Anyone in Shanghai?

anksta

anksta

anksta

Soldato
Joined
19 Jan 2005
Posts
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Is there anyone on here in Shanghai at the minute? I just got here yesterday and am currently building up the nerve to leave my hostel, I think the trip from the airport has scared me a little, I've been having mandarin lessons for a few months back in the uk but every time a chinese person talks to me it all deserts me and I'm left looking like an ignorant tourist.

I'm supposed to be living here now and I'm freely gonna admit to a bunch of strangers that I'm terrified and I want to go home. I've not heard from the guy who is supposed to have gotten me a job in a while and I'm seriously hoping that I dont, then I go home all 'outraged' that the guy let me down.

Anyway, is there anyone on here that is in shanghai at the minute? Or knows it well at all, at least knows whether or not the ticket machines in the metro stations are in english?
 
Yes, the ticket machines are all touchscreen with an option to select English. I think if yo want to buy an Oyster-style top up card, you need to actually talk to the guy at a desk, but all the machines are easy enough.

Don't worry too much about not understanding what's going on - there's loads to take in when you first land in China, and they could be speaking Shanghainese anyway. For now I'd just recommend having a wander about the city and visiting the different districts to get a vague feel for the place (admittedly very vague), but don't give up! Get in touch with your contact and wait until you have a chance to become a bit more settled.
 
yeah cheers I am gonna give it a go, I'm just on my own completely at the minute and not at all built for this sort of adventure.

I never even wanted to come in all honesty, I did it to impress some bird and I'm not even bothered about her anymore, although I do have to say she is very impressed with me. I'm gonna give this a go for a few weeks I think and then when I dont get a job I'll bounce home with an experience and a story to tell everyone that I was jipped and I'd taken to this like a duck to water.
 
watch lost in translation and afer youve finished drooling over Scarlett johansson realise that your not the only one to ever have such problems
 
A friend of mine is currently teaching in China - though not Shanghai. He also taught in Japan for a year. Because he got himself a job in teaching, with other English speakers, I think he found it easier to settle. You need to get in touch with your contact ASAP and try and find some local spots with English speakers who can give advice. Are there none at the hostel?
 
I just left Shanghai. In total I spent 2 months in china, currently i'm in Hong Kong. I don't see the problem to be honest, Shanghai is a western style city, with tons of English speakers.
 
As been said could be speaking Shanghainese or even just mandarin with a heavy northern accent. They tend to speak a lot faster then down south.

A few months lessons? Harsh, I had a whole semester learning mandarin full time in Guangzhou, when I went up north. It was like :confused: . It's like leaning English then trying to talk to a Glaswegian.

Usually though, if you speak english most will be very helpful. Unless they want to do you over or rip you off. :rolleyes:

Serious note, just get out there. Its stuff like this later in life you look back and realise it was awesome. Good story telling to future birds:D
 
he's probally down one of the markets buying callaway golf clubs, north face jackets and about 500 DVDs.

That or the moutai got him.
 
You're half way around the world. Bloody well go out there and enjoy yourself, learn about a new culture and get lost in it. Don't be such a wet rag!
 
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