Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

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cheerysunshine
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 8:14 am

Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by cheerysunshine »

So, I have made the decision move to teach in Shanghai. I am all set. I'm sure it will be a great learning experience. I'm also looking forward to learning more about China during this time.

The plan is to stay near the school for the initial phase. I understand that will be in Xujing. What's the environment there like in Xujing? What should I expect?

I will have to decide later if I would like to continue to stay in that area or move to wherever I like.

At the moment, staying near the school (since I have to commute to and from it every day) is a good choice. Do most teachers do that?

Given the school's location near Xujing, which other districts/areas can I consider? Which complex (if you have a specific location in mind) is worth looking at?

I am a young, single woman. Not into nightlife at all. Appreciate a balance between quiet and activities. Convenience and accessibility and of course, safety, is very important.

Thanks! : )
WinterFerret
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Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:04 pm

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by WinterFerret »

Baidu map your school to see how far you are from the subway station. Xujing is the terminal for subway line 2, so you'll always get a spot to sit down at, and it connects to everything else. It's a bit of a ride till you get into central Shanghai. I personally like living nearby my workplace, but I know of teachers that live in central Shanghai and commute every day to their school in Pudong. Access to the metro is most important to experience living in a city like Shanghai imo.
Overhere
Posts: 497
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:29 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by Overhere »

Xujing is a rapidly growing district in western Shanghai. Line 2 does terminate there but only on the eastern border at the moment so if you are counting on the metro for transport into Shanghai it most likely won't be an easy walk to the metro. There is a Carrefour/mall in Xujing so you won't have to travel far for the basics. Sorry I don't have more specific info on apt compounds but your school and fellow teachers will certainly help you out.
eion_padraig
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by eion_padraig »

Basically this area is the Shanghai suburbs. You'll be safe from the night life in Xujing district. People move out to this area because it's less expensive and less hustle and bustle than central Shanghai. However, some of the building out here was done for villas, so they are expensive developments but people get more space for what they pay. The locals who live out in this area are the type who have bought cars, so the public transportation isn't quite as good though it's still far better than what you get in North America.

You'll get your quiet in this area. You'll have to be a bit more clear on what you mean by activities though. Are you talking about running? Going to visit parks? Cycling? Yoga?

As for commuting to and from work, besides the proximity to the subway station you'll want to find out if you school has a bus for teachers and where it picks people up. Most schools start early to avoid the terrible traffic, so if you're not an early riser by nature this can get old when you combine it with a commute. Generally the afternoon commute home by vehicle is worse and it's also depends if you're staying late for activities. Shanghai really is a massive city, so it's more like Los Angeles where people talk about time to get places rather than distance. Without knowing which of the schools you are working at it would be impossible to make worthwhile suggestions. Also, your comfort level with walking may shift what you think it doable. I find I walk a lot more on a daily basis when living in this country. I lost like 4 kilos within the first few months of moving here just by walking more. Most people don't think anything of a 15 - 20 minute walk to get somewhere.

For my money, China is one of the safer countries in the world. The chance of random violence is pretty small. The chance of sexual assault by a stranger would also be small, though not impossible. Being hit by a vehicle is probably the biggest safety issue by far. Sexual harassment can happen on buses and subways when things are crowded. I've had a few colleagues who have experienced it on occasion, but maybe once or twice in several years of living here. The problem being is if you do run into trouble, you're less likely to have strangers intervene.
ttt42
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 01, 2017 10:02 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by ttt42 »

I agree with the previous poster about the school where you're teaching influencing your choice of where to live. Xujing was home for me from 2007 to 2012. It changed a lot during that time. All of those highways that circle the area now didn't exist back then. The subway only went as far as the Hongqiao airport and the massive convention center wasn't even started yet. If your school offers a bus, which most do, then ask for the routes and try to rent no more than twenty minutes away from the school. Depending on your budget, you can save a lot or spend a lot for a fancy, modern apartment. I chose to live in a local Chinese compound and found my apartment was huge for what I was paying. Can't remember the exact price, but it was half of what friends paid in expat focused compounds. Ask your school for a few contacts of current teachers to ask them where they're living. If they know of someone, either expat or local, who has an apartment to rent, it's much cheaper to go through them than any kind of rental agency.

The suburbs of Shanghai can be very isolating. Hopping in a taxi for a 45 minute ride downtown isn't always an attractive escape option. I lived for three years downtown and commuted out to Xujing. Absolutely hated the commute, but loved living in the heart of the city - except during the winter. Shanghai is a great walking city. You'll probably spend many of your first weekends checking out the different areas. If you're into cycling, there's a bike path from Xujing all the way into the city. Sadly, shopping is the most prominent activity downtown, but if you love to eat your money goes far. My point here is that living along subway Line 2 is a great option, especially with it ending in Xujing.

I echo the safety of Shanghai. Obviously, if you make it easy for someone to swipe your laptop they will, but your personal safety is only at risk when you ride in the front seat of a taxi.

I've been teaching overseas now for ten years and don't have any plans to return stateside. Living, teaching, and exploring Asia has been a fantastic adventure.

