【Background Story】

Since our German colleague was about to come to Shanghai on a business trip to help me debug and confirm a sample photographing equipment developed by the German team, debug hardware and deploy software, I decided to prepare a detailed guide for him to help him smoothly adapt to work and life here.

Guide: Preparing for Your Work Week in Shanghai

This personalized guide will help you prepare for your week-long work trip to Shanghai, covering your arrival at Pudong Airport (PVG), your stay at the Hyatt Regency Shanghai, Wujiaochang, and your commute to the office.

Part 1: Pre-Departure Preparation (To be completed in Germany)

Before you leave, please be sure to complete the following preparations. This will make your trip in China much more convenient.

1. Download and Install Essential Apps

WeChat (微信): This is the most important app in China, integrating social media, payment, transportation, and more. Please search for "WeChat" in your phone's App Store or Google Play and download it.

Map App (地图应用): Apple Maps and Google Maps have limited functionality in China. Consider downloading Amap (高德地图) as a backup; it has an English interface option.

Translation Tools (翻译工具): Download Youdao Translate (有道翻译) or Google Translate with an offline Chinese language pack for communication assistance.

2. Register for a WeChat Account

Open the WeChat app and choose to register using your German mobile number. The registration may require a "security verification" from a friend on WeChat. Your Chinese colleague (e.g., the person who sent this guide) can help you with this. It is very important to complete this in advance.

3. Set Up WeChat Pay

It is highly recommended to complete this step in Germany. This allows you to resolve any potential verification issues with your bank or credit card provider while you are still at home.

1. In WeChat, tap "Me" -> "Services" -> "Wallet" -> "Cards" -> "Add a Card".
2. Follow the prompts to enter your international credit card information (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc., are supported).
3. Ensure you remember your credit card's PIN code, as you may be asked for it during the process.

4. Prepare Important Documents and Items

Passport and Visa: Ensure your business visa is valid. Make several photocopies of your passport.

Power Adapter: China uses two-pin flat plugs or three-pin plugs. You may need a power adapter.

5. Internet Access Preparation

VPN Setup: If you need to access Google, Facebook, or other international websites, prepare a VPN service in advance.

【Little Episode】The "Bloody History" of WeChat Pay Setup

I remember when I first set up WeChat Pay, I struggled for an entire evening. The international credit card verification process always mysteriously failed, and the bank thought it was a scam call. Later I got smart - before foreign colleagues came, I remotely guided them to set it up in Germany first. As expected, he completed it smoothly in Germany, saving the time of being overwhelmed in Shanghai.

There's another funny story: once a French colleague insisted on using cash for payment, and ended up being disliked by the convenience store clerk when buying a bottle of water. Now many places in China really "refuse cash", making it seem like an underground transaction, which is both funny and sad.

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Part 2: After Arriving in China

1. Set Up Mobile Data Access

Upon arrival at Pudong Airport (PVG), your first priority is to get your phone connected to the internet. You have three main options:

Option A (Recommended for Best Value): Purchase a local SIM card.

• Where: Look for carrier counters like China Mobile or China Unicom in the airport's arrival hall.
• What you need: Your passport.
• Benefit: This is usually the most cost-effective option for data.

Option B (Most Convenient): Use an eSIM service.

• How: Before you travel, purchase an eSIM plan for China from a provider like Airalo, Holafly, or Nomad.
• Benefit: You can activate it as soon as you land without needing to swap physical SIM cards.

Option C (Easiest but Most Expensive): Use your German carrier's international roaming.

• How: Check with your provider (e.g., Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone) about their roaming packages for China before you leave.
• Benefit: You keep your German phone number, but be aware that data costs can be very high.

2. If WeChat Pay Setup Failed

If you were unable to link your card in Germany, your options are:

• Try again: Once you have data, try linking your card again.
• Use Alipay (支付宝): Download the Alipay app. It is another major payment platform and sometimes has better support for international cards.
• Rely on Cash: Prepare 500-1000 CNY in cash for emergencies. You can withdraw from an ATM at the airport.

【Tested Advice】The "Pitfall Guide" About Internet

When I first came to Shanghai, I used my German carrier's international roaming, and when I received the bill, I almost fainted - just over ten days, more than 200 euros! It felt like someone robbed my wallet and said "thank you for your patronage" with a smile.

Later I got smart and strongly recommend the eSIM solution. Before my German colleague came, I taught him step-by-step to remotely purchase Airalo's China package. As a result, on his first day in Shanghai, he could normally use Google Maps, although we all knew this was just psychological comfort - Amap is what works.

A true funny story: once a British colleague insisted on using international roaming, and when picking him up at Hongqiao Airport, I found him "mooching WiFi" at the airport, saying he was waiting for the "roaming package activation confirmation email" from Germany. This wait lasted two hours and almost delayed an important business meeting.

