Life in the modern city of Shanghai is full of contradictions. On the one hand, the city is very modern and all the modcons are available for the right price but China is still a developing country and this means that you have a lot of extremes in one place. I just came from the Glamour Bar (an expat hangout on the Bund) for a fundraiser entitled “Beats, shoots, and leaves” which was a very clever fundraiser for Eco Audit, an organization which audits businesses and NGO’s for eco-friendliness. As I looked out at the posh bar (I’ve been hanging out with a lot of Brits lately and consequently have acquired some of their lingo) and onto the beautifully lit Bund and Pearl Tower, I was in a completely different world than what I experience here every day. I was surrounded by other foreigners, listening to a Reggae band, drink in hand and chatting with my girl friends. We could have been Sex in the City Shanghai!
When I am spending time with other expats, I can easily forget that there is this huge dichotomy between the lives of foreigners and that of locals. I see this of course and I do not want to forget that I am living a very priviledged life here. The income of many locals is less than $500/month for a full time worker. So while I appreciate that things can be had for a very good price here, life in the city for most people here is very difficult.
I try to consider that in my day to day activities and if I pay a higher price than a local, I am not automatically upset as some others are. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to get ripped off when I am buying groceries but 10 Yuan to me is much less than for an average Shanghainese person.
This means that things are done differently here than in the states. One general rule of thumb here in China is that if something can be done on bicycle, it will! In the states you have a truck for almost any kind of delivery but here almost everything is delivered by bicycle. Bottled water, fast food, building materials, deliveries of all kinds, you name it! Even recycling materials are picked up on bicycles rigged with carts. It is not uncommon to see many people on one bicycle in addition to some other supplies or luggage and of course the no one wears a helmet. The other day, I had the privilege of having my first motorbike scooter ride. Even though it was only about 2 blocks, we still managed to go the wrong way in traffic, ride on the sidewalk, and go over speed bumps. It was a very Chinese experience.
Another recent experience that gave me a chuckle was having curtains installed. The man arrived on a bicycle with hardware and then asked if I had a ladder. Thankfully, Xiao Chen (a local shop girl who helps me around the house) was helping me that day so she was able to translate for me. Of course I don’t have a ladder since I just moved to China and don’t have a regular need for one! We proceeded to look for something he could stand on to install my curtains. We eventually decided on a small table from my deck which worked though I was nervous because it didn’t look very stable. It worked fine in the end and thankfully no accidents occurred. I should also mention that when he arrived he was wearing a suit! I was telling this story to a friend and he said that he saw a man breaking rocks for work the other day wearing a suit. It is in essence the opposite of the casual American culture. So a man breaking rocks in China will wear a suit but a CEO in America might wear trainers, jeans and an old t-shirt. Go figure!
Okay I am signing off as it is past one in the morning and I leave tomorrow for Tokyo. My next post will likely be about my upcoming trip there. Until next time ; )
When I am spending time with other expats, I can easily forget that there is this huge dichotomy between the lives of foreigners and that of locals. I see this of course and I do not want to forget that I am living a very priviledged life here. The income of many locals is less than $500/month for a full time worker. So while I appreciate that things can be had for a very good price here, life in the city for most people here is very difficult.
I try to consider that in my day to day activities and if I pay a higher price than a local, I am not automatically upset as some others are. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to get ripped off when I am buying groceries but 10 Yuan to me is much less than for an average Shanghainese person.
This means that things are done differently here than in the states. One general rule of thumb here in China is that if something can be done on bicycle, it will! In the states you have a truck for almost any kind of delivery but here almost everything is delivered by bicycle. Bottled water, fast food, building materials, deliveries of all kinds, you name it! Even recycling materials are picked up on bicycles rigged with carts. It is not uncommon to see many people on one bicycle in addition to some other supplies or luggage and of course the no one wears a helmet. The other day, I had the privilege of having my first motorbike scooter ride. Even though it was only about 2 blocks, we still managed to go the wrong way in traffic, ride on the sidewalk, and go over speed bumps. It was a very Chinese experience.
Another recent experience that gave me a chuckle was having curtains installed. The man arrived on a bicycle with hardware and then asked if I had a ladder. Thankfully, Xiao Chen (a local shop girl who helps me around the house) was helping me that day so she was able to translate for me. Of course I don’t have a ladder since I just moved to China and don’t have a regular need for one! We proceeded to look for something he could stand on to install my curtains. We eventually decided on a small table from my deck which worked though I was nervous because it didn’t look very stable. It worked fine in the end and thankfully no accidents occurred. I should also mention that when he arrived he was wearing a suit! I was telling this story to a friend and he said that he saw a man breaking rocks for work the other day wearing a suit. It is in essence the opposite of the casual American culture. So a man breaking rocks in China will wear a suit but a CEO in America might wear trainers, jeans and an old t-shirt. Go figure!
Okay I am signing off as it is past one in the morning and I leave tomorrow for Tokyo. My next post will likely be about my upcoming trip there. Until next time ; )