Feel free to ask more questions about the area.
cheerysunshine
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 8:14 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by cheerysunshine »

I really appreciate the replies!!! Thank you so so much, everyone!!!

@WinterFerret my school is 12-16 minutes (depends on the route) to the nearest station, which is East Xujing. It’s about 5km…which I don’t think I’d mind walking on good days but I heard the traffic can be intimidating. I have not been to Shanghai before but I suppose I have collected sufficient horror stories about road crossing. How true is all of that, I wonder.
Logically, I would rather have an easy commute to anf from school 5 days a week and travel a little further to town over the weekends if I wish. I am just not sure if I will be bored/isolated/something-along-that-line on weekday nights. Are there enough shops and things to do around East Xujing to keep me busy and/or entertained? How does the neighbourhood feel like? Expats to locals ratio?

@Overhere that’s right! Seems like it’s a 5km walk. Google maps seem to think I’d need an hour though. Not an easy walk because of the way the roads are laid out? As soon as I get to East Xujing metro, it should be quite easy to travel around Shanghai? I heard it can be a nightmare trying to get in and out of trains during peak hours (which is something to consider should I move downtown). How true is that?

@eion_padraig I don’t drive and don’t intend to so that might be a problem. Or not. Great… I love quiet. I just need to know if I will have enough things to do on weekday nights. For instance, can cafes/restaurants be easily found in the neighbourhood? Parks? Malls? Markets? Gyms, yoga studios, fitness clubs are all nice to have.
People talk about being hit by a vehicle ALL THE TIME. Really, what is it like on the roads? Do I have to be concerned?
And what’s it with strangers not being keen in rendering assistance to people in need on the streets? I hear that a lot about China too.

@ttt42 Did you enjoy the neighbourhood? : ) I wonder if it will make a difference if I stay in a local compound (without security) versus an expat compound (with security). I suppose at some point I will get to decide if I want to stay in the neighbourhood or move out. What was house hunting like for you? Difficult? How did you manage communication with say the landlord? As soon as I get to East Xujing metro, it should be quite easy to travel around Shanghai? I heard it can be a nightmare trying to get in and out of trains during peak hours (which is something to consider should I move downtown). How true is that? Sounds like you are having a great time in Asia! Where are you at right now? How would you sum up your experience in Shanghai?
eion_padraig
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:18 pm

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by eion_padraig »

Relatively few foreigners drive in China. It's not too hard to get an actual driver's license, but the cost of vehicles are extremely high and parking is a major hassle. Most foreigners use taxis or the subway, though some will take buses or ride bikes. Scooters have recently been outlawed in some parts of the city, though I'm not sure if that includes areas like Xujing, or if it's being enforced out there even if it is a law.

If you're school is 5 km away from Xujing East station, that's really not doable to walk on a regular basis. You'd need to take a bus, bike, or taxi for that stretch if you were doing that commute. Again, it's worth finding out if you school has buses for teachers from different locations in the city. I have colleagues that ride to school on their bikes up to 25 km, but that can be dangerous and I've known people to be injured (though thankfully not killed) in bike crashes. Some people I know ride pretty regularly.

Subways can be crowded at times. At peak rush hour you may have to wait for a second train to come before you can board. It helps if you don't mind being squeezed in with total strangers. Literally, there are times you'll be touching people all around you on a subway or bus. The idea of personal space in China is dramatically different from North America and Europe. It doesn't phase me anymore, but I have some colleagues who never ride the subway or bus because they find it too much. One issue is that the subways don't run very late at night, although I heard they've extended some routes until around midnight to 1 AM lately. But if you're just going into the city for dinner, that shouldn't be an issue.

The overall public transportation system in Shanghai and much of China is great. You can get around Shanghai very easily on the subway, but it can take time because the city is so spread out.

You should be able to find restaurants, coffee shops, malls, markets, gyms, yoga studios, and parks in the area. I wouldn't be worried on that front. It will take a bit of time to explore and see what you like and what is convenient. One issue is that shops are always opening and closing. I've had some of my favorite restaurants and cafes shut down real suddenly, and you have to find new places. It makes life in China interesting.

In terms of traffic safety, there are a lot of people who don't follow traffic laws when driving. Also, people on bikes and scooters do reckless things all the time. It's not unheard of for cars to drive up and/or park on sidewalks or pedestrian areas. You really need to be aware of your space, especially when crossing streets. Some areas of Shanghai have a lot of pedestrian walkways or underpasses so you don't have to cross the street. But even in those areas you sometimes have to watch out for people on bikes.

As for Chinese people's reluctance to get involved in issues not related to friends or family, there's some cultural issues why that's the case. Cultural revolution era history suggests that doing that kind of thing can get you in trouble and even your family. More recently, it's probably more related to scams that go on where you go to help someone and you get accused of being the person who injured them in the first place.

