Yes, and you're going to need the Chinese anyway. I've noticed that many English teachers here who don't already know much of any Chinese when they start teaching tend not to learn all that much later, either.
I think ricsnap exaggerates a bit about the public bikes for people 1.55 or shorter, tho if you're particularly tall you might not find them comfortable. Probably better to buy one here, although bicycle theft is not uncommon.
JTefl: Suggest you come, look around, find a job first; then you'll have to jump through all the hoops that have been mentioned above annoying, but do-able with a decent local employer, which, I suggest, you identify in person, possibly with some advice from foreign English teachers already here. Bring any & every paper you may have that might be asked for to prove your experience, academic qualifications, etc. Bureaucratic paperwork & short visa run to Hong Kong is not as bad as being hired by the wrong folks & then be stuck working for them for a year or whatever.
Not all that much of a hill.
@Hammer: Your first question: No.
Second question: Indeed a valid consideration.
3rd: very few, but I don't know any who feel the need to own a car, or who even want to buy property.
About sqm prices in the areas you mention: I don't know, will accept the numbers you give, but there are other numbers for other areas and other styles of housing.
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Not quite what you'd call a jumping place, but not bad at all for rather standard US-type meals, not overly expensive, and with a really good salad bar that's cheap, or free with most dinner dishes after 5:30PM. You can get a bottle of beer or even wine if you really want to, but I've never seen anybody do it - maybe that's just to take out. Chinese Christian run, and they hire people with physical disadvantages, who are pleasant and helpful. Frequented by foreign (mostly North American) Christians and Chinese Christians - was started by a Canadian couple associated with Bless China (previously, Project Grace), who are no longer here, but no religious pressure or any of that. Steaks are nothing special, and I avoid the Korean dishes, which I've had a few times but which did not impress me.
As a shop and bakery, it's very good bread at reasonable prices, of various kinds (Y18 for a good multigrain loaf that certainly weighs well over a pound. Other stuff too, like granola and oatmeal that is local, as well as imported things, including American cornflakes and so forth, which some people seem to require.
Large portions, seriously so with the pizza, which is Brooklyn/American style, I guess. Convivial, conversational, good place to drink with good folks on both sides of the bar, especially after about 9PM.
Too bourgeois.
Really good pizza and steaks. The wine machine fuddles me when I'm a bit fuddled, & seems unnecessary. Good folks on both sides of the bar.
Ain't no flies on Salvador's.
Counting down Kunming's Top Ten Smells
发布者Don't worry about it.
Counting down Kunming's Top Ten Smells
发布者Yeah, well, it's perhaps useful to tourists and very new arrivals.
Counting down Kunming's Top Ten Smells
发布者Wet markets, smells - yeah, but not all bad. Cf. sterile supermarkets.
Counting down Kunming's Top Ten Smells
发布者Nice article, Ginger, and on a subject that one might not think about until, once one does, it's obvious that it should be explored.
The point about foreigners particularly applies, as you indicate, to people from milk-product-using 'western' countries and, as you indicate, it is one picked up in some southeast Asian countries as well - but foreigners from other areas will be pegged also (e.g., South Asians who use many different 'curry' spices, etc., that are not used so much in China).
And then there is the widespread smell of tobacco, noticeable primarily by those foreigners who don't use it. Baijiu has a particular smell also.
Food and Drug Administration issues southern China alcohol alert
发布者Those responsible should have their faces publicly rubbed in the dirt.