A Foreigner’s Home in Shanghai

【摘要】Dan Sethi：“The city that never sleeps” Dan Sethi from Scotland is 21-yearold and he is a legal intern at Win & Sun Law firm. He believes that you should be open for ...

Shanghai is known for being a city where old meets new. Where you can feel that you’re in New York because of many skyscrapers that are born everyday， but at the same time in the next corner you can see old and traditional Chinese temples. The rapidly developed city is also known for its many expats. According to statistics from Shanghai statistic bureau， Shanghai has the highest number of expats among all Chinese cities. The overseas population is about one 1 per cent of the total popu-lation which is 23.02 million inhabitants if not more. But how is it to live and work in Shanghai as a young foreigner？ Is Shanghai as great as the rumours say？ What can you do to get the best out of your stay？ China Busniess Focus met three young foreigners who all have been living and working in Shanghai. They have shared their experiences in Shanghai and given some good advice on what to do and what not to do.

Jonathan Cole：“Businessmen and watermelons”

19-year old Jonathan Cole is doing an internship in Shanghai for the company Uraku Eyewear. He is originally from England and he loves Shanghai because of the city’s ability to blend the new with the old.

Jonathan Cole： “As a young foreigner， living and working in Shanghai initially comes as a massive culture shock. Taking the crowded metro to a new job where only your boss can speak English and then going home to eat a completely new cuisine with 15 strangers all seems a bit overwhelming. However， I was able to quickly adapt to and embrace the way of life in shanghai. Once you get used to the bustle of thousands of people all doing thousands of different things， you can see Shanghai for the beautiful mixture of cultures it is. While there is so much traditional Chinese heritage， Shanghai also has heavy Western influence. Another thing I like about Shanghai is how it so seamlessly blends an industrial cosmopolitan feel with traditional Chinese culture. This is reflected in both the architecture， as skyscrapers provide the backdrop of a practicing Buddhist temple， and the way of life. Shanghai is truly a remarkable place because there is nowhere else I’ve ever been where you see hundreds of businessmen going to work right next to a cart full of hundreds of water melons and children playing on the street. Shanghai is just so differ- ent than anything I have never had such experiences， which is why I find it so fascinating.”

“I would tell other young foreigners coming to Shanghai that they have to embrace the culture here. They can’t constantly compare Shanghai to there home nation and point out differences or idiosyncrasies or ways that it is not as efficient. Instead， you a foreigner must accept the way of life in Shanghai and embrace all of it， both the benefits and drawbacks. This has made living in China a lot easier for me and I believe will have the same effect for any foreigner here.”

Dan Sethi：“The city that never sleeps”

Dan Sethi from Scotland is 21-yearold and he is a legal intern at Win & Sun Law firm. He believes that you should be open for new things if you want to make the best out of your stay in Shanghai.

Dan Sethi： “During the day Shanghai is a city of work where people are motivated to do the best they can to provide for their families and pursue economical goals. Despite this mentality of hard work that is driven into Chinese from an early age they remain very friendly around the office and are never too busy for a friendly chat. When the sun sets on Shanghai however， the city changes completely. As most Shanghainese choose to relax at home with their families and businesses close for the evening， the city is more subdued from the bustle of the day. Despite the apparent calm， this is when Shanghai’s fun side emerges. Spectacular bars and clubs around the city open for business and local people， along with a heavy dose of foreign visitors， explore Shanghai’s nightlife until the early hours of the morning. Shanghai is the perfect place to go if you love being busy as there is always something new to see or do， which can also lead to a serious lack of sleep.”

When I came to Shanghai I was immediately impressed by how modern it was. Flying past Shanghai’s skyline on the plane to Pudong airport I immediately knew that I was arriving some-where hugely impressive and exciting. There are so many interesting things to see and do but even walking along any ordinary street you can see unexpected sights such as groups of dancing women and inter- esting architecture. I was also surprised to see so many Western brands having a major influence on Shanghai’s high streets and shopping malls. This is just one way in which Shanghai appears to be moving away from traditional Chinese culture and is becoming more of an international city.”

“The main differences between Shanghai and Scotland would be the scale of the city. Everything in Shanghai is massive. The shopping malls and metro stations are particularly impressive. The heat is also something that foreigners need to get used to. However， despite all the differences from home you can still rely on seeing familiar brands wherever you go and there seems to be a KFC or McDonald’s on every street.

I would advise other young foreigners to make as many friends as they can when they come to Shanghai as it can be a confusing city and it always helps if you can talk to other people to find out what’s going on. I think it is also a good idea to try new things while you are here that you might not get at home， such as the food as you can be surprised at how good some things can be even though you may dismiss them at first.”

David Thomson：‘Never stuck for things to do’

21-year David Thomson from England is a law intern in Shanghai. For David Thomson it seemed a bit hard to get used the new environment in the beginning but as time passed by he began to love Shanghai and the Shanghainese culture.

David Thomson： “I have found it very interesting living in Shanghai， at first I felt there was a real culture shock； and the thought of living in Shanghai seemed a very daunting thought indeed. But as time has gone by， and I have become more and more settled I have came to enjoy these major cultural differences between Shanghai and England， trying to embrace them in what now seems to be such a short period of time to do so. Shanghai is a very vibrant city with lots going on， living in Shanghai you are certainly never stuck for things to do， from the relentless nightlife to the beautiful scenery， the term ‘the city never sleeps’really does ring true.

The main difference between Shanghai and England has to be the weather. Living in Shanghai in August with temperatures reaching the 40s， was certainly difficult to adapt to with England’s ‘summer’usually having three sunny days on a good year. Based on my experience， the advice I would give to other foreigners who are travelling to Shanghai is to give it time， at first the stark differences can be daunting as previously mentioned， but once you become more familiar with you surroundings， I have no doubt that you will learn to love them and enjoy an experience you are unlikely to forget for a long time.”