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Relocation to Shanghai
- Our Move
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By Michael Connolly
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Moving
to Shanghai
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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.
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. |
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Michael
& Margaret Connolly moved
from Seattle toShanghai. They have
developed a fine website that
provides a lot of information that will
be of value to anyone considering
Shanghai as an expatriate
desitination. Visit their website for
more details:
- http://shanghaiexpat.com
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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).
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. 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.
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. |
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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.
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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