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TheMasterofDisaster
SuperStar
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Posts: 1355
Status: Offline
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Sep 22, 2007 - 02:02 PM |
 
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Mostly down, agree with pablo.the ups really just means 'it wasnt bad', it was acceptable.u can get pc and start to think "not bad" = good, but its not.
Shanghai is a dump. so glad i left it. |
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wantong
Talker
Joined: Aug 11, 2007
Posts: 99
Status: Offline
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Sep 22, 2007 - 02:32 PM |
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I find living in Shanghai is easier than living in Singapore!
Took me just about a month or slightly more to get adjusted to things here. I would say, people here are generally more polite & friendlier than those in Singapore. Though this is still a communist country, I'm able or have the freedom to do most things I want. But in Singapore, though it's a "democratic" country, almost everything, every part of your life is dictated, felt like being in prison.
Another important factor, things & expenses here are generally still much cheaper than many other cities! |
_________________
横眉冷对千夫指, 俯手甘为孺子牛； 一失足成千古恨，回头已是百年身！ |
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rucksack
Barker
Joined: Jan 10, 2005
Posts: 190
Location: the wrong side of the tracks
Status: Offline
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Sep 22, 2007 - 08:17 PM |
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Been here 10 years this month. I came willingly and hated it the first year but refused to go home and tried another place for work and that helped a lot. China got under my skin and I missed it when I was home. China is a challenge and home is too easy. Then I met my husband here (he's English I'm American) and I found someone I could make a life with who had similar goals and hopes and dreams. I still have ups and downs but mostly because friends leave. Everyone, even Chinese friends, leave sooner or later for their different dreams. That's the hard part for us. So, we have our kids in local schools (less interruption from people coming and going) and we have eachother. So there you go. What are you going to do??? Roll with it baby! |
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leidelaohu
Wonder Wit
Joined: June 11, 2007
Posts: 3777
Status: Offline
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Sep 22, 2007 - 10:04 PM |
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| ThomasCaron wrote: |
| vs. those expats who for whatever reason were drawn to live here and wouldn't want to be anyplace else. Clearly if you are counting the days before you can go back home it's going to color your perception of the culture. |
Or the people who were drawn here for reasons that have disappeared ... I have to wonder now : what's the point ? There's nothing good in Shanghai except sex. Most recent surveys on quality of living put Shanghai and Beijing at the bottom. Why put up with this nonsense ?
It is better than Baghdad tho. Maybe better than Texas, too. |
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ben_dover
Newbie
Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 2
Status: Offline
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Sep 22, 2007 - 10:46 PM |
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nice thread. been here a year and always wondered wtf am i doin here!
but while the beer is flowing there's no reason to stop the party. |
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imagine all the people, living life in peas. |
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wonderer
Raver
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 429
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 01:20 AM |
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Gotta love Baghdad! No need for an alarm clock. Hey Ben Dover, do you know Phil McCavity? |
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spandex
Raver
Joined: June 06, 2006
Posts: 477
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 08:23 AM |
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There are far, far worse places to live and work. Try Riyadh or Kuwait. The ups are mere blips and the downs are bottomless in these dark places.
3 + years and it gets easier and easier to live here, do still sometimes get frustrated and irritated but the ups out-weigh the downs. Depends what your comparing to though .... I have lived and worked in some real armpits, and when I leave, I think I will always miss Shanghai and look back with many more positive memories than negative ones. |
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yu888
Board Deity
Joined: Jan 25, 2003
Posts: 18037
Location: ZhongShanParkArea SH
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Sep 23, 2007 - 11:10 AM |
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Those with a short term stay here that CAN count the days have a light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes just don't bother adjusting any further.
yes it IS interesting to see how one feels about their stay here in Shanghai at different phases of their stay. And YES, time DOES make it easier for most of us. I sometimes wonder about those who have been here even longer than I have and why they only come on to complain about being here when they clearly continue to stay here anyhow... it would be nice if those people ALSO contributed some of their positive experiences, those that keep them here. It would be sad to think that those characters who like to only come on and complain are actually stuck here.
