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STUDY IN CHINA: WHY YOU SHOULD LIVE IN KUNMING

It’s time to start thinking about what city you’ll choose to study in when you learn Chinese in China. With China being an absolutely massive nation, with nearly 1.4 billion people, there’s a lot to think about when deciding on your new home away from home. If you are unsure where to learn Chinese in China, you can check out this post about the best place to study Chinese in China or Keats locations across China

For many people, Kunming is their first choice. Kunming is the capital and largest city in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The city has a population of 6 million people and is the province’s cultural, political, economic, and communications center.

Students, working professionals, and retired individuals are flying from worldwide for the chance to study in Kunming.

Kunming has beautiful weather, limited air pollution, a growing population, and it’s safe. It sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it? We agree… that’s why we call this beautiful city home and hope that you will too.

In this blog post, we share the reason why learning the Chinese language in Kunming, Yunnan.

SPRING-LIKE WEATHER ALL YEAR


When you’re researching for a trip, the first thing you might do is to check the weather forecast. You’re more likely to pack your bags for a city full of sunshine instead of a city that you always need an umbrella for.

Kunming is called the “Spring City of China” due to its mildest weather among Chinese cities, which is a huge draw for hopeful Mandarin students. In the city of eternal spring, you can expect temperatures around 20-28 degrees in the summer. Warm and comfortable temperatures will continue throughout the rest of the year.

Besides the pleasant climate to enjoy studying and living in, Kunming is also a city full of vitality that you can jump into various events and activities after the class.

BUSTLING STUDENT POPULATION


Yunnan is one of the most ethnically diverse regions in China. Ethnic minorities make up 33.6% of the province’s total population, and the numbers are growing with the number of people arriving in Kunming to study Mandarin.

Did you know that in China more than 320,000 students from over 180 countries come to study Chinese.

Keats Chinese School in Kunming is one of the top Mandarin Chinese language schools and has been steadily growing in student population since it was founded. Every year students travel to China to study at Keats, and 40% of those students are returning for another year of studying.

Benefits for the Keats Students are far more than high-quality Chinese language learning programs. Besides the language programs you can enroll in at the school, you can also find a series of free online Chinese lessons conducted by Keats School to facilitate your self-study of Mandarin out of the class.

Since 2004, Keats School has helped more than 10,000 students with their Mandarin skills. Schools like Keats offer Culture classes, so students can learn Mandarin and go home with a better understanding of the Chinese culture.

LOW AIR POLLUTION


Air pollution is something that concerns a lot of people who plan to travel to China. Kunming has been named one of the top 5 cities with the least amount of air pollution, so air pollution shouldn’t be your top concern in Kunming.

Kunming’s air quality index usually rests around 42, or good. In comparison, larger cities like Beijing rests around 60, or moderate/unhealthy, LA is 61, NY is 59, and Honolulu, Toronto, and Miami all rest around 41. The people living in Kunming are satisfied with the air quality in Kunming and live a comfortable life.

These numbers do change daily. Visit Numbeo to review pollution numbers closer to the date of your departure.

NEVER-ENDING OUTDOOR ADVENTURES


There is so much to do outside in Kunming, China. The beautiful scenery, historical structures, and colorful folk customs have made Kunming one of China’s first excellent tourist destination cities.

The must-see attractions include:


With the limited air pollution and spring-like temperatures, you will want to explore your surroundings whenever you’re not studying Mandarin. Kunming gives students a unique perspective on life in China, free of excessive Westernization.

SAFETY IS KEY

Being safe is of utmost importance while studying abroad. You need to feel comfortable in your new home and your family also needs to feel at ease knowing you’re safe in your new city.

While there is a crime in every city, Kunming has an overall low crime index and a very low index for violent and hate crimes. On the website Numbeo, the level of crime for Kunming is 25/100, or low. Problem violent crimes have a rating of 16/100, or very low, and crimes based on your skin color, ethnic origin, or religion are 0/100. The worry of being broken into, mugged, robbed, or having things stolen is 33/100 or low. According to TripAdvisor, Kunming is a safe travel destination for both male and female travelers.

Working with these statistics, travelers who have been to Kunming have stated on travel forums that the city is safe, comfortable for men and women, and they aren’t fearful of crimes. Given the fact of the population in Kunming, it is worth studying Chinese in Kunming.

EXPERIENCE KUNMING


Becoming a Kunming local will be a new and fulfilling experience. Living in a new city will satisfy your need for travel, and your mind will soon become a full Mandarin machine.

When you choose Kunming as the place to learn Chinese in China, you will live and interact with locals and immerse yourself in the Chinese culture. When you learn Chinese in Kunming at Keats School, you will be taught by teachers who have comprehensive experience in teaching Chinese.

It’s the city more and more people are calling their abroad home. Will it be yours?

 

FAQ

How many population live in Kunming?

