Beijing Review has conducted a survey on how foreigners view the city, sometimes referred to as China's Big Apple. Survey respondents included: an anonymous 30-year-old UK male, who has lived in Shanghai for five years and works for an import company focused on high-end market products; Steve Bisogno, a 28-year-old American, who resided in Shanghai from 2001 to 2004, working there as a teacher at the Sydney Institute of Language and Commerce and as a writer, while attending Shanghai International Studies University (he is now a commercial underwriter for a European insurance firm based in New York and contributing writer to Beijing Review); Australian Elyse Singleton, 33, who has been in Shanghai since 2001 (on and off), working as a freelance writer and designer; Sami Zabel, from Maryland, US, who studied in Shanghai for half a year in 2006 after graduating from a US college; and an anonymous 43-year-old US male from Maryland, who works as a business consultant and is married with two children.

What is the most frustrating thing about living in Shanghai?

Anon UK: Noise, air pollution, spitting.

Steve Bisogno: The poor air quality is perhaps the most frustrating thing.

Elyse Singleton: Wow-that is a big question. The two main difficulties-and I think this does not just apply to Shanghai-they are language and culture. While I speak Chinese to a reasonable level, I still cannot understand everything and I might have problems in emergency situations, for example. But I am trying to improve my listening. It's really frustrating to be speaking Chinese and to be ignored, or to be spoken to in English in return or to have the Chinese-looking person you are with spoken to even when you are speaking-hahahaha-but that happens in France too! Also, culture-I must say, I find what I, from my cultural upbringing, perceive as rudeness so unbearable-pushing, shoving, spitting, staring, bad service, even after six years. So much so that if someone is actually nice, and it happens, I talk about it for days. Also, I must add, expats who think they own the joint because they have a big fat expat package and a driver and goodness knows that else. Ick. Oh-and the traffic. It's scary seeing the increase of private cars and no one seeming to care about the effects. Oh-and lack of environmental responsibility in pursuit of a fast buck, or indeed, because people just don't care. But, is that just Shanghai?

Sami Zabel: Other than the language barrier, it was very frustrating when people tried to cheat me out of money, even when I wasn't trying to buy anything.

Anon US: shanghaihua (Shanghai dialect), inconsiderate drivers, utter lack of traffic safety awareness and basic social etiquette is still not grasped or understood, but that's true all over.

What do you like most about living in Shanghai?

Anon UK: Opportunities.

Steve Bisogno: The number of business opportunities is incredible and the transportation to and from them is also a strong point. As well, businesses have spread out around the city, making the commute more convenient for those not living downtown.

Elyse Singleton: Haha-dumplings. What keeps me in Shanghai are two things. One is the opportunities-that is, here I am able to do things that I wouldn't be able to do in Sydney or France or London and other places I have lived, or at least wouldn't be able to do so easily. I am talking professionally here of course as China is "so hot right now," and everything is growing meaning there are so many cool things to do. Secondly, and this is related to the growth, is the energy. There is new stuff happening everyday.

Sami Zabel: There is always somewhere to go and someone to meet.

Anon US: Numerous convenience stores.

How safe, from a security point of view, do you feel living in Shanghai?

Anon UK: In terms of crime, it is safe.

Steve Bisogno: Very safe, physically.

Elyse Singleton: Hmm-there have been some urban myths, but in general, I feel pretty safe. I have had stuff stolen, phones and the like, but mainly through my stupidity, leaving them in my coat pocket in a crowded market, etc. When I used to live downtown it was no biggie to walk home late at night...there are always people around.

Sami Zabel: I never felt in danger anywhere.

Anon US: Very safe.

What are the general service levels like in Shanghai?

Anon UK: There is no general standard one can speak of, it depends on what you're paying for.
Steve Bisogno: Customer service in Shanghai has improved a lot in the past six years, but there is a lot of difficulty in getting an equal standard of good service around the city.

Elyse Singleton: You mean customer service? Oh boy, here's a good one. Shanghai Tang, a very expensive "designer" store-I took my bag in to be repaired and one day, I get a phone call from a number I don't know. I can't reply because I am busy, so then I call them back. They replied and I couldn't hear clearly who they were, so I said in Chinese that they had called me and I was calling them back. The person at the other end is like, "Who are you?  Who called you? What mobile phone?" Eventually I established they were Shanghai Tang, and so I said in English, "Oh-it's about my bag."  Suddenly, there was a silence. Then, in English, "Hello, Shanghai Tang, can I help you?" So weird.  My friend is writing a Ph.D on the service industry in China actually-oh it's just so bad.  But it is improving, I will give you that. I had this amazing waitress at the Radisson on People's Square and excellent service at another restaurant I went to recently.