Ultimately, Shanghai is not for everyone. Some people have no problem living here despite some ups and downs, while others really should just go home and stop fooling themselves. But overall Shanghai is quite liveable, its just a matter of your own expectations and flexibility. |
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Thoughts & updates about Shanghai On my Blog for more details:Random Thoughts about Living in Shanghai...and more |
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travelinjack3
FooJay
Joined: Sep 19, 2005
Posts: 1718
Location: Right Bank
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 11:40 AM |
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Job satisfaction makes a big difference. If you don't have go support from your employer it is hard to stay here and be happy. |
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If the billy goat was Bootsie and the troll was Maceo, then only the Godfather of Soul can really take you to the bridge. |
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canuckian
Ranter
Joined: Aug 12, 2007
Posts: 499
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 11:57 AM |
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| travelinjack3 wrote: |
| Job satisfaction makes a big difference. If you don't have good support from your employer it is hard to stay here and be happy. |
As a matter of fact, that doesn't happen in China alone. The only difference is that this isn't home for most of us, so we have a choice to go back home. But as soon as we're back in our home country, you'll be facing with the same situation. After all, isn't that why we're all here in China: looking for better opportunities? |
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travelinjack3
FooJay
Joined: Sep 19, 2005
Posts: 1718
Location: Right Bank
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 12:27 PM |
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Correct but it makes it easier to deal with the other things that don't happen back home when you have good support from your employer. |
_________________
If the billy goat was Bootsie and the troll was Maceo, then only the Godfather of Soul can really take you to the bridge. |
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TheDudeAbides
Rocker
Joined: June 21, 2006
Posts: 720
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 01:14 PM |
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I think the connection a lot of foreigners have with Shanghai is as close to defining a true "love/hate" relationship as you're ever likely to find. Myself, for instance. Almost 3 years, some things I used to hate have probably leveled off a bit now, but there is still so much stuff I have come to accept that I will never, ever, get used to, and of course, there's the stuff that attracted me in the first place, and probably the reason I'm still here. That negative aspect to it does weigh me down on certain days and I really question why I'm still here, but on good days I'm reminded of exactly why I'm here. |
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Snippets
PopStar
Joined: Apr 09, 2005
Posts: 1099
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 02:24 PM |
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| travelinjack3 wrote: |
| Job satisfaction makes a big difference. If you don't have go support from your employer it is hard to stay here and be happy. |
^^Ain't that the truth!?
The head of my company (from England) has never spent more than 5 days straight in China, yet she has the audacity to criticize the manner in which I interact with people here. All the way down to the hawkers at the copy markets and the waitress who is going to screw up her order.
It's maddening. She thinks the entire Chinese staff should be managed the exact same way as the UK staff and wants this giant peace & love hugfest. Yet she has not worked 1 day here.
Finally Friday night, I ended up screaming at her on Wan Hang Du Lu, because she was having a fit that I was upset because one of my employee's sent my driver to my home when I am standing in the parking garage trying to find him.
Anyhow, my point is, things are different here, that shouldn't even be something any intelligent person should debate. For me, it is about appreciating the differences, respecting what you can, and gravitate towards the good things - and there are plenty of good things here. One of them for me is that George Bush is not here. I love that fact. |
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ThomasCaron
Raver
Joined: Dec 11, 2006
Posts: 472
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 03:20 PM |
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there are plenty of good things here. One of them for me is that George Bush is not here. I love that fact.
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Amen to that. |
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Scouse
Reacher
Joined: May 30, 2007
Posts: 267
Location: Just visiting this planet
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 04:10 PM |
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Lived here for 5 years, then a break in Hk for 3, now back..You get used to it, compared to other chinese cities, this place is a breeze, try Guangzhou, lived there for 8 years..and am very glad i could finally get out... |
_________________
Arguing with your Boss is like wrestling with a pig in mud. After a while you realize that while you are getting dirty, the pig is actually enjoying it |
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premiumglossy
Seeker
Joined: June 19, 2007
Posts: 56
Location: JingAn
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 07:03 PM |
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Amen on Scouse' comment re Guangzhou. Never lived there, just visiting regularly there was enough for me.
As I am moving to Shanghai in January, I would be interested in hearing what are the things the most strongly cause the downs?
I have lived in places in Asia for now 20 years, so, I am hoping that I will have an easier time adjusting.