Even apartments that cater to Chinese people tend to have their bao'an (guards) though how useful they are varies considerably. Most international teachers end up living in more expensive accommodations because the cheaper places can be really run down and substandard. There are some complexes that will have a lot more foreigners than others, but even those have locals. I, for one, like to live places where there are not a lot of my students' families living. Sometimes you can end up in a location where lots of colleagues and families from the school live which can be an issue for some folks.

It's going to be a mind blowing experience for you. We can talk a lot about it, but you'll have to live through it to really get what we're saying. I hope you like it. Being at a good school can make the experience a lot better.

Eion
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@cheerysunshine

At 5km thats about an hours walk which you might enjoy on the occasion but everyday especially on those really hot days. You are going to need another transportation option to get you from home to the station. A bus, a taxi, even a bike. The other thing I would do is to go back and look at those maps, it might be 5km by street but if there are things you can cut across like a building or other structure you may be able to reduce the commute considerably. That hour walk though is going to be a constant challenge to you, your going to ask yourself "is X really worth 2 hours of walking, do I really want to do that?"

Traffic indicators, signs, laws and rules are more like suggestions, people think nothing of using sidewalks and the like to get around traffic. Stop signs and lights are ignored commonly. You really need to have situational awareness about when you cross the street, my advice until you get the feel for it is to move with the group or others.

Well the area you are in is the suburbs, its residential, but that doesnt mean there arent things to do, but its not the excitement of the CBD in Shanghai. It really depends what you want to do. If having a coffee or tea and reading a book is your thing no problem. Doing a little market shopping no problem. You will find athletic centers, shopping, cafes, restaurants and park areas. If you need a real shopping complex, movie theater or more fun than that then your going to need to head into the CBD.
What I find is the first month or so your stretching your legs, and with work and getting routines your going to focus more on entertainment thats more relaxed and close to where you are or that your invited to from others at your IS.

Once you are on the metro getting around is pretty easy and convenient. The problems you will have is when the destination requires further travel like a bus from a metro station. As long as your looking for something easy and arent picky like a market, cafe, restaurant, or something you dont have to venture very far from the station. Its when your going too a specific place like a residence that navigation gets more difficult. You can always play whack-a-mole and just get on the metro and pick a stop and wonder around a new area for a couple hours to a day.

The concept of personal space doesnt exist the way westerners think about it. They literally just keep pushing and packing people inside train cars, and yes your going to have peoples bodies pressed against yours, especially during shift changes and rush hour times.

Chinese people keep to themselves within their family and work, social group. Its just a way of keeping your head down and your nose clean and not bringing potential trouble into your life. Its a cultural adaptation from living under a quasi communist dictatorship. You dont see the same behavior in HK.

Every complex has security, its part of Chinas social system that basically gives everyone a job. The local complexes without security can be very run down, most westerners would not consider them suitable for habitation. These are apartments that are concrete everything (industrial). One bulb in the living space one in the kitchen. I cant imagine you would really want to live there.

Property hunting is easy, there are lots of property agents that will show you expat friendly properties if you have coin to spend.
You usually have little to no contact with the property owner. They go through an agent and/or the complex has a site manager. You will probably only see them on the day you sign your contract.
Many complexes are actually joint ventures where multiple owners have/own various parts of the whole property. This building over here is owned by X person, or this floor by Y person or this apartment by Z person. You could have a building where one person owns one floor of 4 flats, another person owns 2 flats on the second floor, and two other owners each own one flat, and so on. The owner then pays the site fees for the various amenities and resources provided on the property (or kicks that to you play directly). China doesnt have much of a financial investment program, the only option for most locals is to buy property, so thats what they do.
Artrageous
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Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 2:49 am

Re: Xujing District in Shanghai

Post by Artrageous »

If you stay there for the first year to get your bearings you will be fine. It is close to school and convenient when you're settling in. If you feel like moving closer to town in your second year that is an option. When we lived there a few years ago we used to do lots of socialising with other members of staff who lived in the same compound and that was how we did our entertaining. By taxi you can travel about 15-20 minutes to Fashion Park which has a great hairdressers,movies, supermarket that stocks imported items, massage - beauty places, decent cafes and bars, this area was my "go to" on a Friday. You can also go into the former French Concession, the Bund etc in around 40-60 mins via the metro or taxi. In Xujing you can find cheap clothes, knick knacks etc and Chinese restaurants, and a Carrefore is close by too although it is not fancy like the European ones, it has a more local feel to it. You can buy lovely French bread there cheaply! Good luck.
Overhere
Posts: 497
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2007 3:29 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by Overhere »

It appears Line 17 will be opening in the fall/early winter. It will connect Qingpu with the Hongqiao Railway station and Line 10 and 2.
wilcoman
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Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 8:08 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by wilcoman »

I'm starting my first international teaching experience in Shanghai this year as well. Hopefully it goes well for both of us!
cheerysunshine
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 8:14 am

Re: Xujing DIstrict in Shanghai

Post by cheerysunshine »

Thank you all for the replies! What a wonderful community we have here : )

@wilcoman How exciting! I would love for us to get connected one way or the other! And yes, hopefully it goes well for both of us!
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