Most of our time over the next year will be based in Shanghai. I don't think I would have committed to this much time in Shanghai if I hadn't already had a month-long experience of living in Shanghai last year. That extended trial period let me know what we were getting into and if I could be comfortable here for an extended time. Luckily, I didn't find it to be that much different than living in NYC. There are occasional language barriers and payment issues, but nothing that can't be overcome with the Google Translate App and ATMs.
I am not authorized to work locally in China with my current VISA, but I can still work with clients in the United States and consult or do distance healing work for clients in other parts of the world online. Alex is authorized to work with NYU Shanghai during the summer semester, and as a fellow-in-residence during the fall. His arrangement with NYU Shanghai is largely what makes it easier for us to live here for an extended time and to have an apartment in the city.
Speaking of apartment, we have a nice one in a fairly new building and newer residential and business district that was likely built in the last decade and after tearing down some old industrial buildings. The subway line next to us is brand new and everything feels trendy and modern on our block. Just across the street everything feels more like 20-30 years old and not as highly maintained. I get the sense that this is how it is in a lot of places- a developer will take over one block, tear everything down, build a brand new block, and right across the street something may look like its barely hanging on.
Last year we lived in the same neighborhood and we've already seen quite a bit of change over the course of one year. Kind of like the way that artists move into a shabby neighborhood and make it more appealing to live it, it seems like developers who place a bunch of Western brands into a development may also make it more appealing to visit or live in for wealthier Chinese families. Eventually the Westernized things are overtaken by more Chinese things because it still needs to serve traditional tastes and sensibilities even while it pushes toward globalization.
Unlike Europe, where I can count on all the regular maps and apps like Yelp, Facebook, and Uber - I often need to spend time loading apps that are specific to navigating China. To help other travelers, here are the apps I generally have to load right away to make life easier in China. These are all things that don't require a VPN to use and access on WiFi networks, which makes a big difference:
Apple Maps
This gives me public transport navigation instructions for China in English and has been the most reliable map I've found for the iPhone. In the instagram post below, I've posted some other options for Android users.
WeChat
Most people in China use WeChat like the Western world uses Facebook, Instagram, and What'sApp. Most people use it to message and chat. On the subway you'll see everyone messaging or scrolling WeChat. I was able to find a few wellness groups and reiki practitioners to connect with through WeChat groups for upcoming events to attend in the city or wellness classes taught by people who speak English. Most restaurants take orders and payment through WeChat as well, but until WeChat will accept connections to foreign bank accounts, foreigners will generally need to rely on getting cash from an ATM instead of payment by WeChat.
Google Translate
Thank goodness for being able to load the Chinese translation software offline in Google Translate. I can hold my phone up to a menu and figure out what I might be ordering before randomly pointing to something. I use it almost daily to figure out how to use the air conditioning remote or how to read the instructions for something written entirely in Mandarin.
DiDi
This is local version of Uber. It's more convenient than attempting to speak to a taxi driver who likely will not understand you and most Didi cars tend to be driven by younger men, who may even have been required to learn English at some point. There's an English version of the app and it gives you real time info so you can know how far off the beaten path your driver may be going, just like Uber.
Bon App!
This is the local version of Yelp, but designed for expats who can't readily make use of Dianping, which is the true local Mandarin version of Yelp. Bon App also recently struck a deal with TaoBao, which like like the local version of Amazon Prime. This deal means that expats can order household items and clothing to be delivered from TaoBao with foreign bank accounts through the Bon App.
Sherpa
Restaurant and fast food delivery services as well as movie tickets to local movie theaters. At this point, I have yet to fully try this app out, but so far the variety of options locally available are much more promising for food delivery and movie theatre tickets than what I found available in the Bon App. You may not need this app if you're just staying at a hotel or in the area for less than a month, but I know there's going to come a point where we're just going to want to be lazy and not have to deal with going out, and this will come in handy.
VPN Service
You really only need this if you want to use Google Maps, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This is something you have to get in advance before you get to Shanghai, and it usually requires an app of some kind. There are many apps for VPN service and they are constantly changing, so I'm just going to suggest doing your own research on that.
InterNations
This is an expat networking and meetup app which also has helpful local tips. There are now chapters all over the world, and if you do tend to travel for work, this can be a helpful local resource for connecting with real people who may be able to help you figure some things out locally.
Speaking of InterNations & Expats, we made it out to our first InterNations expat meetup in Shanghai this week. My comments about the experience are shared in the Instagram post above, but it was pretty much what I expected it would be. Other options we're considering to make meaningful connections while we're here are through taking cooking classes, expat foodie tours, or language classes. Expat life can be lonely without making some local connections beyond work colleagues, so it's nice to have each other, but it's also nice to have other people to get together with too. I've found that often the biggest factor in feeling "at home" anywhere in the world is the development of friendships beyond work and family.
I am not authorized to work locally in China with my current VISA, but I can still work with clients in the United States and consult or do distance healing work for clients in other parts of the world online. Alex is authorized to work with NYU Shanghai during the summer semester, and as a fellow-in-residence during the fall. His arrangement with NYU Shanghai is largely what makes it easier for us to live here for an extended time and to have an apartment in the city.
