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Living overseas

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Shanghai

2 replies

AnoDeLosMuertos · 12/12/2020 19:19

Anyone in Shanghai? Probably moving there in August. Is there anything you wish you’d known e.g. phone apps I should download, things not to take because it’s there (hair dye)?

OP posts:
ShanghaiDiva · 26/12/2020 20:33

I relocated back to the uk this year, but lived in China for 12 years.
You need wechat- for shopping, translation, for just about everything!
You can get anything and everything in Shanghai, at a price.
Shoes can be tricky if you have wide feet or larger than a 6.
Same for larger cup sizes in bras.
You will need a vpn for Facebook, google, bbc news etc. VPNs do get blocked at various times eg G20 meetings or similar.
You need a Tao bao account and then you can really get everything you need- just ask your colleagues. It’s also useful to learn a little mandarin before you arrive.
Cosmetics/face creams often contain ‘whitening’ products (no Chinese woman wants a tan) so stock up before you leave.
Some Chinese apartments/houses will not have an oven and may only have two or three rings on a job. Not suggesting you bring an oven, but just something to be aware of.
Happy to answer any questions you may have. I used to live 3 hours from Shanghai- happy days!

LeGrandBleu · 27/12/2020 21:40

@AnoDeLosMuertos was it voluntary to pick a username that starts with "anus" in Spanish? If not, switch to the ñ, so año.

This said, I used to work a lot in China fly in fly out in my pre-kids life, so many years ago. Think about considering to live in a compound because China - like any country that is very different from your own - can be alienating and lonely. Being surrounded by other Westerners will help build friendship .

I would say to buy some www.airinum.com or cambridgemask.com masks . Pollution can sometimes be an issue, even if far less than in Beijing.
Since masks are difficult to find due to covid, delivery times will be longer.

Consider public transport when looking for accomodation because unless you are given a driver, just the thought of driving will give you a heart attack (and good luck reading the signs and street names!) .
If you go with kids, ask for contacts at school to see where most kids live, if no kids, look for compound near work as commute is crazy.

What else, be prepared for some very direct questions. Curiosity is different there.
You can find pretty much everything and more, even things you didn't know existed. I believe you even have Aldi shops now which will have a range of European goods or Sephora, but be ready for some strange range.

Have you ever been to China before?

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