PG |
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"The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it." - Kipling |
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akkir
Lurker
Joined: July 10, 2007
Posts: 28
Location: Right now Denmark
Status: Offline
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Sep 23, 2007 - 09:30 PM |
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margarita you wrote that the chinese culture gets under your skin?! What do you mean? I am really interested (in a positive way)
I have just moved to Shanghai and have only been here 1½ week, just within this short amount of time I am having all these moodswings which I didn't really have at home. I know its part of adapting to a foreign place, culture and job but sometimes you just get a bit lonely with this feelings... people at home dont really understand... My biggest worry is ending up in shanghai feeling lonely, though you live in a city with millions of people, it is especially in the big cities you can get lonely. However, I guess it is just a 'normal' "fear" as i have just arrived and have to make all new friends, which I dont really thing will be that difficult - guess it depends on who you are as a person! |
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sf_liang
Seeker
Joined: Nov 14, 2004
Posts: 54
Status: Offline
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July 30, 2008 - 10:41 PM |
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underh20
Shanghai Royalty
Joined: Sep 27, 2006
Posts: 9883
Location: EOA Seminar
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July 31, 2008 - 08:54 AM |
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| Scouse wrote: |
| Lived here for 5 years, then a break in Hk for 3, now back..You get used to it, compared to other chinese cities, this place is a breeze, try Guangzhou, lived there for 8 years..and am very glad i could finally get out... |
Huh?? The quality of life in Guangzjhou beats Shanghai hands down. So do the people. |
_________________
بارك الله ، بارك الله |
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edgyinchina
Seeker
Joined: June 03, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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July 31, 2008 - 10:22 AM |
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Some people hope for a miracle cure
Some people just accept the world as it is .... Billy Joel, Innocent Man...
In China 5 years, Shanghai just over 1.... So, like hammer, things are much easier here than inland....Married a Chinese girl (woman), so coping and understanding becomes marginally easier.
(Appreciate Andyfff comment on Texas - "A Whole 'nother Country".... WTF
But in so many ways, so was France (1964-5) Germany 1965-6)...
It's certainly not the 'dark hole' that the middle-east is by any stretch....
Sometimes I find it amazing that expats (and my friends back home) can't see the dynamicism and opportunity that exists here, but seems to have been lost back in the states... That alone should make people feel good..
JMHO.... |
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Ah Beng
Reacher
Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 373
Location: Shanghai Paradise
Status: Offline
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July 31, 2008 - 05:33 PM |
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SnappySammy
Board Legend
Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 10108
Status: Offline
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Aug 01, 2008 - 04:50 AM |
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| TheMasterofDisaster wrote: |
Shanghai is a dump. so glad i left it. |
Shanghai may be a lot of things but it's not a dump.... |
_________________
Yank My Doodle It's A Dandy |
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beiaixi
Barker
Joined: Jan 30, 2005
Posts: 145
Location: shanghai, hongqiao
Status: Offline
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Aug 01, 2008 - 07:24 AM |
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hi there,
I guess being able to speak Mandarin would be step 1 to try to understand bit more the people here... I am saying maybe 
I only know that I belong to China and every single time I am visiting France I cannot wait to come back here. 
Shanghai does not look like Shenyang first city I ever worked in but if people are sociable there is a lot more to do here than other cities!!!!
I think human being by definition is complex not easy to please... But I am so happy I have been in China for 6 years now!!!! It changed me slightly but in the end I like the person whom I am today
I think it is a mix all this travelling/working/volunteering and I can surely say that there is always people who are more unfortunate and unhappier than me...  |
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sandeepbudhiraja
Talker
Joined: Aug 18, 2007
Posts: 86
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Aug 01, 2008 - 08:36 AM |
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I am counting days before I can go back home but i love the place.  The difference with me is that for me experience in Shanghai is relative to back home in India. So crowded trains (at lesat they are airconditioned) and people pushing you doesn't bother me much. I like the fact that people are friendly and accept you easily and that is the local population.
It is safe and the cost of living isn't that high and one has access to good sports infrastucture.
Good quality of life and have been here for 1 year 2 months and I am on a 2 year contract though it can be extended. |
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