You have arrived and it’s not a holiday that you have planned but actually moving yourself and your family to Shanghai to work and live with all those aspects it involves. One comforting aspect of your relocation to China is that you are not alone.

Being a foreign manager in a multinational organization in China involves substantial challenges and stressful situations as you will be working in a new environment with different cultural and business values. So how can you best overcome these challenges and ensure that your daily life and long-term business are reached as effectively as possible.

Once you decide to come to Shanghai, one of the first things you need to get sorted out is your housing situation. Choosing the right place to live can make all the difference and determine whether your stay in Shanghai will be successful and as least stressful as possible.

Many companies choose to send their expatriate to China on a so-called look/see trip or familiarization trip where you will a first hand chance to experience the country before you make the decision to move here or not. It not only gives you the chance to find the best possible home here but also to get a good understanding of the other criteria that are important for you family such as schools, medical facilities and sports activities to mention a few.

Since most expatriates work hard during the week it is important to make something out of the weekend in Shanghai. Many expatriates and Chinese try to leave the city during the weekend, and there are quite a few places to visit in the outskirts and beyond. You can use a variety of means of transportation to get there, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

More distant places can be reached by car. You can buy a road map at the Foreign Languages Bookstore in Fuzhou Lu. It can still be difficult to find the way since the roads are not well marked, so you might want to bring somebody who knows the way, or somebody who speaks Chinese. You can also hire a taxi for the day. Expect to pay approximately RMB 400-700 for a day trip, depending on the driving distance.

In terms of shopping, Shanghai is absolutely one of the most fantastic places in China (and the world). The experience that you have about everything “made in China” is true. When China threw its doors open to the world, the country’s late patriarch Deng Xiaoping told people that to get rich was glorious, but if you want to get ahead in modern Shanghai, to look rich is even better.

Shanghai is the shopping utopia for Mainland Chinese. Expatriates can easily find most goods that are required for comfortable living. The imported items are still pretty expensive, but we know the rule is that you should always bring those things important for your life style from home. What’s more, the pearl markets, antique markets, antique furniture shops are those ”must-drop-by shops”.

Before you arrive in Shanghai, you may be concerned about your health and you should be extra aware of your hygiene. Wash your hands before meals and during the day. Also note that toilets in restaurants and public places can be very primitive so you should carry your own tissues. If you are desperate in the middle of the street and need to pay a visit to a toilet, you may consider stepping in to one of the many McDonald’s or KFC’s that are spread all over the city.

Drinking water should never come from the tap unless your home or hotel has a water cleaning filter system – and even then it may advisable to only drink bottled water. Bottled water is widely available all over China and of good quality. Furthermore, most houses come with one or more water dispensers as well and the management offices in the compounds usually provide delivery services of the gallons.