Ugh, Back in Shanghai After My Trip and It's... So. Freaking. Tiring.

[Antoinette Ferry]

Hello everyone! I just returned from a few days in Northeastern China (the place relatively more to the north with extremely cold winters), and realized some things that I hadn't noticed before, with contrasts being quite striking...

• In the northeast, since it's really cold, people are wrapped up like bears when they go out—no pressure at all if you show up without makeup. Comfort is key!

• But as soon as I get back to Shanghai, the streets and subways are bustling with impeccably dressed people. Don't even think about stepping out unmade-up; wearing pajamas would probably draw suspicious glances. Office workers are all fashionistas with perfect makeup. Even IT, which I'm in, can be considered the least concerned about appearance in the company.

• During my commute, constant advertisements make me feel as though my wallet is being lured all the time. Any person on the subway might sport luxury bags like Louis Vuitton or Gucci, with Disney character figures tied around them (Lina Belle is super popular). Seeing those many times makes me envious too, considering that if I had money, I'd definitely buy one—even though deep down, I know these flashy items wouldn't have a lot of practical value...

• Speaking of parking! In the northeast, cars are parked on the roadside without anyone minding.

  • CAUTION: PARKING IN SHANGHAI!
    • Dare you do this in Shanghai? A ticket will be issued soon!
    • Formal parking spaces on the road? It costs at least 10 RMB per hour, and many places require you to leave by 7 AM.
    • Why not park in residential areas?
      • Purchasing a parking space starts at 400,000 RMB in residential complexes, even if it is available.
      • Even with a parking space, once parked there, you wouldn't want to move your car out again because searching for a parking spot in Shanghai is as strenuous as hell!

• Of course, Shanghai has its undeniable merits or else I wouldn't be here. Just living in such a super-metropolis demands quite a bit of energy to comply with regulations which seem rather unnecessary.

• Time to stop. Keep up the great work! (A self-deprecating term for white-collar workers like us).

#Shanghai #OfficeWorkers #ReasonsToStayInShanghai #UpsAndDownsOfLife #StriveForMoreMoney #GetRichQuick

[Karen Zulauf]

Oh, and I just remembered something crucial: indoor secondhand smoke in the Northeast is absolutely terrible! In all the restaurants I've visited these past few days, only two had staff who would stop people from smoking. The rest just ignored it. At one place, while we were queuing, someone next to us actually asked the staff if they could smoke, got a 'yes,' and then just sat there puffing away... I was speechless! Shanghai is definitely miles ahead in this regard!

[Dr. Guadalupe Homenick]

But even in Shanghai now, the main streets often smell of secondhand smoke, with drifting clouds of it everywhere.

[Zachary Hayes]

You're unlikely to find many (if any) of those 'perfectly put-together urban ladies' on the Shanghai subway between 8 and 9 AM.