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Part 2A: Your Arrival Itinerary (Sunday Afternoon)

From Pudong Airport (PVG) to Your Hotel

Your hotel is the Hyatt Regency Shanghai, Wujiaochang.

Address (Chinese): 上海市杨浦区国定东路88号 Address (English): 88 Guoding East Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai

Recommended Transportation: Taxi This is the most direct and convenient option with luggage.

• Where to find: Follow the signs for "Taxi" (出租车) to the official taxi stand. Do not go with individuals who approach you in the arrivals hall.
• Journey Time: Approximately 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic.
• Estimated Cost: Approximately 180 - 220 CNY.
• How to communicate: Show the driver the "Going to the Hotel" card from Part 5 of this guide.

【Real Experience】Taxi Horror Story

The first time I took a taxi from Shanghai Pudong Airport, the driver asked me where I wanted to go in authentic Shanghai dialect, and I could only point at the printed address like a mute. Finally, the driver waved his hand helplessly, meaning something like "forget it, I can see you're from out of town".

From then on, I got smart. Before my German colleague came, I specially printed two cards and carefully marked them with pinyin. The result? He proudly messaged me after getting in the car saying "the driver praised my accurate pronunciation", which made me laugh. Later I learned that he initially tried to say the address in his clumsy Chinese, confusing the driver completely, and finally obediently showed the card.

Experience to share: My German colleague once asked me why countless unlicensed taxi drivers actively approached people in the arrival hall yet I said "official taxis are safer". I told him a story: once my newly arrived Dutch colleague took a "black car" to save money, ended up being charged 400 yuan to the city center, and was almost taken to a fake hotel. From then on, they all obediently waited in line for official taxis.

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Part 3: Getting to the Office (from Hyatt Regency Wujiaochang)

Company Name: A Chemical Company Address (Chinese): 上海市浦东新区某工业园区 Address (English): Industrial Park, Pudong New Area, Shanghai

Recommended Transportation: Taxi or Ride-hailing

This is the most convenient way for your daily commute.

• Journey Time: Approximately 30-45 minutes.
• Estimated Cost: Approximately 80 - 100 CNY.
• IMPORTANT: On Monday morning, traffic will be heavy. Please plan to leave the hotel between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM to avoid being late.
• How to hail a ride: Use the "DiDi Ride Hailing" feature in WeChat ("Me" -> "Services") or the standalone "DiDi" app.
• How to enter the address: Copy and paste the Chinese address for the most accuracy: 上海市浦东新区某工业园区

【Experience Sharing】The "Economics" of Commuting

From Wujiaochang to the company, this route became our most precious chat time every day. My German colleague told me that in Germany he drove alone to and from work every day, with radio repeating news and music. But in Shanghai, we sat in DiDi cars, watching the city wake up through the windows - from students' hurried figures to lights turning on in office buildings.

He joked this was "poverty economics" - clearly spending 100 yuan more on transportation every day, but gaining the opportunity for in-depth communication with Chinese colleagues. Most importantly, in domestic business etiquette, this kind of "car sharing time" invisibly brought us closer.

A very warm episode: once we overslept and caught Shanghai's morning rush hour at its most congested. The driver was honking irritably, but my German colleague suddenly pointed at a street-side breakfast stall and said "look, this is real Shanghai". At that moment I realized he was no longer with a "tourist mindset" from when he first arrived, but had started to feel the pulse of this city with his heart.

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Part 3A: Monday Morning Arrival Procedure

1. Pre-register for Visitor Access

Before you arrive, please scan the QR code below with WeChat to pre-register for your temporary visitor card. This will save time at the gate. When you get to the gate, please let the receptionist know you'll need access for 5 days.

2. Arrival at the Main Gate

When you arrive at the main gate (主门), please complete the process to receive your temporary visitor card.

3. Meeting Up and Safety Training

I will meet you at the entrance after you get your card. Then, I will take you to our EHS department for a required Level 2 and Level 3 safety training.

【Behind the Scenes】The Hasty Safety Training

Watching my German colleague earnestly taking notes during safety training, I suddenly remembered my own embarrassing story - during my first safety training, the instructor's thick Shanghai accent left me in a fog, and I ended up dozing off, waking to find everyone staring at me. Later I learned that was when they were explaining "emergency evacuation routes".

My German colleague's professionalism moved me. He not only stayed focused throughout the training but also photographed every PPT slide with his phone, saying he wanted to take it back to Germany to share with colleagues. After training, he self-deprecatingly said: "Felt like going back to university, but a crash course in chemical safety major."

Interestingly, when actually entering the laboratory, his German-style rigor and Chinese colleagues' flexible handling produced an interesting chemical reaction. Every time we saw him meticulously following safety procedures, everyone smiled knowingly - this might be the fastest collision case of Chinese-German professional cultures.

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Part 4: Important Tips for Daily Life

Time Difference

Germany and Shanghai have a 6-hour time difference.