Sami Zabel: People are always willing to help. In shops, they wouldn't leave me alone!

Anon US: So-so. Except the taxis, they are the best in China

Are you confident about the health facilities in Shanghai?

Anon UK: No, low level hospitals have given me wrong diagnoses many times. Again, it depends what you're paying for. For serious conditions I am generally not confident of the facilities in Shanghai.

Steve Bisogno: While I have not had very much experience with the health facilities in Shanghai, in general the city has some good hospitals and access to therapeutic treatments is also good.

Elyse Singleton: Hmm-I don't go to doctors-don't believe in them and rarely get sick. However, I'd be a bit freaked out if I had to go to hospital, mainly because of the language thing, I think. I have been to some hospitals with my hypochondriac ex-boyfriend and they seemed pretty clean and well run.

Sami Zabel: My experiences with health facilities were very good.

Anon US: Very much so. Major surgery is done with high competence.

Do you feel there are ample business opportunities in Shanghai?

Anon UK: For entrepreneurship, yes; for advancing through a company whether local or multinational, no.

Steve Bisogno: Business opportunities in Shanghai are the city's main attraction. The number of opportunities seems to continue to grow every year.

Elyse Singleton: As I said before, yeah-because there are so many gaps in the market, I think there are heaps, but I am not a business expert.  I think, especially in the retail area, there is still a lot of development and in the restaurant/cafe business. We are yet to get really, really great cafes and bars in Shanghai, in my opinion. Also, stuff like more really funky boutiques, small designers, health food shops, more bookshops-all this is yet to come, hopefully.

Sami Zabel: Most definitely.

Anon US: Yes.

What is the social life like in Shanghai (entertainment/recreational/ interactive)?

Anon UK: As good as any world city.

Steve Bisogno: Social life in Shanghai has certainly improved over the six years I have been in the city. I was initially disappointed because of the lack of sporting events for locals. However, the number and competitive level of sports has increased with the growth of facilities and income in the city. Regarding clubs, the city has always had a strong bar/club scene. Unfortunately, Shanghai's music scene is deplorable, with jazz or cover bands playing pop music as the only options.

Elyse Singleton: It's really great to see the live music scene opening up some more in Shanghai as I love live music. I am not really a club type person, but the ones I have been to have not thrilled me-they are all very showy, but not much fun in my opinion.  Gyms, yoga and dance schools are huge and springing up all over the place, so that's quite cool. There are some decent bars, but it'd be great to find more stuff in between the sticky floor 15 yuan or all you can drink for ladies type places and the over the top 115 yuan for a martini joints. There are a few, which is great. I still think it's quite hard to meet people-like cool people-it seems that everyone is looking for the next step up. There are lots of big parties, but they are really full of people looking at each other and preening. I am such a cynic.

Sami Zabel: It is impossible to be bored in Shanghai-there is always something going on.

Anon US: What, besides bars? Not much. If one wants to find entertainment, one only needs to go walking.

How easy is it to get around in Shanghai?

Anon UK: Overall transportation is good and cheap, however if it's raining one may not be able to find a taxi, and at peak time traffic doesn't move. The bus routes are not clear at all.

Steve Bisogno: Other than business opportunities, the city's transportation system is another big attraction. With the addition of line 4, congestion on lines 1 and 2 has significantly decreased. As well, taxis and buses are plentiful and remain a good price. For non-Mandarin speakers, it may still be quite difficult to travel by bus or taxi however.

Elyse Singleton: Haha-awful when it rains. It's no problem at all-a lot of downtown is quite "walkable" and then the subway expands every day, so that's fabulous too. The subway is fine, except at peak hours, but it's a clean, efficient and a cheap way to get around. Buses are fine too-except you really need to know where the bus goes and where to get off, which is difficult to find out if you have language issues. I must be honest and say I don't take the bus much. Taxis are still quite cheap, although the traffic problems do mean that they are often slow these days. In general I would say it's pretty easy to get around. I would love to have a bike, but there aren't enough bike lanes, and I don't fancy getting mulched by a truck.

Sami Zabel: Public transportation is very good, and taxis are everywhere. It is very easy to get anywhere.

Anon US: Very easy.

(Beijing Review July 30, 2007)