Interview with a Guide, George Ma
George Ma was an invaluable part of getting settled in Shanghai for me. He is the guy I went to when I needed to know where to go to find this and that, or where to buy some bookshelves, or generally getting around and learning the ropes of living here. George is a local Shanghainese whose job it is to be a guide for foreigners who want to see the sights. He has the experience and point of view of a tour guide, which has made life a little easier for us in some ways. He can be reached by email at
majun1974@yahoo.com
He recently bought a van (which is a big deal for local Chinese), won a slot in the license auction so he could actually get plates for us. Interestingly, he bid the equivalent of about $1200 US for one of 1300 licenses they issued in that period of time. About 3000 people had entered the auction. Here are a few tips from George on coming to Shanghai:
Q. What do most foreigners think when visit Shanghai for the first time?Most foreigners have realised that Shanghai is a much more modern city than they initially thought. Some Americans say it does not look like a communist city. It's is very clean and the overpass (Yan'an Elevated Highway), subway, and public buses are its best features. Local people are friendly to foreigners.
Q. What do foreigners who move to Shanghai need to know?Foreigners need to make some friends with local people. Having local people as friends will help them buy things cheaply and bargain. Local friends will help them find good places to eat local food, and suggest good entertainment.
They need to get to know basic directions around Shanghai - like where the Bund is, where Nanjing Road is and where the nearest Carrefour is. If you do not know any Chinese, you could have difficulty being understood by taxi drivers. Sometimes taxi drivers might take you a much longer way to your destination. It is something you will learn by being here.
Another thing you should know is when you go to a restaurant with local people, if you do not know what you are eating you should ask before you eat it. Sometimes there may be dishes that a foreigner would not want to try, but local people like. I would advise that you keep an open mind and try new things sometimes. It would help you feel comfortable trying new things, though, if you knew what you were eating. A thing you need to know if you are a man: If you go to the disco or bar, do not talk to strange women. We will not go into detail except to say you will be happier talking to them if you do not give in to their advances.
Another thing, tipping taxi drivers is not required - just pay the meter price. Keep the receipt of the taxi you use, you can use it if you leave something in the taxi or feel you have been not treated well.
Q. What mistakes do foreigners make?Shanghai is a great place to buy things. Buying souvenirs from the street vendors and buying fake Rolex watches is OK if you do not pay too much. Often vendors will try to say their antiques, ancient coins or designer watches are real. Be careful. If you want to buy a fake Rolex for 200 RMB, at least you know it's fake. But do not pay 10000 RMB for an antique ma jongg board. Some people have gotten very good at copying antiques so they look old and try to charge antique prices.
If someone approaches you at the bank and wants to buy your dollars, be careful. Their rate may be very good and they may be for real. However, sometimes they will give you counterfeit RMB or give you a bad rate. Be careful. If you do get money from one of these vendors, let them know you are going to deposit it in the bank immediately. They will not risk giving you counterfeits. If you are a man, be careful if you say "I Love You" to your Shanghai girlfriend. "I love you" is a very serious thing - almost meaning commitment to marriage!
Going Dutch in a restaurant is not a common practice. If you go to lunch or dinner at the invitation of a local, they might expect to pay for your bill. You should, however, plan on inviting them to dinner and pay their bill sometime.
If you want rice with the meal, you should ask the waiter to bring before the end of the meal. Normally for dinner, locals do not eat rice, but eat dumplings or noodles or steamed dim sum.
Q. What else do you want to say to travelers or people coming to Shanghai?If you plan to travel in Shanghai, plan to stay at least 3 days to see the city, and see Suzhou and Hangzhou. In China these places are regarded as Paradise. Also, you should visit the water village - Zhujiajiao - which looks just like China 200 years ago. These are some things you might think about if you are a foreigner moving to Shanghai. Shanghai is a friendly and very safe city so do not worry too much.