Emergency Contacts

Save your Chinese colleagues' WeChat and phone numbers. Eric Qu telephone 1358646 wechat:[hidden]

【Practical Experience】Little Secrets of Time Difference and Contact Information

During the first day's lunch break, my German colleague suddenly asked me: "Why do you eat lunch so punctually at noon?" I smiled and said, this is a kind of "unspoken rule" in Shanghai offices - no matter how busy, 12 to 1 o'clock is social time. He later told me that in Germany everyone arranges their own lunch break time, sometimes even forgetting to eat when busy.

Putting my WeChat ID in emergency contacts seems simple, but it's the first step in building trust. I still remember the excitement of receiving his first WeChat message - "Network normal, on the way to hotel, WeChat installed". At that moment I knew our communication bridge was built.

By the way, share a tip: he's also my "emergency contact". Once we worked overtime late and missed the last subway, he suggested walking back to the hotel, saying this way we could see Shanghai's night view. That walk was about 5 kilometers, but we chatted happily, from German beer culture to Chinese xiaolongbao, from work-life balance to our respective family lives.

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Part 5: Useful Chinese Cards

You can take a screenshot of the following and show it to the driver when needed.

【For the Driver: Going to Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wujiaochang】

师傅,您好! 请带我去这个酒店,谢谢! 上海市杨浦区国定东路88号 (靠近五角场)

(Pinyin: Shīfù, nín hǎo! Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège jiǔdiàn, xièxiè!) (English: Hello Driver! Please take me to this hotel. Thank you!)

【For the Driver: Going to the Company】

师傅,您好! 请带我去这个地址,谢谢! 上海市浦东新区某工业园区

(Pinyin: Shīfù, nín hǎo! Qǐng dài wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ, xièxiè!) (English: Hello Driver! Please take me to this address. Thank you!)

【Skill Enhancement】Evolution from Card to Conversation

When my German colleague first arrived, he completely relied on these cards. But two weeks later when saying goodbye, he had the courage to say "Master, go to the Bund, thank you" in clumsy Chinese to the driver. Although I suspected the driver still didn't quite understand, this spirit of daring to try made me very gratified.

Interestingly, he also discovered some "identity marker" tips. Every time a taxi driver asked him "where in Germany are you from?", he would proudly say "from near Munich", and then the entire ride would become a "Bavaria cultural exchange conference". Later he told me that a colleague who had worked in China before told him that Munich is quite famous in Chinese people's hearts, and saying this name could avoid laboriously explaining German geography.

The funniest part was, my German colleague even invented a "taxi gemeinde" concept - treating those drivers who often drove him as his "acquaintance society" in Shanghai. Every time I got in the car, he would excitedly point at his phone and say "look, this is my deutsche freund"

【Final Thoughts】Farewell After Two Weeks

I still remember the day I sent him to the airport, he held my hand and said his feelings for the week: "You know Eric, this guide helped me survive in life, but what really made me love here was your colleagues' friendliness and tolerance."

At that moment I finally understood that even the most perfect guide is just a cold tool, true warmth comes from understanding and kindness between people.

In these two weeks, we experienced so much together -

Smooth project progress: German colleague's rigor perfectly matched with our flexibility, solving a seemingly impossible technical problem;

Wonderful cultural exchange: He introduced me to authentic German afternoon tea rituals, I showed him the fireworks atmosphere of Shanghai's late-night food streets;

Language barrier collapse: From initial pure English, to later Chinglish, to him being able to say "I like xiaolongbao, very delicious" in stiff Chinese;

Professional mutual learning: He was shocked by Chinese colleagues' response speed in handling urgent cases, we admired the detailed perfection of his documentation.

Most importantly, it made me re-experience the beauty of international cooperation - projects end, but friendships last. Perhaps this is also the correct direction for our company's globalization strategy - not just business cooperation, but people's connection, culture collaboration.

If one day you're also about to receive foreign colleagues, or prepare to work abroad yourself, my suggestion is:

1. Prepare practical guides, but keep an open mind - real experience comes from unexpected moments
2. Don't just tell them how to do, but accompany them to do together - companionship is the best learning method
3. Encourage trying, allow mistakes - culture shock is precisely an opportunity for growth
4. Share your culture while learning theirs - cultural exchange is bidirectional bridge building
5. Record these precious moments - they will become your most beautiful memories

Strongly believe, each cross-cultural encounter will leave a shining mark in our lives.

Send an invitation to the whole world: if you're also preparing to receive international colleagues, welcome to share this experience; if you're already in a global team, look forward to hearing your story. Let us together make this world more connected, more understanding, more warm.

#InternationalCooperation #CulturalExchange #ShanghaiLife #FriendshipBeyondBorders

Finally, special thanks to my German colleague's trust and cooperation, thanks to all Chinese colleagues who helped us, thanks to this era for giving us the convenience of global connection. Looking forward to the next encounter, whether in Shanghai, Munich, or any corner of the world.