As far as Hohhot being "in the middle of nowhere", I have to disagree as it is a city of 1.3 million. I have been here a little over a year and while it's no Shangrila, it has high speed internet in many places, several western restaurants(fast food and non) and lots of shopping. It is very damn cold here in the winter but hey, it's northern China. What can you expect? If you had a bad experience with a school, it was likely a bad school. I have had no problems with police but I also don't go out and get hammered nightly in the bars so I have had no issues with the police. Hohhot is no bad.