Moving to Shanghai - to do's and not to do's + packing essentials?!?

Hello BritMuso and welcome to Expat.com

So that members can best advise you, could you please tell us more about your expatriation project? Are you coming alone and where are you going to stay and work might be solid infos for members here to tell you what to expect.

Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Hi There,
I will be working in an international school, solo traveller

Hi Jess,
Pls just bring some medcine if you need, because im sure that you could buy almost everything here.
As a local chinese, I suggest you to try chinese foods here,  Shanghai is a quite safe and friendly city, no worry

Hi Ethan,

Many thanks for info!

I'm looking forward to eating "proper" Chinese food, rather than the UK equivalent. I was in Qingdao March last year - loved the food there too!

I can't WAIT to move to CHINA!

if you loved the food/trip to Qingdao, than it means you are kinda ready for Sgh experience!

just one imp tip : make expat friends, but just don't get sucked into this "expat bubble", whiners will make your stay horrible and you will never get to integrate well !

for the rest, too many things to share, let us know if something specific

good luck!
Fred

Regarding packing essentials: tampons!! They are not that easily found and very expensive.

Hey dajia!!
I will be moving to SH in the end of the summer.
Any tips - just go ahead !
Thankssssesss!! Have a good day everyone!

Hi Alana, welcome! Feel free to PM me if you need some advice or any help!

I just saw a discussion like this about someone moving to Thailand and the general answer was about the same:  they have all the same things there (here) as in any "Western" country. 

It seemed aside from a few exceptions (like the tampons) the concern might be about finding exactly the same products, not rough equivalents, so bringing some favorites or specific product versions could make sense, for example, of medicines, cosmetics, or vitamin supplements.  In Thailand import taxes make a lot of things produced elsewhere more costly (electronics, toys, shoes, etc.), but that should be less true in China, especially since most are domestic products there.

This really goes without saying but of course you should become obsessed with tea there.  That nasty powder they call tea in Western tea bags--forget about that.  Chinese people drink more green tea than other types, and lighter oolongs are also very common, but to me darker oolongs are the real deal, Wuyi Yanchas, Da Hong Pao and such.

Good thoughts Thanks for the tampon - post !

Deodorant. I constantly hound people coming from Australia to buy me deodorant haha.

Also, get yourself setup with a decent VPN before you get here because the internet in China is sort of horrific when you first move. It doesn't get any better but your expectations change after a couple months at least 

Good luck with your move!