life in china questions

[nZero]

Shamelessly stealing Aguraki's thread title.

I recently took a position in Shanghai and I'll be moving over there in a week's time. I've already got the living situaiton squared away, fortunately. It's my first time to be in mainland China and I'm not really sure what to expect other than some things I've read here and there. I know there are a few members here in/from China, and at least a few more who've spent time there, so any advice or recommendations for things to do or see while I'm there would be appreciated.

Also, since this is a gaming forum... what about gaming? I know there are some arcades there, and I'm thinking about bringing the X360 as well (I can get a 220V power brick for it in the shops there, yes?)

[GaijinPunch]

Pick up your "Senkaku Islands" T-shirt before going... and hope you hate Facebook.

In all seriousness I have a handful of friends that have moved there from here, and love it. One hates it with a passion and is trying to come back, but getting a job in Tokyo is tough these days -- even for a bilingual. Crazy times.

[Skykid]

Get your proxy subscription set up if you like social networking. TOR ably foils China's attempt to stop the US's largest surveillance operations (Facebook and Google) from getting an archive on their populace.

Shanghai is awesome, but say goodbye to clear skies. Learn to say 'not interested' in Chinese before going anywhere near the tourist districts, it works wonders turning off the magnetism you'll have over mobile salesmen.

Always haggle in markets but not in restaurants, and be adventurous with the menu, its vast and mostly very tasty.

Shanghai has a nice upmarket district known for clubs and bars, awesome night every night if you're game for drinking/partying. Stray from the main shopping streets to find old Shanghai behind (and quick before they knock it all down.)

I saw a few game centers there briefly, but not as many as in Hong Kong.

^ All this is peripheral of course. My main advice would be to get ready for a pace adjustment. Shanghai is enormous, busy and fast moving, but there's tons to do and it can be quite an adventure. It's not my preference, I prefer the slightly quieter cities, but I'm sure you'll have a blast when you're in the groove.

[gct]

My advice - beware the women! Since you are from USA, they are guaranteed to attempt to latch onto you but you must not let them do so because you will be in for a lifetime of trouble. It sounds like the stuff of television drama, but it really does happen.

[Skykid]

My advice - beware the women! Since you are from USA, they are guaranteed to attempt to latch onto you but you must not let them do so because you will be in for a lifetime of trouble. It sounds like the stuff of television drama, but it really does happen.

In Shanghai your ethnicity isn't as important as the size of your bank balance. Not dissimilar to the Housewhores of Orange County (or whatever that TV show is called).

[gct]

Even if you don't have a lot of money, once they get the green card, they will leave you for someone who does have money (but not before bankrupting you for what little you had anyway)

[Lordstar]

Not dissimilar to the Housewhores of Orange County (or whatever that TV show is called).

I would say that sounds about right to me.

[GaijinPunch]

You guys must not know how to properly make sex to a woman.

[nZero]

GP - I noticed that a lot of westerner friends are trickling out of Japan, and a lot of JP friends are either stacking up part time jobs or jumping into graduate schools or overseas universities. Crazy times indeed.

Skykid - Awesome, thanks for your input, this is good stuff. Fortunately I do have some experience with home-cooked honest-to-god Chinese food, and can't wait to try some new things. I've got some friends of friends who will be able to show me around a bit, too. I heard the pace of the city is comparable to other modern megalopolises like Tokyo or New York, sound about right? Honestly, I'm excited about the posting, hoping I won't have too much trouble getting around on minimal Chinese but then again Taiwan didn't present any problems in that regard when I was there.

gct, Lordstar - You have no idea how many times I've heard "stay away from those dirty girls" or similar already

Great stuff so far, keep it coming!

[Friendly]

Get some kind of respirator.

Jokes aside, I was told the air quality in Shanghai is slightly better than in Beijing. Or Nanjing.

