrath · Joined: 19 May 2008 Posts: 490

Good luck finding a decent post in Kunming. I saw a job for someone with a Masters and five years' experience. It paid 5000 RMB a month.