Shanghai is a bustling city on China’s central coast. As the country’s biggest city, it is wonderfully international with booming industries and a bright, modern skyline. Shanghai is accessible and easy to navigate for foreigners, with tons to offer young people. It’s the perfect place to gain international professional experience, make new friends and explore a new part of the world.
Shanghai is China’s most populous city and boasts a long list of diverse booming industries, in part due to its container port, which is the busiest in the world. The Chinese economy is one of the largest and most influential in the world. Learning about Chinese markets and the local business culture is an excellent way to make yourself a more competitive candidate.
From partying in Karaoke parks to braving the Jin Mao Tower walkway, Shanghai has something to offer just about everyone. Additionally, it holds a wealth of history, and is an excellent place to learn more about the ancient Chinese empire. In terms of museums, Shanghai offers some unique displays in the automobile museum, music box museum and sports museum. For those looking to spend time outdoors, People’s Park is a beautiful spot for a warm afternoon.
As China’s largest city, Shanghai certainly has a lot of diverse expressions and facets in terms of representing Chinese culture. A trip to a tea house is an absolute must. Tea culture in China is quite distinct from other parts of the world, such as the U.S. or the UK. Tea houses in China date back to ancient times, and to this day serve as a meeting place for friends and colleagues.
A city with over 24 million people, Shanghai also has its fair share of foreigners. Thousands of Koreans, Japanese, Americans, French and Germans are foreign residents of Shanghai. Many locals speak English and public transportation along with many restaurants in international areas will include English translations. Moreover, as a foreigner you can find any type of food or activity you want whenever you’re missing home.
Even fancier places in Shanghai won’t set you back too munch. A nice splurge meal will ring up at US$10 or US$12, though the local places with likely the best and most authentic Shanghai dishes will cost as little as US$1 or US$2. Interns in Shanghai have to try the local take on xiao long bao, which is dumplings with soup. The Sichuan cuisine is also perfectly scrumptious and can be found at a great price.
You can find just about anything at the markets in Shanghai – and there are so many of them! For cheap knock-off products, the Science & Technology Subway Station Fake Stuff Market is a recommended spot. Meanwhile, style gurus will love the Anxi Clothing Market.
The Shanghai skyline in the Lujiazui district cannot be missed. The cityscape can be best admired from either The Bund or French Concession, popular touristy strips. For a view that will make even the bravest dizzy, go to the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center.
Boasting 200 different stations among 16 lines, Shanghai’s metro is the most extensive system in the world. Luckily for you, metro signs have been translated into English.
The city’s proximity to Thailand and Japan makes it strategic for a young person with a bit of a travel bug. Public transportation, bullet trains, airports and an excellent metro system make travel a breeze. For day or weekend trips, Nanjing and Hangzhou are just a two hour ride away by train. Canal cities like Suzhou are also very close to Shanghai. Meanwhile, if you travel by high speed rail, Beijing is only five hours away.
Sources: http://www.timeoutshanghai.com/feature/28589/Shanghais-best-markets.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghainese, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Shanghai, http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/play/worlds-greatest-city-50-reasons-why-shanghai-no-1-590704/, http://goingawesomeplaces.com/top-10-things-to-do-in-shanghai/, http://www.phyllisonthemap.com/10-reasons-shanghai-best-place-live-china/
Photos:
1. Skyline of Shanghai Pudong at Sunset, by Stefan Fussan, CC BY-SA 2.0
2. Courtesy of The Intern Group
3. Yuyuan Gardens Market, by David Leo Veksler, CC BY 2.0