[Skykid]

[quote="nZero"]Skykid - Awesome, thanks for your input, this is good stuff. Fortunately I do have some experience with home-cooked honest-to-god Chinese food, and can't wait to try some new things. I've got some friends of friends who will be able to show me around a bit, too. I heard the pace of the city is comparable to other modern megalopolises like Tokyo or New York, sound about right? Honestly, I'm excited about the posting, hoping I won't have too much trouble getting around on minimal Chinese but then again Taiwan didn't present any problems in that regard when I was there
[/quote]

Yeah, the food is just amazing. Lunch is always fine dining for so little its crazy. None of that sweet and sour nonsense.

I think the first thing you'll want to do is stop being a tourist as quickly as possible, so having some small grasp of the language will help. The number one thing I (and anyone, probably) hated about Shanghai are how you get abused in tourist areas. Nanjing Road is unreal: it's incredible to look at (esp. at nighttime) but you'll grow to hate it because it's like dodging a thousand incoming salesmen as you walk end to end.

Once you rise above that, you'll be more comfortable, but I'd give it a week or two. Visit the park, it's a nice place for lunch and they have an art gallery that had a great Gaudi exhibition on when I was there.

Likewise, head to the rotating restaurant at night time near to the needle - it's buffet style iirc and the view is something else.

Unfortunately Shanghai is overcast as hell, so if you want to go up tall buildings, pick a good day. They have one of the worlds fastest elevators that takes you up one of the worlds tallest buildings, but it's a bit disappointing when the city view is shrouded in smog.

When you go under the river toward the needle, there's a super weird museum with lots of random stuff and this crazy underground tram that goes through a tunnel that looks like something out of the twilight zone.

The French quarter is definitely an interesting thing to look at, and there's a shooting range on the main shopping street opposite all the Rolex shops (prime positioning). It's expensive, but fun to spend 6 rounds into a distant target.

Finally, there's a river/dinner cruise that goes all the way through to old Shanghai, where there's not much development, and that was quite interesting. It was around £12 for the evening if I recall.

[Skykid]

Oh, and one more thing:

You gotta take the Maglev train from the airport to the city. The station itself is a bit underwhelming, not particularly fancy, but when you see the Maglev coming in and see it hovering wheelless above the track, it's quite a sight. Sitting on that train is the equivalent of being fired out of a gun - just watch the digital speedometer at the front of the carriage as it climbs to an insane speed and grab a window seat. It's an amazing ride.

[GaijinPunch]

GP - I noticed that a lot of westerner friends are trickling out of Japan, and a lot of JP friends are either stacking up part time jobs or jumping into graduate schools or overseas universities. Crazy times indeed.

Ironically, the number of exchange students is about half of what it was in the mid-90's. One could argue a failing economy, but the crazy strong yen makes a foreign education super cheap right now, and for the last 4 years really... especially compared to costs in Japan. The truth is, that probably only tells a small part of the story. Returnees find themselves virtually outcasts, and as stupid as it seems, Japan seems to be getting more and more reclusive. If we're to believe Darwin, and I think most people do, Japan has defined itself as not willing to assimilate to change. The results will be fun (from afar).

[xbl0x180]

My advice - beware the women! Since you are from USA, they are guaranteed to attempt to latch onto you but you must not let them do so because you will be in for a lifetime of trouble. It sounds like the stuff of television drama, but it really does happen.

In Shanghai your ethnicity isn't as important as the size of your bank balance. Not dissimilar to the Housewhores of Orange County (or whatever that TV show is called).

As a resident of South Orange County, this is true... including the Chinese women that live here

[nZero]

Haha guess I'll have to learn to 不要 my way through any of the tourist-y spots. Oh and I'll actually be working near the French Quarter. Any particular local specialties or dishes you recommend trying? Someone told me I'm going to love river hairy crab season (I hope that's not a euphemism for anything)

Unfortunately I'll probably have to skip the maglev train this time since I'm being picked up from the airport, but I'll try to remember to take a spin on it next time I fly in.

