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From Melbourne to Shanghai - What to pack & expect?

Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Relocation and Moving

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wanting_shanghai

Newbie

Joined: Aug 24, 2008
Posts: 7

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 24, 2008 - 10:31 PM
Post subject: From Melbourne to Shanghai - What to pack & expect?

Hey guys, this is a great site. Saw heaps of information and I can't wait to get to Shanghai and experience things for myself. I should be there by mid Sep, depending on how the work visa and all go.

I'm a Singaporean who has been living in Melbourne for the last 2 years and just accepted a job posting in Shanghai. I'll be living in a company-provided apartment in Pudong, I've seen pictures - the furnishing looks horrid!

Anyways, I thought to ask for some advice on what to bring and what to expect.

1. Espresso machine & coffee powder
I'll be bringing these. Question is whether the quality of coffee in Shanghai is really so bad and expensive that I should really invest and get a good machine in Melbourne and bring with me as much coffee powder I can. Very Happy

Can I get good machines without breaking the bank? Coffee powder?

2. What other items are terribly expensive or difficult to get in Shanghai?
Say contact lens solution? Western-branded toiletries? Perfumes?

3. Where can I find a good & lively charismatic church with English services? I am thinking of live bands, huge crowds.. yadda yadda. A church that is not too far from Pudong will be fantastic.

4. Where do all the hard-core salseros go & when?

5. Are there good, hygienic places to get facials without paying expat prices?

6. Where can I find the BEST xiao long bao?

What else should I bring from Melbourne or Singapore? Australian wine maybe? Potato chips I heard! No vegemite for me, never really managed to pick that up...

I heard that the average pay for an entry-level graduate is about 2-3000 RMB a month. What is the average pay of say an junior local manager in Marketing? How many more times would an expat be paid? Are local expats with MNCs well-paid?

I am thinking of budgeting about 2000 - 2500 RMB a month for transport (excluding commute to work), meals, utilities, mobile phone bill, part-time maid, maybe the occasional movie and salsa night. How well can I live? Should I up my budget? Stick to only local beers? Smile

Go crazy on all the pampering?

Last but not least, as female, Chinese (but Singaporean-born), what should I be looking out for? Is it relatively safe for me at night, compared to Singapore and Melbourne? How do I use the fact that I speak Mandarin to avoid paying expat prices? Pick up a Shanghainese accent?

I didn't realize how much I've blabbered. Sorry!

hautumncloud
LoopKicker

Joined: Nov 04, 2006
Posts: 989

Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 12:24 PM
Post subject: Re: From Melbourne to Shanghai - What to pack & expect?

wanting_shanghai wrote:

:
3. Where can I find a good & lively charismatic church with English services? I am thinking of live bands, huge crowds.. yadda yadda. A church that is not too far from Pudong will be fantastic.

Here are the information of the two churches:-

http://scfenglish.com/

http://agifpudong.org/

As for your other questions, do a search in this forum and you will find loads of info and ready answers such as what to bring, what is available, what can't you get here etc. For food, you can look in the Food section and you will see many discussions on xiao long bao as well. There is also a big Singaporean/Malaysian community in this forum and they have their looong thread.....anyways, welcome Smile

mat

Shanghai Royalty

Joined: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 9627
Location: On my friggin beer scooter.
Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 12:46 PM

Quote:

1. Espresso machine & coffee powder
I'll be bringing these. Question is whether the quality of coffee in Shanghai is really so bad and expensive that I should really invest and get a good machine in Melbourne and bring with me as much coffee powder I can. Can I get good machines without breaking the bank? Coffee powder?

2. What other items are terribly expensive or difficult to get in Shanghai?
Say contact lens solution? Western-branded toiletries? Perfumes?

For the Coffee and Machine. Machines here are relatively cheap. You can get a little DeLonghi for home. Approx 1600rmb. Does a good job.

Coffee is not a problem either. I use Espresso Nation, which is a mate of mines brand. Very cheap, and fresh. Illy is available everywhere, which i think is the best big Commercial one.

As for toiletries. Deodorant is the one thing you should bring over. Very hard to get a good selection here. Everything else is fine.

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Buzzd

PopStar

Joined: Jan 30, 2008
Posts: 1161

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 01:00 PM

Quote:

Is it relatively safe for me at night

That's one area where you're in luck. A very safe city.

wanting_shanghai

Newbie

Joined: Aug 24, 2008
Posts: 7

Status: Offline

Posted: Aug 25, 2008 - 09:58 PM

Thanks everyone!

I'll bring my current coffee maker if there's still space (not shipping my stuff over to Shanghai, but rather back home to Singapore). Illy's a great coffee, but very expensive in Melbourne. I've recently switched to Di Bella - a coffee from Brissy I think. I'll try espresso nation when I am in Melbourne. I'll also pop by the pharmacy to get the Thursday Plantation deodorant, although worst case, I'll just make do with what I can find or get them when I am back in Singapore!

I'll check out both churches and hope to find one right for me. I'm so going to miss great Aussie wines at next to nothing, gourmet pizza...

Is there a Gold Class cinema in Shanghai? I tried them both in Singapore & Melbourne. The Melbourne one's divine! And I figure I'll be buying lots of DVDs so I can watch my regular does of American Dramas/ Dramedies - CSI, Criminal Mind, Lipstick Jungle (was it canned?), Damages, and so on. Perhaps we can start a forum to swap series?

Another chapter of my life just waiting to be written!

melbguy75

Seeker

Joined: June 22, 2008
Posts: 64

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 03, 2009 - 04:36 PM

Deodorant hard to find or just not many to select from? Are there atleast roll ons? lol
Also is shaving cream, razors etc esy to buy?

10 days and counting before touchdown in Shangers!!!
Cheers,
MG

Reg_Reagan

StreetBeater

Joined: July 18, 2006
Posts: 2460
Location: Friggin' Cessnock...
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 03, 2009 - 04:46 PM

Shaving cream and razors cheaper than home. Some deodorants appearing, but best to bring your own.

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Go and get stuffed the lot of youse... now get me a KB woman...

Reg_Reagan

StreetBeater

Joined: July 18, 2006
Posts: 2460
Location: Friggin' Cessnock...
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 03, 2009 - 04:48 PM

oh.... and get stuffed

regards

Reg

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Go and get stuffed the lot of youse... now get me a KB woman...

Zak101

FooJay

Joined: Jan 20, 2003
Posts: 1605
Location: 苏州 Suzhou
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 03, 2009 - 05:57 PM

Deodorants - roll on : Adidas for Men, Nivea found almost everywhere.

Z.

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currychook

Rocker

Joined: Dec 21, 2005
Posts: 653
Location: Hong Kou, Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 03, 2009 - 09:37 PM

Pack your sanity,

p1atl10

Shanghai Royalty

Joined: Mar 18, 2005
Posts: 9056
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 04, 2009 - 01:20 AM

^ Nah....check it at the door. Easier to fit in here.

OP....good luck on trying to pass as a local. Singaporean Mandarin? They will have you pegged as a foreigner in about 3 seconds flat.

The other thing I would bring is any medicine you think you might need. Tylenol, cold tablets, vitamins....etc.

Some are availible here.....many are fake. Best to bring your own.

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Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.....Dave Barry

currychook

Rocker

Joined: Dec 21, 2005
Posts: 653
Location: Hong Kou, Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 04, 2009 - 02:32 PM

Avoid Decleor Spa in Zhenning Rd. Bunch of shysters Chinese managed, no idea of customer service and trying to pass off as international brand so they can charge western prices for lousy service.