Hi,
Ok, so I've been planning my trip there for some time now, and I have researched the area and such but I do have some noob questions that ONLY gokumingers can answer.
1. Do I need a Malaria shot?
2. Will $1800 USD be enough for an apartment (one bedroom+ furnishings)
**6 months deposit including extra fees**
3. How's the weather usually for April?(deciding on what to pack)
4. Are there any areas to avoid?
5. What do YOU personally like or dislike about Kunming?
6. Do they really stare? lol
all your info is greatly appreciated!
1. No. Seriously, no.
2. Probably/possibly but it won't be flash.
3. Getting hotter and incredibly dry. We just had a cold snap when the temp dropped to about 6 degrees overnight. Bring a single light coat you will be fine but be prepared to buy more come winter.
4. No. Kundu at night time possibly but Kunming (and most of China) is very safe for violent crime particularly against foreigners.
5. Search on this site or read more.
6. Yes but you get used to it.
The most important thing about coming to China and the thing that seperates people that can live here for a while vs those that can't is having an easy going acceptance of things that are different. Everything is done differently here and most of it doesn't make sense to a western person. If you just roll with it and come to appreciate and enjoy the differences you will survive without too much drama. If you begin raging against everything you won't last long and won't enjoy your time here. Be prepared to be forced to do/experience stuff that doesn't make any sense to you.
Oh and regarding number 2 - my advice would be to live with someone in a shared apartment. Its cheaper and they can help you settle in easier by explaining stuff to you that won't make any sense! Plus it will probably give you an instant social circle, very important here to have contacts!
Agree with Blobbles last post, about the need for a social group to plug in to. Unless you are a barfly, you can feel very isolated. And roomies will help you find markets and other needed things when you first land.
The only other advice.
If you are territorial, you will find things difficult here. There is no sense of social space, or bodyspace, people push into queues, people (pedestrians, bike motorbikes, cars) will cut you up on the road, on the pavement, going through doors. I have almost been run over by a van on a shop doorway.
If you are a generally trusting person, you will need to change. Trust no one. Relationships here are very utilitarian, people are only nice if they think they can be off value. If strangers are being very nice, be very cautious.
thanks! so is even though it wouldn't be flashy, will it get me a decent place or is that towards the slum areas? So, it does rain there right? I read online that it rains there for more than 4 months straight. I intend to study at the Uni there,so I'll make contacts that way. I guess since you cleared most of things to worry about the only thing I would really need to know is if the amount will get me into a decent place for the first 6 months. I looked on km58, but I'm not sure if the advertisements are genuine. Any insight?
It rains intermittently here starting in June but doesn't really kick off until September/October (correct me if I am wrong people but that's how it seemed last year... likely global warming is screwing with weather patterns...). The government wished it rained for 4 months straight but its highly unlikely. We are in a 10 year or so drought! And you are at almost 2000m so its a dry alpine air up here. Humidifiers are sold in most department stores, put it that way.
Most stuff on km58 that I have seen is real, not sure why people would fake advertise their house? But again... live with people. You life will be easier, trust us. You simply can't do stuff here like you can in the west and you will need help especially if your Chinese is poor. People don't give a toss about your problems, in general, if you aren't their friend/house mate as tiger pointed out so won't even consider helping you. Plus its cheaper and has other benefits. This goes along the lines of what tiger is saying about losing your personal space requirements. Living with people you don't know and sharing stuff is a big help in relieving you of your need for space, which is what it appears you are after by saying you need a 1 bedroom apartment.
You can not listen to advice and make the same mistakes as hundreds before you if you want but don't tell us we didn't warn you.
Short term leases are a problem. They landlords usually want you to sign up for a year, some want to be paid upfront. Flat sharing removes this problem. It also has the flexibility of allowing you to move out.
Living in the uni accom for the first semester, until you work out how things work here, is also a safe bet.
