Rob in Shanghai: "Come here with an open mind"

Why did you decide to move to China?

I decided to move to Hong Kong because I liked the culture and lifestyle as well as the superior remuneration packages for academics; and I moved to Shanghai in 2002 because the booming economic conditions made it promising for developing a business.

How was the moving process?

The move from Australia to Hong Kong was a major operation. It involved selling two cars and a lot of quality, solid-wood furniture, holding a garage sale to divest the smaller items, and renting out the family home: not something I'd like to repeat.

What were the formalities you had to go through to be able to live and work in China?

I had secured my job in Hong Kong before I resigned my position in Australia, and the rest was easy... just signing contract documents with my employer when I arrived, and obtaining a one-year working visa with the help of my employer.
In my shift up to Shanghai, I used a six-month, multiple-entry business visa (obtained in Hong Kong) and when I found suitable employment with Wall Street English, their HR Department organized the one-year Z (work) visa as well as the Work Permit, for me. To get the Z visa, I had to leave China (to Hong Kong) and apply to the Chinese consulate in that city, before returning to Shanghai. Once in possession of these two requirements, I was able to go to the Public Security Bureau (Police) and register as a resident in the district where I lived.

How did you first find a job in China? Any advice to share with the other members?

If one's native tongue is English and you're in possession of a CELTA or TESOL certificate, it is easy to find a teaching job in China: there is a lot of demand. In my case, I was already in China on a business visa and I went to one of the Wall Street English centers and they hired me immediately after a short interview and demonstration lesson. However, the process can also be managed online from one's home country.
A job teaching English at one of the many universities is usually remunerated with free accommodation, plus a small salary (around RMB 4-5k). Some smaller English schools can A A job teaching English at one of the many universities is usually remunerated with free accommodation, plus a small salary (around RMB 4-5k). Some smaller English schools can be dodgy, so one should scrutinize the contract carefully and if dissatisfied, look around for another... there are many to choose from in the major cities.

Did you face some difficulties in adapting to your host country (language, culture, do's and don'ts)?

Hong Kong was relatively easy because English is widely spoken and the local Chinese are accustomed to foreigners. All signs and official documents are printed in English and Chinese.
In the first and second tier cities in mainland China, it is more difficult if one doesn't speak Mandarin. So, it is very helpful to befriend one of the locals who speaks English, and they are usually very eager to help with any difficulties... of course, they appreciate the practice in speaking English. There are many cultural peculiarities that one encounters; these are learned as one merges into the daily life of the people, but it is very helpful to read a book or two on these issues.

Did you learn Chinese before coming to the country?

No, I had no Chinese when I arrived in Hong Kong or Shanghai. In my 20 years residence in the two locations, I have not undertaken a course to learn the languages (Cantonese and Mandarin), but I have picked up enough to enable me to function in shops and taxis.

What surprised you the most in Shanghai?

I was surprised most by the rapid pace of development. I have been living here for 12 years, during all the 10+ GDPs, and this has translated into skylines that change overnight. Lu Jia Zui, the business center of Shanghai makes Manhattan look like a country village, and the world's second highest skyscraper is almost completed there.

Is it easy to meet new people in Shanghai?

Yes. If one is an outgoing person, it is easy to meet both locals and foreigners. This city has just about any form of entertainment, including bars of all kinds, clubs, restaurants galore, karaoke spots, and a host of sporting clubs. The locals are eager to talk to foreigners and learn about their cultures.

Could you please share with us something you like about Shanghai and something you don't like?

Something I like: Watching the locals early in the morning in the parks and along the riverside as they go about their exercises, including dancing, tai chi, flying kites, walking and jogging.
Something I don't like: The smog which almost constantly shrouds the city; and the incessant hawking and spitting.

Is there a common belief about China which you found wasn't right?

I initially thought that everybody was getting rich. This is incorrect. Only around 5% of the population has been markedly uplifted out of poverty, but that's still around 70 million. The other 1.33 billion still live in poverty; and while national GDPs are the highest in the world, the per capita GDP is among the lowest in the world. The income gap between rich and poor is a time-bomb for the future.

What do you miss the most about Australia, your home country?

I miss the clean air, water, and foods that I can trust are not adulterated.

What does your typical day as an expat in Shanghai look like?

If it's a working day, I generally get up late and leave for work around midday - however, I arrive home late, around 9pm. If it's a free day, I catch up on food shopping, do some cooking for meals during the week, read, watch a DVD (very cheap here), and have a few beers with friends at a micro-brewery in the evening during the happy hour.

Have you adopted any Chinese habits since living here?

No, there's nothing Chinese that I need to adopt. My lifestyle is still quite Western.

In your book recently published, China Experts: the Unorthodox, you talk about Chinese habits and behaviors: Why did you decide to write on that subject and how can it help the expats in China?

Of course, expats are witness to the cultural norms here every day. Many of these norms can be offensive or perplexing to Western sensibilities and expats are often derisive about them: things like spitting, cheating, jumping queues, conversational shouting, face, and so on. The object of the book is not to demean these behaviors, but to explain why the Chinese exhibit them. So, this book should be very useful for developing cultural understanding for all those groups that are increasingly coming into contact with Chinese people around the world.

What advice would you give to people wishing to live in Shanghai?

Read something about Chinese cultural norms first, then come here with an open mind. You can't change the habits of 23 million people who live here, so be prepared to fit in with the local behaviors, even though you don't approve of, or adopt them yourself.

After living for more than 20 years in China, do you still feel like an expat?

Yes, I am still an expat as I haven't integrated into Chinese society. Most of my social friends are expats and we maintain our own customs. However, some expats do try to make the leap by learning the language and even marrying local girls. But in China, there are cultures within cultures, within cultures, etc. and in Shanghai, there are the Shanghainese (who speak their own dialect), migrant workers who are marginalized by the Shanghainese, and Lao Wai (we are expats and we maintain our own customs). However, some expats do try to make the leap by learning the language and even marrying local girls. But in China, there are cultures within cultures, within cultures, etc. and in Shanghai, there are the Shanghainese (who speak their own dialect), migrant workers who are marginalized by the Shanghainese, and Lao Wai (as the Chinese call foreigners). The Chinese acute awareness of those from outside makes it difficult to ever integrate successfully.