As of 2019, Kunming has 7 districts, 3 counties, 1 county-level city, and 3 autonomous counties under its jurisdiction, with a total area of 21,473 square kilometers, a built-up area of 483.52 square kilometers, and a permanent population of 6.95 million. The urban population is 5,115,200, and the urbanization rate is 73.6%.

What is the climate of Kunming?

Kunming has a subtropical plateau mountain monsoon climate in northern latitudes and low latitudes. Due to the influence of the warm and humid airflow from the southwest of the Indian Ocean, Kunming has a long sunshine time, short frost period, an annual average temperature of 15°C, average annual sunshine of about 2,200 hours, and a frost-free period of more than 240 days. Kunming has a mild climate, no scorching heat in summer, no severe cold in winter, and a pleasant climate in all seasons. The annual precipitation is 1035mm. It has the characteristics of a typical temperate climate. The urban temperature is between 0 and 29°C. Such climatic characteristics are rare across the world.

What about the cuisine of Kunming?

As the capital city of Yunnan Province, Kunming gathers special dishes from all parts of Yunnan, which are not only delicious but also allow you to appreciate the characteristics of different ethnic minority dining cultures. There are several typical dishes that you cannot miss, such as cross-bridge rice noodles, fried potatoes, pickled fruits and vegetables, steamed rice roll, wild mushroom, and rose flower cake.

What can you do in Kunming after the class?

Kunming is a large city that embraces both traditional architecture and modern cultures. You can enjoy lots of events and activities outside of the classroom when learning Chinese in Kunming. You may attend the cultural classes organized by Keats School to learn Chinese cooking, calligraphy, and handcrafts; you can also choose to do various outdoor and indoor activities that are locally trendy; touring, and sightseeing can relax you down from the intensive language learning; local gourmet and cuisine exploration could be the most enjoyable experience when learning Chinese in Kunming.

How to get to Kunming?

Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan province that is easy to reach via taking a flight or taking an express train. It boasts the fifth largest international airport in China. Taking off from Beijing takes about 4 hours of flying to arrive in Kunming; it takes about 3.5 hours to fly from Shanghai to Kunming. The express train takes about 12 hours from Shanghai to Kunming, while it takes about  11 hours from Beijing to Kunming.

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OVER 7300+ STUDENTS HAVE STUDIED AT KEATS

Joep

Joep | Netherlands

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I have been to Keats School to learn Chinese for 4 times now. The reason for coming back to this school is pretty much that the teachers I did work with were very good Chinese teachers. I make it a 5-year plan or even a 10-year plan to come back to this school.  All the teachers have methods of looking at what your skills are. They are aware of at what level you are. I think it is worth for everyone.

Aliza

Aliza | USA

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I found Keats School and I am so glad that I did. When you learn Chinese in China at Keats, you are fully being taken care of. My teacher is really great and we become lovely friends.

Sarah

Sarah | USA

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

My name is Sarah Fish. I am 81. I knew very little Chinese when I arrived. How was I going to survive 2 weeks of intensive Chinese course? I have to laugh when I think of that now. What a positive experience this has been! I really wish we could be here a little longer. The teachers are extremely encouraging, evaluating first how much someone knows, and then starting from there.

Judith

Judith | USA

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

Listening and speaking in the classroom every day has improved my communication skills. After three weeks, my new words and sentences became more and more natural and fluent. Now I am used to thinking in Chinese, and I understand better what other people say, to be able to have real conversations with other people.

Liam

Liam | UK

HSK Test Preparation Course

Last year I started studying Chinese at University. The reason that I came here is that currently, I’m preparing for the HSK 5 test. Also, I heard that this is one of the best schools to study Mandarin in China. After I came here I realized that Kunming is a pretty cool city to live in and with regards to the teachers’ teaching methods, I think they’re very professional. And I think the language environment is good so now I’m ready to take the HSK 5.

Claudia

Claudia | Australia

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I’ve been at Keats school and Kunming now for one month doing the one-on-one Chinese lessons with two different teachers. I really enjoy it. Both of my teachers are very friendly and patient. They really helped me to improve my Chinese, both of my reading and speaking. I really enjoy studying Chinese in Kunming as well. This city is really beautiful and the weather is nice, the air is clean. It’s one of the best cities in China to study Chinese.

Josephine

Josephine | Indonesia

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I think Keats is one of the best language schools I have ever been to. My teacher is such an amazing person. She is so good at teaching. She makes classes fun. I have learned a lot of vocabulary during my time here. I would really recommend coming to learn Mandarin Chinese at Keats School.

Kim

Kim | UK

Intensive One-on-One Chinese Classes

I’ve had an amazing time at Keats. I am amazed at how much I’ve learned over the last 3 weeks and I will be really sad to go. We are already planning on our next trip of coming back because we had such a fantastic time here. They really tailor the Chinese language course to you and your individual needs.

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