| Relocation
to Shanghai - Our Move |
| By Michael
Connolly |
| Moving to Shanghai |
| We started
this adventure in Seattle. Margaret was looking for a position doing
web work. Even though she had several local interviews - there was none
she was excited about. I was working for a local health care organization
in the IS department. We had our home, our car, our cats and basically
were very contented.
Very quickly,
things changed. We received interest from a publishing company who
had an office in Shanghai. They needed someone to manage all the Chinese
web work in their Shanghai office was doing. To make a long story short
- with her skill with Chinese, web work, and familiarity with Shanghai
(she is Chinese originally from Shanghai), she got the job complete
with reasonable relocation package. |
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| Even knowing
what Margaret knew about living in Shanghai - there are some things we
would do differently if we had to do it again. We had a limit on what
we were allowed to move at company expense. We had to choose the things
that would make the most difference for an extended stay in Shanghai and
sell, giveaway, or store the rest. It is amazing how much stuff you can
accumulate in the process of just living. Margaret was correct in assuming
that we would not need to move much furniture. We stored, sold, or gave
away most of what we had. She was also correct about clothes, household
items, tools, and most of the things that are made in China. It did actually
turn out cheaper to sell them and replace them in Shanghai than move them.
Out of our
1600 lbs, we had some clothes, english language books that we really wanted
to keep with us, our stereo, CDs, computers, some kitchen stuff, some spices
and specialty foods (including a couple lbs of good coffee).Mostly
personal stuff.
If we had to
do over again - I think we would leave most 110 type appliances (like
the toaster oven, alarm clock, fax machine, most lamps, vacuum cleaner,
maybe the stereo). |
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| We would leave
more clothes, kitchen stuff, and limit the books to what we really were
going to use as reference or reading there in China.
By the time
the movers took the last bit, we had moved 20%, stored 30%, and sold
or given away the other 50%. When we arrived in Shanghai and moved into
our apartment - maybe 20% of what we moved ended up not being as useful
as we thought, or was soon replaced by something better purchased locally
very cheap.
It depends
a lot on your relocation, limits on budget, what kind of things you
have and what you think you cannot live without.
If budget
is a big concern, you should probably focus on the personal stuff that
makes an apartment a home. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| Tools, books
(amazon delivers here also) , bedroom linens and towels, clothes
(unless you are big - bigger than L or tall), many household and
kitchen items, plants, much furniture, most small appliances, and even
a lot of very good art are all procurable locally in Shanghai at a fraction
of the cost of US prices. Computers are about the same price or a little
more here - but all the normal things you would need for a good system
are here. Keep in mind you might pay a significant duty on your computer
system, stereo, or fax when your shipment arrives. We paid duty for computers,
stereo, CD's and one of piece of good wood furniture and it amounted to
about $700.
All in all,
we are very comfortable here. Margaret was able to find a great apartment
the first week looking in a decent building for $830 a month including
management fee. This was a fraction of what the previous tenant had paid
due the current glut in unrented apartments and office space. The building,
HuaShan Garden on Jiang Su Road is exceptionally well maintained and very
responsive. We used Allied to move and they did very well in the US and
in Shanghai. They had a decent staff pack and unpack, assist with customs,
and follow up with all of our questions. Every glass, vase, and CD made
it through with out a scratch. |
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| First Impressions
My first
impression is that Shanghai is BIG,exotic, with lots and lots of people,
bicycles,and cars- but easy to navigate and relatively cheap to live if
I don't attempt maintain a totally american lifestyle - which I didn't
want to do anyway. The few chinese people I have had contact with after
5 days have been very friendly, helpful, and tolerant. A surprising number
of chinese I have encountered speak some English. English is taught as
a required subject in most schools. Taxis and bicycles are everywhere.
I can get anywhere in the city for 2 or 3 dollars. We won't need a car
here.
Supermarket/department
combo stores similar to western ones, only bigger with broader and
more localized selection and much cheaper prices are 10 minutes by taxi. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| You know
how when you set up a new apartment, there is always a long list of things
you need. Pots and pans, brooms and mops, cleaning supplies, dishes
and cooking utensils, bookshelves, storage units...you know what I mean.
We bought 2 shelves, all that kind of apartment stuff and 5 bags of groceries
for less than $100 (about RMB 800). We can buy western name brands
like hershey, hormel and kraft, but there is usually a chinese product
similar or better for 20% of the price. There is french bakery close -
or should I say a chinese bakery and that bakes french pastry - with fresh
croissants for about RMB 2.5 each (about 30 cents US).
For more information
on moving to Shanghai visit - Shanghai-Shanghai website. - http://shanghaiexpat.com
- Description: This is ongoing story in words and pictures of an expat's
experience living in Shanghai China. Lots of good tips and resources! |
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Article
Index ~ China
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