Can anyone who's experienced it tell me if the winters are really as damp and miserable as I've heard? That came from a native but I think she's gotten used to the milder winters here, heh.

[Skykid]

Haha guess I'll have to learn to 不要 my way through any of the tourist-y spots. Oh and I'll actually be working near the French Quarter. Any particular local specialties or dishes you recommend trying? Someone told me I'm going to love river hairy crab season (I hope that's not a euphemism for anything)

Unfortunately I'll probably have to skip the maglev train this time since I'm being picked up from the airport, but I'll try to remember to take a spin on it next time I fly in.

Can anyone who's experienced it tell me if the winters are really as damp and miserable as I've heard? That came from a native but I think she's gotten used to the milder winters here, heh.

It's damp in the summer, if that's any indication.

Shame you'll miss the maglev, it's worth cancelling your pickup for.

I didn't eat in the French Quarter, just strolled about looking at all the odd Parisian architecture supplanted in the middle of Shanghai. It almost feels like a different country in the quieter neighbourhoods. And I found a Mr Donut not too far from there.

Always say yes to crab. Pretty sure there's a hairy river one, as unappetising as that sounds.

South is closer to Canton, so the food is reflected that way, but it gets zanier the farther north you go and Shanghai has a good selection of everything. Schezuan is the best thing ever if you like spice, barbecued (not BBQ sauced) chicken lung was tasty, and there's everything from snails to calf's testicles on offer (don't ask.)

One thing I just can't hang with is chicken feet. I don't get it. I know they're popular all over Asia, I've tried it three times, still don't see why anyone would have a craving for them. \(^_~)/

[Ganelon]

I recommend not eating any animal parts you're not familiar with and to avoid eating any unusual animals. Do *not* be adventurous. Chances are stacked against you enjoying local "delicacies."

[nZero]

One thing I just can't hang with is chicken feet. I don't get it. I know they're popular all over Asia, I've tried it three times, still don't see why anyone would have a craving for them. \(^_~)/

My only problem with them is that they're 90% bone and so not really that fun to try and eat.

I recommend not eating any animal parts you're not familiar with and to avoid eating any unusual animals. Do *not* be adventurous. Chances are stacked against you enjoying local "delicacies."

At this point there aren't that many animal parts and animals that I'm unfamiliar with, but I'll bet I couldn't afford to be too adventurous the whole time I'm there even if I wanted to. Then again, according to the orientation packet I got, tap water, ice cubes and fountain drinks are all a potential gateway to a certain kind of adventure.

[Ganelon]

Yeah, and that's also a reason to avoid shady street vendors and tiny restaurants without a lot of traffic. Hygiene must be a priority at all times. I used to try lamb skewers throughout China but after a series of food poisoning incidents leading to diarrhea each time, I've become more risk averse. If a street vendor's hands aren't clean, then I won't consider purchasing any food product from him.

Chinese folks aren't keen on ice so get used to making it yourself if you have to. Normal restaurants only serve tea and manufactured drinks (sometimes including bottled water). Food is still really cheap over there (most Chinese still value quantity over quality) and even the highest end tend to have very loose dress codes so definitely experiment when it comes to popular restaurants. Avoid western food unless you're really homesick; you'll pay a premium for that.

[x91]

Wrote a lot and tapped back button on my mouse... everything's gone for good...

Skykid's points are solid enough. If you want more covered, grab a friendly and capable local to give you tips on that(No me an outsider myself, and I'm not very interested in touring for sights and cuisine).

However for that game center part, see our old good Liehuo Arcade Gaming located near West Nanjing Rd.. It serves as the primary shmup reserve in all China, if you are a Cave fan, this is the only place you need to go. The local crew can be frequently found there too. We basically don't play elsewhere.

[Skykid]

However for that game center part, see our old good Liehuo Arcade Gaming located near West Nanjing Rd.. It serves as the primary shmup reserve in all China, if you are a Cave fan, this is the only place you need to go. The local crew can be frequently found there too. We basically don't play elsewhere.

Man I missed out.