Everyone seems focused on the 700 RMB. That's just to get me to my apartment

good. sorry if you thought I was breaking your balls over this man.

I don't not particularly expect a Western quality of living. If I did, I would have gotten a job in a large city.

Here I am going to disagree man. Try saying that after you have lived in a small traditionally chinese town, esp. in the boondocks for some time. It can become very "cabin feverish" esp. in the brutally cold and damp winter. Which leads to which part of China are you planning on working in? In South China there is zero, zip, nada in the way of indoor heating...not much fun if your on your own with just the internet for company in the sticks somewhere. At least with western supermarkets stocking a range of imported goods you can cook for yourself at home, noodles, rice and vegetables and fish and fatty pork soon become tiresome bought from the wet market. If you like all that, maximum respect to you. Horses for courses and all that jazz:)

This is a small, rural town (whose biggest business is Hong Kong businessmen on vacation). The only western things I will want are healthcare/dental (which I can get in Hong Kong, paid for with my 0 deductible international health insurance) and AIR CONDITIONING <--- #1 Everything else, I don't care.

A/C should be no problem at all, in fact if it's in Guangdong as I suspect it is, it will be standard, as springtime, summer (essential!) and even autumn can be too brutal without it. The small, rural part would bother me though. Those guys come on vacation, do business, have fun with the ktv girls, then leave. You are going to be there for a year according to contract,but as you say you have cash to leave, so no worries.

If you want to look like a vagabond, that's your choice.

Just because you wear jeans and a t shirt, doesn't make you a vagabond. Just saying the dress code is relaxed, outside of the training centres. I also own shirts and ties, but try wearing them in the summer, not much fun at all...

I also expect to do some interviews as I plan to put my engineering degrees to work as soon as possible to get a better job.

Do you know much Chinese? There are many Chinese engineers, and they are mostly working overseas, esp. in Africa and the middle east.

In the meantime, teaching English is a good way to get in country and provide a stable living location and overdressing will only help.

You may want to rent your own apartment after seeing some of the so called "stable living locations" offered in small, rural towns. Factor that into the equation. Overdressing could actually work against you, as it may cause the Chinese to perceive you as a rich laowai, and thus they will try and cut corners on you and you will be screwed. Not trying to sound all doom or gloom, not against you personally at all, just I've been here a few years, and the "tall poppies" always get trimmed down...read some of the posts on here, esp the jiujiang university thread.

I can get out if it all goes bad but I really hope it doesn't.

It shouldn't man and I wish you all the best in the world. Just remember things don't operate the same as they do in the West, and if you have done any teaching in the US/business dealings things are not inherently as they seem here. 99 percent of the time face is on the table, and you won't even know it. At the very least read doing business in China for dummies, and Mr China, just to get a heads up. You may think your boss is nice and everyone is friendly....don't trust him or so called new "friends"

Again, all the best. Hope it goes well. Just forewarned is forearmed.