Hey everyone,

I am scheduled to start my one-year Chinese study at Yunnan Normal University, Chenggong campus. I register on the first week of September. Is there anyone here who is studying or has also studied there?
How is the accomodation there? Living costs? Diversity? Anything?

I'd love to hear what you have to say.
Oh! This website is great!

Regards,
Peter

I lived opposite the campus a couple of years ago. It is a nice new campus. There are sports fields and either Yunnan Normal, or Yunnan Uni (2 blocks away) has a swimming pool. Yunnan normal is a nice campus to walk around, by Chinese standards.
Outside the gate there is a lively night market, food and bars are cheaper than downtown. If yo buy your vegetables from the peasants with a basket on the ground, they are very cheap. Mornings are dead, but night time is very alive.
Businesses seem to work on high turnover and low margins (cheap). There was a couple of bars run by expats. Lots of restaurants, mostly cheap. Everything worth doing, buying etc. is in the few blocks opposite the south gate. You need to walk around a bit to find things.The first block is residential, with commercial units around the perimeter, shops and restaurants. Behind that there is a commercial area full of shops and restaurants. There are 3 supermarkets, that take a bit of finding. One close to the gate, above Dicos (fast food chicken). If you fance more western cuisine, there is a place called Paris Cafe, run by a couple of French guys. Not haute cuisine, but burgers, sandwiches, pizza, coffee, beers, booze.

Thanks a lot for the quick response tiger! Based on what you say, I feel I can adapt really quick to life there.
Any pointer you can give about banking? The only bank I know there is Standard Chartered; which is also here in Kenya.

I'll be at YNNU (do locals call it Yun Shi Da?) this fall too!

Hoping there'll be opportunities to interact with local students etc.

Cheers,

Nate

That's great Nate!! I hope to see you there! I'll be there on starting 6th...

Peter

Hi, I'll be at YNNU too (Chenggong Campus) since 7. september! Hope to see U:)

Martyna

is yun she da a different uni? if 1 is at yieryi and other is at chengong, not much chance of meeting.

I think there are two universities with similar name in Kunming, "Yunnan NORMAL University" and "Yunnan University".

If you go in Yunnan Normal University you can study in two different campus, "er yi yi street Campus" or "Chendong Campus".

The first is in the city, but I think it is older and less prepared for foreign students, while in Chendong has better infrastructures but against this far from the city and contact with people of Kunming.
Next week I will go to yieryi street Campus, so I cant give my opinion, only what I read ..

Both universities have 2 campuses, one in the main city area and one in Chenggong.

I'm going to Chenggong campus. I hope to see you Martyna!! Maybe we'll be classmates! :)