Tiger, the altitude will have no serious long-term negative effects for the very great majority of people, we're simply not that high, and expanded lung capacity is generally seen as a healthy thing - the physiological limit for acclimatization (beyond which the human body simply cannot modify itself to handle the altitude) is over 5000 meters (although it can still get along for a few months - naturally this requires gradual acclimatization up to this point, and most people probably couldn't do it for even a few months) - but, at 1000 meters, we do not have anything like 1/5 of the problem, as a difference in, say, 100 meters at around 1000 meters is nothing to that of the difference at, say, 2000 or 3000. Personally I feel better here than at sea level, became acclimated long ago to Kunming's altitude (certainly wasn't difficult, I can't even remember it ever being a problem). Note that I've been here 14 years and am in my early 70s, and I grew up at about 300 meters' altitude. Do you know anybody who has developed any real health problems from the altitude here? I don't, though I guess some people with particular lung problems might have.
You're right about air pollution of Chinese cities generally, but there are plenty of cities around the world with worse air pollution than Kunming. Yes, it's worse than it was just a very few years ago, before the cars and rage for construction.
I find it really odd, and a bit amusing, that any foreigners with experience here might feel that daily life in Kunming is somehow dangerous.
A call for volunteers: Sprucing up a Kunming school for migrants kids
Posted by@vicar: OK, will be glad to hear about it. I'll be back early March.
A call for volunteers: Sprucing up a Kunming school for migrants kids
Posted byVery glad to hear of this. I won't be able to participate personally, as I'll be out of China at the time, but I encourage everybody else to (I hope that does't sound lame). Maybe there's some other way I can help out?
Migrant workers receive bricks in lieu of pay
Posted byThe workers should hold them liable with brickbats.
Migrant workers receive bricks in lieu of pay
Posted byYou pay your workers FIRST - only then do you look for money to pay other debts.
Migrant workers receive bricks in lieu of pay
Posted byAnother reason to allow ALL workers to become trade union members, with none of the bullshit about migrants from rural areas not really being 'workers' because their id cards say they are farmers. Much of china's economic 'success' has been built on the backs of such people - yeah, but...Whose success was that now?