Shanghai: A Friendly WTF Warning
-
Well, I have spent almost a year in Shanghai. To be honest, I didn’t have any unrealistic fantasies about this place before coming here. It was simply to avoid being idle at home and because I had some friends living here. However, I am now planning to leave Shanghai (which is often referred to as "Hu" in Chinese, a shortened name).
- Indeed, although the city is bustling with people, it somehow feels void and lacks a true sense of real "life."
- Wherever you go, there are throngs of tourists, which can become quite irritating.
- No wonder some of my friends from the South, who are used to a lively lifestyle (like those from Guangdong or Fujian), find it hard to adjust — feeling that the “human烟火氣” is missing or, in other words, the daily hustle and bustle that includes the inviting smell of food and the laughter of people intertwining together. In comparison, cities like Shenzhen and Guangzhou are overflowing with such vitality.
Some of my friends have been leaving one by one:
- Friend A: Broken up, went back home to get married through family arrangements, and thus left Shanghai.
- Friend B: With decent pay but high rent and daily expenses, barely saving any money, they decided to move elsewhere to make new opportunities for themselves.
- Friend
Both broken up and jobless, returned back home. - Friend
Due to lacking suitable educational background, failing to find a good job, went to Guangdong for better opportunities. - Friend E: With better family conditions, went back to Fujian to get married.
- Friend F: Given the immense pressure in Shanghai and the exhausted spirit after years here, also went back to get married.
️ An alert for those thinking about developing themselves in Shanghai:- Regarding Work and Cost of Living:
- Unless you’ve already secured a job with a generous salary, avoid coming to Shanghai lightly with plans to “forge ahead.”
- For ordinary job opportunities that might not even have better prospects than those in places like Guangzhou or Shenzhen. At least in those places, the rental fees and living costs are lower, making life much more comfortable.
- Don’t Be Misled by the Appearance:
- Be careful not to be misled by those online pictures showing flashy trendy attractions (like the "Three Major Buildings" of the Bund or Lujiazui) or Shanghai’s super high GDP (gross product of the city).
- All these superficial features do not closely relate to a regular person's daily life here. Without caution, once you come here, you might just be an ordinary worker striving hard with quite some stress, and yet you may not actually enjoy these “high-end” privileges.
#ShanghaiCityWalk #Shanghai #JiangZheHu #Bund #Lujiazui #Disneyland #ThreeBuildings #QuitJobWithoutAPlan #AfterUnemployment #BigCityLife #DiaryOfJobLoss #LeavingMetropolis
-
So, why can't Guangzhou and Shenzhen even retain people from Guangdong? Besides, if they've come to Shanghai, it implies there wasn't much reason for them to stay in Guangzhou or Shenzhen at the time.
-
We folks from Guangdong are just here in Shanghai to experience it for a bit, then we head back home.
-
As a Shanghai local, this is how I see it. The biggest issue is the sense of belonging—after all, this isn't your hometown. Then there are Shanghai's high property prices. As for wages, most people are just ordinary folks, regular office workers, and their salaries aren't enough to buy a home. Some people leave their kids back in their hometowns while they work hard here. Or, if they bring their children, the grandparents often stay behind. With both parents working, there's genuinely not much time to care for the kids. I might be off base here, though.
-
You've hit the nail on the head, but you're describing folks with families and kids. For us recent graduates, the job market is already tough. On top of that, our entry-level salaries barely cover food and rent. Even after landing a job, finding a partner is difficult when you're all alone out here. And even if you're lucky enough to find someone, affording a house is still out of reach.
-
It's not easy. I hope my husband and I can stick it out.
-
Keep going, hon!
-
Managed to buy a house.
-
Wishing all my fellow compatriots from other provinces, who are working hard here in our Shanghai, good health and great fortune.
-
Been here for thirty years, still can't afford a house, and don't feel a sense of belonging.
-
I want to go back too. I don't feel any sense of belonging here.
-
Earn it in Shanghai, spend it in Shanghai; not a penny makes it back home. And when it comes to social obligations, you still have to dip into your savings from back home.
-
Anyone looking for driving lessons? Instructors are recruiting directly.
-
Exactly.