All they do is stare...

Hello CitizenEnglish

Sorry to here that. I know how you felt, as this happened a lot in China. It is quite rude, but don't be offended,they just been curious! My suggestion is to stare back !

Hope you enjoying your time in China!

Thanks - Ya I've learned to stare back and they look away. haha! I love Shanghai. It's an amazing place...

hi! it is really common here, and remember you are in Shanghai, where foreigners are already easy to see, it's much more grave in smaller cities   If you know a little bit chinese(not thanks or hello), just say it, and enjoy shocked faces!!lol  A good choice for your situation is "kan shen me kan" 看什么看 which means "what are you looking at~~~~~~~~!!!"

@Sini haha thanks I will def use it today. It's been better and I've just gotten use to it. thanks for the tip.

Don't be afraid. He will not harm you.

LOL.I think u definitely will get punched if u said the word as sini told u.this word usually caused street fight.but i highly recommend u to try this word when a strong chinese man stare at u.

Hahaha...you'll soon develop kung-fu like quickness when dodging spit...

ye.chinese learn kung-fu usally start from staring.keep staring back 1year verytimes u got someone's gaze.u will be master WuGui.

I absolutely agree with u. I hate this staring too. I have fair hair people watch me like I am a monkey in the zoo. I even scare to go somewhere because of it. In crowded places I want to hide：

Im in a smaller town and all they do is stare.  But its more curiosity so i dont mind as much, when i speak and smile then speak back.  I was told many people here have never seen a african american in person before, so i kinda expected it...a quick hello usually breaks the ice...

But staring usually transforms into a smile once you smile at them.  In a kind way of course.  Many times it transforms to laughing and you see a happy glare in many Chinese faces.  Just don’t appear uneasy yourself. 
I mean, where on earth do you usually get a predominantly kind reaction (once you get over the stare) as a foreigner?  Most of the time, if you don’t speak the countries language or you are somehow clearly a foreigner, you won’t necessarily get a kind smile.  Specifically in western countries. 

That said, watch out on markets though.  Know some gereal prices and learn a few words, such as numbers (good if you can signal them…in China you use only one Hand to represent all ten numbers…) and a few sentences such as “thanks, I don’t want/need it” (when they come to sell you the fake Rolex    )  or “that tastes good (difference in eating and drinking)”  since Chinese like food very much.

Greetings,
Pablo

Hahaha! Yes the spitting, sneezing, etc. from day one was not one of my most favourite things about China. But you can't do nothing about it.. my new methods now is just not to look to the people's faces. Sometimes chines people can look down on you too.

A nice way is also to ignore the adult and talk to the children. Works only if you have crazy parents telling their children: "say hello to this foreigner!" or "look, there is a foreigner!" I started to tell the children that the parents are wronge and that I am a German. The kids are happy because I talk with them in a normal way. And the parents hopefully learned something. Through this I had already many nice situations with children.

When you walk at the Bund and the ppl starting to ask you where you come from you can also tell them that you come from Shanghai. Gives you always a smile. Special when you answer this in chinese, even if they ask you in english.

About spitting or similar ...
One nice storry I like also to share (u can try it next time maybe).
When I was with some of my Students together at the Konfuzius Tempel in Qufu some of the Staff there just washed their mouth with water and spitt it in a corner next to one of the halls. I saw it from a bit far and when we came close I also did exact the same. Took water in my mouth and spitt it in the same corner. Can you imagine how my students stare at me. And I told them very serious that it has to be done at this holy hall, like the stuff did jsut befor. My students was really surprised, because they never heard about this befor. But the Staff was laughing out loud and understood that it was a joke. We had a lot fun there all together.
Sometimes spitting is not that bad

The mentality behind it is not malicious, nor are they making fun of you--they're just generally, surprised and curious.  The way I look at it, if many people in any culture are having the same reactions and behaving in a similar way, then it can be regarded with an indulgent "That's the way they are here," and accepted and dismissed the same way everything one must get used to can be.  I have found that looking back and smiling kindly is the number one happiest way to deal with it---people usually smile back and instantly you see that there are no bad feelings behind those stares.  And further, those smiles fuel a lot of good feeling and can turn a bad day into a great day.  Middle and high school students stare and suddenly get nervous--they kind of look at every encounter with a foreigner as a potential English test--and often dare each other to actually try to speak to you.  It's just harmless, childish playfulness, even if a bit naughty sometimes.