Shanghai Guide

How long have you been in Shanghai, and what made you consider moving to the city initially?

This is my third year in Shanghai and I moved here for work reasons. I also wanted to live in a city with more opportunities to experience big city life, and what better place than one of the largest in the world!

Where have you lived before you came to Shanghai?

I have lived in several countries including Vietnam, Turkey and Wales.  I also lived in Suzhou for three years before moving to Shanghai. 

How did you find preparing to move here?

Moving from one city to another city in China is relatively easy with regards to packing up and changing accommodation, however, I found it a long process dealing with the bureaucratic side of things; ensuring that all the correct paperwork is collected, submitted and processed in the correct order and on the correct date is challending.  I relied on the support and help of the wonderful HR team within my organization to get all this completed.

How have you found the city so far?

Although Shanghai is not the capital city of China, it feels like it.  It’s huge, with many areas that are very distinct from each other.  I sometimes think that even after 10 years it would be impossible to fully explore Shanghai.  I like being able to go to the theatre, to musical events, explore historic walkways, walk alongside the river for miles and usually find something “new” every time I go out. 

What’s been your biggest challenge in Shanghai?

The traffic – but that’s what makes it feel like a capital city.  You just have to remember to factor in traffic time if you want to cross the city. 

Is there anything you found surprising/unexpected about the city?

The non-conformity of the people.  Shanghai has a wonderful history, making it different to almost every other city in China in terms of its quirkiness and the way the Shanghainese express themselves in their own way.

What would be your top three tips for anyone thinking of moving to Shanghai/China?

• Double check all of your paperwork.  And remember that the bureaucracy too, shall pass. 
• Your phone becomes your life, even more so than in other countries; you pay your bills, your insurance, your taxis, book trains, hotels and even flight tickets.  All through APPs.   Install WeChat on your phone before you get to China, and an APP to help you reach beyond the ‘Great China Firewall’ if you think you’ll need it. 
• Make the most of every opportunity offered. They are endless here!

Finally, any hints/tips on great places or hidden gems in the city to visit for food/drinks/entertainment so far?

Use the APP 24/7 for what’s happening in Shanghai – I’ve found it to be very useful.  Also, I like walking along the Pudong side of the river and have not yet managed all 43km of it, but walking this promenade takes you through many slices of Shanghainese life, whichever section you walk.  

What made you consider moving to Shanghai initially?

I was already in another city in China before moving here and was thinking of leaving the country because of COVID restrictions in place at the end of 2022, but those disappeared almost overnight.  Because I had really enjoyed my time in China up to that point, when a job offer came up to move to Shanghai, I jumped at the chance.  Many friends had already made the switch to the city and talked about how much they loved it.

Where were you living before you came to Shanghai?

I was previously living in Beijing and had moved there in early 2019, having previously lived in Peru, Thailand, Cyprus and the UK, which is my home country.  All of those countries offered completely different experiences as an expat, and I’m pleased that Shanghai crossed my radar.

How did you find preparing to move to the city?

As mentioned, I was already in China prior to Shanghai, so the move here was very straightforward.  I came here with a dog, and even the process of shipping pets between cities was fairly easy.  It was quite difficult deciding where to live as I prepared to locate; in Beijing I commuted almost an hour each way every day and I wanted to reduce that this time around.  Eventually, I chose to live in Kangqiao close to the school, and it’s been a great decision!  I don’t envy those who make their way through traffic from Puxi and back every day…

How about your relocation into China initially?

That was more complex.  I came here from the opposite side of the world in Peru and it was a long trek.  I had previously travelled to China around 8 years earlier on vacation and wasn’t a big fan (at that time there weren’t easy-to-use apps such as WeChat, Alipay, Didi, and the AQI was very bad back then), so I was very nervous about it, especially because of the language barrier and my uncertainty about China because of the kind of news we read about the country in the west.  That was all quickly put aside when I arrived though; after downloading some key apps and getting out and about for a walk around the city, it became quite clear that things were much easier by that point.  The skies were also bright blue with good AQI, even in Beijing!

So how have you found Shanghai so far?

It’s been incredible.  My 5-minute commute to work is a LIFE-SAVER and Kangqiao is really beautiful!  The new parks which have opened very close to the school are world-class and pristine – I could recommend them to anyone for a walk/run, picnic, or just to go and read a book there.  I’d like to spend more time in the Puxi area and further north in Pudong to explore a little more, and hope to do more of that this year.  Also, as a dog-owner, this city is significantly more friendly than Beijing was to pet-owners, so that makes my dog happy too!

What’s been your biggest challenge here?

Chinese New Year for sure!  I had been used to fireworks bans in Beijing and was excited to experience some again after all that time, but I couldn’t have imagined how crazy it got!  I’ve made a mental note not to be in the city during that holiday again because it was truly relentless in this part of town for almost a full week.

And what have you found surprising about the city?

I am blown away by just how safe Shanghai (and China generally) is.  I have never once felt like I couldn’t leave my phone or laptop unattended in a café, or felt unsafe walking down the darkest of streets at any time of day.  It’s also crazy how easy everything is here – I don’t remember the last time I used cash here, and anything can be at your door in an hour with access to quick shopping apps and delivery.  I’m going to struggle when I eventually leave to get used to low-tech society again!

What would be your top three tips for anyone thinking of moving to Shanghai/China?

1. Get all of your mobile applications in line before you arrive, if possible.  That includes the must-haves of WeChat, Alipay, Taobao, a translation app (I use Google Translate), a map app (I use Tencent maps) and a food/shopping app (I use Meituan and Sherpas a lot).  Also be prepared with a VPN before you arrive in China (Astrill works best for me) – it’ll be essential if you want to use your western social media, Google, and things like Netflix.
2. Think carefully about the best location to live based on your work and private life.  Although life in the centre of city would be nice, travelling there once or twice at a weekend without rush hour traffic is significantly easier than going through that commute every day.
3. Make your life easier when using Chinese-language websites by having the Google Translate extension installed on your computer browser.  It’ll automatically translate sites (including Taobao) for you when you have a VPN active, so you don’t have to use screengrab translation tools to navigate.  I’ve saved so much time with this!

Any tips on great places or hidden gems in the city to visit for food/drinks/entertainment so far?

Tres Perros (a Spanish tapas restaurant in Jing’An) blew me away with the food quality!  Just book in advance because it’s tiny and always full!  The olives are INCREDIBLE!

How long have you been in Shanghai, and what made you consider moving to the city initially?

How long have you been in Shanghai, and what made you consider moving to the city initially?

I’ve been here for nearly 20 years! I wanted to experience my then-girlfriend’s (now wife’s) culture and something completely different to working in the UK.

How long have you been in Shanghai, and what made you consider moving to the city initially?