User profile: veravdn

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Type o negative blood

Type 0 negative blood is rare, and especially so in China. We can only receive blood from other type 0 negatives so we're quite limited, and it could be an acute problem in case of emergency.

If you are also type 0 negative and would like to know others (just in case) please send me your WeChat and I'll add you to a group.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Long term health (feeling)

@Dolphin

My health has suffered mostly from more than a year of bicycle travel and the illnesses I picked up on the way before I came to China.

Speaking of ridiculous (straw man alert): of course my own country has fruit and veg, but here it is abundant and a lot more affordable, so yes I am enjoying that. And the good weather, the opportunity to go out into the countryside etc as I also pointed out, and glad I am slowly getting back to good health.

As for my mental well being, well what do you know? I am in fact very happy here, quite unlike some of the regular narky commenters in the forum it seems ;-)

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Forums > Living in Kunming > The importance of TEFL

I did an online TEFL course while I was travelling, to increase my chances of getting a teaching job.

You get what you pay for: it's cheap, it's not rocket science, still it's a nice refresher on how to structure your lessons, grammar etc. It definitely made me feel more confident going into job interviews and demos, and you tick one more box for having a TEFL certificate.

I did this one, which I thought was very good value for money as they offer a lot of extra resources apart from the course itself:

www.i-to-i.com/tefl-courses/level-3/

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Transferring more than 500USD in one day

Update: it is possible to do a bank transfer abroad for more than 500USD per day. I changed RMB to euro cash with a money changing lady, went to the bank, deposited the whole amount into my BOC account and transferred it in one go to my Dutch account. It took an hour and a half, it was expensive in fees (30 euro on the Dutch side + 350 RMB on this side, gah)

but I only had to show my passport and my BOC bank card. Worthwhile for larger amounts for sure.

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Thank you! I've found it an interesting and enlightening experience. Much love to all of the (Go)Kunming community and I'm looking forward to connecting with you in new and different ways. I'll continue to contribute articles but will focus on my own cultural exchange projects. Thanks again for the well-wishes.

Hi @pjn54, I've done a fair bit of cycling (and taking buses with bicycles) around Yunnan. I don't know if there is such a thing as an official policy on taking bicycles on buses. Usually, when you show up at a bus station or wave a bus down, you can take it with you. Either in the hold or on the rooftop, depending on how much space there is and what kind of bus it is. Travelling around national holidays will make this more difficult, but outside holidays I've never had a problem. It helps if you show you are accommodating, by taking the panniers off and maybe even the pedals and twisting the handlebars so it takes up less space. It also helps to keep your bike in one piece, if you are helping with putting it in the hold or on the roof.

Hi @kc430 I always have a few reusable bottles with me that fit in the bottle holders on my frame or I stick them under the bungee traps at the back. I try not to buy bottled water for the plastic waste but fill up whenever I can at restaurants etc. Next to that I have a UV water purifier so I can drink water from streams if need be, but this is hardly an issue in China since there are villages and towns everywhere where you can fill up.

Reviews

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Disclaimer: manager/chef/decorator Pat & Sarah are my friends. Apart from running a lovely and affordable guesthouse, they are also working insanely hard at serving delicious tacos and cocktails and more home-cooked goodness, organising community events at all hours (from craft markets to USA sports events to film nights to debates). The rooftop is a sunny roost where you can often find Kunmings finest chatting an afternoon or evening away. Thanks for creating this wonderful place Pat & Sarah! You're superstars.

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During my last trip to Lijiang I joined Carol, the lovely Singaporean owner of Jayden Lodge, for a Kundalini yoga class. The traditional wooden and stone guesthouse and yoga studio are grouped around a small and quiet courtyard, right at the edge of Shuhe and the hills, so it's very quiet and peaceful. Carol and her husband and small son live here too so it's bit like a homestay. There are only a few spacious rooms for guests. Carol and her husband are excellent hosts, serving breakfast, coffee and tea in the courtyard. They also organize small group tours around Yunnan.

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I went for an old ankle/foot injury that was playing up. The problem was thoroughly checked with ultrasound. I got a good diagnosis, advice regarding exercise and stretching and a plan for treatment, a combination of high-tech and TCM. It's not cheap but well worth it. Very friendly and great translation service too.

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This is a special place! A bit hard to find since it's tucked away in an upper floor of a shopping mall, but well worth it for the amazing food. The focus is on quality, health and well-being and the extensive organic menu has something for everyone, including juices, good coffee, a lot of vegetarian and gluten free options. Nicole (one of the owners) is a wonderful host, she speaks English and is happy to talk about the philosophy behind the menu.

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Hands down the best bike shop in town.

They are experts at repairs and usually do it on the spot. They have helped out a lot of my bike touring friends who would arrive without notice and were good to go in no time.

They are super friendly and organize weekly bike rides.

They also sell all kinds of good brand bikes: kids, touring, MTB, road. Also very well stocked for high quality accessories, tools, spare parts and bike clothes.

Not the cheapest but well worth it as they always do a great job.