Posted: 金, 2007-02-09 09:46 | 件名: Though I haven't done this

Though I haven't done this myself, I know that it will be a lot easier once you're here. In Kunming, you probably want to ask around the Wenlin Jie/Yunnan Daxue area. I'm not as sure about Dali.

I have heard that it's a bit harder to just show up and find a job in Kunming than in other places in China due to its popularity with expats, but I'm sure it's possible.

Anyone else know?

Posted: 金, 2007-02-09 16:18 | 件名: hi melo. I've lived in

hi melo. I've lived in Kunming for a few years. Assuming you would be looking for an english teaching job, you'd have no trouble just arriving and beginning your job hunt from KM. There's plenty of schools always looking for teachers, but like anywhere, there's probably just a handful of schools you'd want to work for. Dali is obviously much smaller, but I'd think that the same thing would work for Dali too. Re: KM, I have friends working at Robert's School on YiErYi Dajie and they seem to enjoy it; I've heard some good and some pretty bad things about English First in KM; etc. etc.  If you're looking for any specifics let me know. Are you still in Sichuan now?

Posted: 金, 2007-02-09 17:03 | 件名: thank you

thanks for the reply. Yes, i'm still in Sichuan. Chengdu. but yes. from what i have read i think i would have a much better chance of finding english teaching job in Kunming. How about accomodation? plus the fact that am from Botswana? are Kunming schools dead set on employing teachers based on passport nationality?  thank you again. 

Posted: 月, 2007-02-12 21:40 | 件名: Some schools offer

Some schools offer accomodation, but since the new semester is starting in the next few weeks, it's always a busy time to be finding places to live, because anything 'good' goes fast or gets passed on through friends. The best times to be looking are around June and in December, when school semesters are nearing their end.

But of course there are lots of places for rent... If you think you'd be staying a while, you can use an agency, they're all over Kunming, and they all charge a months rent for 'helping' you find a place, but you can bargain that down. A decent two bedroom near the uni district is between 750-1100yuan, depending on whether it is already furnished and how falling apart it is. Of course, you can go way above that too. One good thing is that it's common to pay 3 months or even 1 month at a time, instead of 6 months or 1 year at a time as it was in the past, but if you use an agency, they will want their cut.

 As for finding work, as long as a person's english isn't accented too heavily I don't think it should be a problem. I have friends here that have taught from all over the world, all skin colours, etc. etc...