There are no real slum areas in the cities, not like Jakarta, or Mumbai. There is however a lot of crappy accommodation. Cheap places won't have 24hr hot water. Most places at the moment don't have 24 hour running water (drought measure) btw. The places that have ads in English should be OK, they can handle non-chinese.
When you look at costs of accom. It does not stop with rent. There are utilities (including metered water), and building management fees. Tap water is not pottable and so budget for drinking water (in some areas use for cooking and coffee), 19Ltr water cooler bottles are 10rmb.
@tiger
@blobbles
I thought short term leases were 3 month leases and the regular asking price was 6 months rent up front with service fees.I have no problem paying upfront. I have read a lot of blogs and have seen that people are only paying $125 -$200 usd for basic* accommodation, Are they lying? I also saw that most foreigners dont want to live like locals, and go spend mass amounts of money just because things are cheaper there. I don't intend to do that. If I can find a place that is cheap for the first 6 months then I'll be fine.. If the ads on km58 are not fake (and I said fake because I was also advised that China is the land of fakes) then there are many options to choose from.
I don't want to stay with roommates for personal reasons, one of them being that their lives would impact me somehow ie: partying, girlfriends/boyfriends etc.. I don't have time for that kind of drama. I would only like to focus on my studies. Anything else would be a distraction. - One question though, how would my life be easier if I shared rooms?-
Exactly what things will I not be able to do? All I do is study.. I don't drink, party or just do foolish things. I don't understand why I would need anyone to take care of my problems? Completely lost me on that one..
So all in all, is $1800 usd enough to get a decent apartment for 6 moths? I mean, how much money did you have when you first moved to Kun Ming? How much do you pay now?
@tiger
@blobbles
I thought short term leases were 3 month leases and the regular asking price was 6 months rent up front with service fees.I have no problem paying upfront. I have read a lot of blogs and have seen that people are only paying $125 -$200 usd for basic* accommodation, Are they lying? I also saw that most foreigners dont want to live like locals, and go spend mass amounts of money just because things are cheaper there. I don't intend to do that. If I can find a place that is cheap for the first 6 months then I'll be fine.. If the ads on km58 are not fake (and I said fake because I was also advised that China is the land of fakes) then there are many options to choose from.
I don't want to stay with roommates for personal reasons, one of them being that their lives would impact me somehow ie: partying, girlfriends/boyfriends etc.. I don't have time for that kind of drama. I would only like to focus on my studies. Anything else would be a distraction. - One question though, how would my life be easier if I shared rooms?-
Exactly what things will I not be able to do? All I do is study.. I don't drink, party or just do foolish things. I don't understand why I would need anyone to take care of my problems? Completely lost me on that one..
So all in all, is $1800 usd enough to get a decent apartment for 6 moths? I mean, how much money did you have when you first moved to Kun Ming? How much do you pay now?
@tiger
@blobbles
I thought short term leases were 3 month leases and the regular asking price was 6 months rent up front with service fees.I have no problem paying upfront. I have read a lot of blogs and have seen that people are only paying $125 -$200 usd for basic* accommodation, Are they lying? I also saw that most foreigners dont want to live like locals, and go spend mass amounts of money just because things are cheaper there. I don't intend to do that. If I can find a place that is cheap for the first 6 months then I'll be fine.. If the ads on km58 are not fake (and I said fake because I was also advised that China is the land of fakes) then there are many options to choose from.
I don't want to stay with roommates for personal reasons, one of them being that their lives would impact me somehow ie: partying, girlfriends/boyfriends etc.. I don't have time for that kind of drama. I would only like to focus on my studies. Anything else would be a distraction. - One question though, how would my life be easier if I shared rooms?-
Exactly what things will I not be able to do? All I do is study.. I don't drink, party or just do foolish things. I don't understand why I would need anyone to take care of my problems? Completely lost me on that one..
So all in all, is $1800 usd enough to get a decent apartment for 6 moths? I mean, how much money did you have when you first moved to Kun Ming? How much do you pay now?