Speaking of apartment, we have a nice one in a fairly new building and newer residential and business district that was likely built in the last decade and after tearing down some old industrial buildings. The subway line next to us is brand new and everything feels trendy and modern on our block. Just across the street everything feels more like 20-30 years old and not as highly maintained. I get the sense that this is how it is in a lot of places- a developer will take over one block, tear everything down, build a brand new block, and right across the street something may look like its barely hanging on.
Last year we lived in the same neighborhood and we've already seen quite a bit of change over the course of one year. Kind of like the way that artists move into a shabby neighborhood and make it more appealing to live it, it seems like developers who place a bunch of Western brands into a development may also make it more appealing to visit or live in for wealthier Chinese families. Eventually the Westernized things are overtaken by more Chinese things because it still needs to serve traditional tastes and sensibilities even while it pushes toward globalization.
Unlike Europe, where I can count on all the regular maps and apps like Yelp, Facebook, and Uber - I often need to spend time loading apps that are specific to navigating China. To help other travelers, here are the apps I generally have to load right away to make life easier in China. These are all things that don't require a VPN to use and access on WiFi networks, which makes a big difference:
Apple Maps
This gives me public transport navigation instructions for China in English and has been the most reliable map I've found for the iPhone. In the instagram post below, I've posted some other options for Android users.
Most people in China use WeChat like the Western world uses Facebook, Instagram, and What'sApp. Most people use it to message and chat. On the subway you'll see everyone messaging or scrolling WeChat. I was able to find a few wellness groups and reiki practitioners to connect with through WeChat groups for upcoming events to attend in the city or wellness classes taught by people who speak English. Most restaurants take orders and payment through WeChat as well, but until WeChat will accept connections to foreign bank accounts, foreigners will generally need to rely on getting cash from an ATM instead of payment by WeChat.
Google Translate
Thank goodness for being able to load the Chinese translation software offline in Google Translate. I can hold my phone up to a menu and figure out what I might be ordering before randomly pointing to something. I use it almost daily to figure out how to use the air conditioning remote or how to read the instructions for something written entirely in Mandarin.
DiDi
This is local version of Uber. It's more convenient than attempting to speak to a taxi driver who likely will not understand you and most Didi cars tend to be driven by younger men, who may even have been required to learn English at some point. There's an English version of the app and it gives you real time info so you can know how far off the beaten path your driver may be going, just like Uber.
Bon App!
This is the local version of Yelp, but designed for expats who can't readily make use of Dianping, which is the true local Mandarin version of Yelp. Bon App also recently struck a deal with TaoBao, which like like the local version of Amazon Prime. This deal means that expats can order household items and clothing to be delivered from TaoBao with foreign bank accounts through the Bon App.
Sherpa
Restaurant and fast food delivery services as well as movie tickets to local movie theaters. At this point, I have yet to fully try this app out, but so far the variety of options locally available are much more promising for food delivery and movie theatre tickets than what I found available in the Bon App. You may not need this app if you're just staying at a hotel or in the area for less than a month, but I know there's going to come a point where we're just going to want to be lazy and not have to deal with going out, and this will come in handy.
VPN Service
You really only need this if you want to use Google Maps, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This is something you have to get in advance before you get to Shanghai, and it usually requires an app of some kind. There are many apps for VPN service and they are constantly changing, so I'm just going to suggest doing your own research on that.
InterNations
This is an expat networking and meetup app which also has helpful local tips. There are now chapters all over the world, and if you do tend to travel for work, this can be a helpful local resource for connecting with real people who may be able to help you figure some things out locally.
Speaking of InterNations & Expats, we made it out to our first InterNations expat meetup in Shanghai this week. My comments about the experience are shared in the Instagram post above, but it was pretty much what I expected it would be. Other options we're considering to make meaningful connections while we're here are through taking cooking classes, expat foodie tours, or language classes. Expat life can be lonely without making some local connections beyond work colleagues, so it's nice to have each other, but it's also nice to have other people to get together with too. I've found that often the biggest factor in feeling "at home" anywhere in the world is the development of friendships beyond work and family.
One of the newest art spaces, TANKS Shanghai, has a stunning multi-media interactive art exhibit by teamlab happening. We were able to spend our Sunday afternoon indulging in the art and forgetting the heat and dirty air of the city outside. Scroll through the images and videos above in the Instagram post to get a taste of this exhibit for yourself!
We also visited several different malls this week, and that will likely be the case every single week we are here in Shanghai. No where else I've been in the world are you able to step into 4 malls all within a 15 minute walking distance from each other, sometimes even just across the street from each other. Some days Shanghai just feels like one big never-ending-mall. That being said, it would be easy to write off every mall in Shanghai as being the same, since many of them do have the same brand name stores that you'll find in malls around the world. However, each mall does have something unique to offer, and you just have to keep a keen eye out for unique things in order to find them.
For example, the Century Link Mall is part of a mega-mall complex and its massive size makes it easy to miss one of its most unique features if you aren't looking for it. Tucked into the basement is a food court, 1192 Lane Shanghai, that feels like an entirely different world, one that is based on Shanghai street foods and atmosphere from the 1920s. Even some of the prices feel like the street food vendors that used to be available on city street corners in early mornings and late nights, but now have been scrubbed clean from the modern street scene. If modern Shanghai ever feels too Globalized with International brands for your tastes, this little theatrical walk back in time is available right off the Century Ave subway stop.
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