Office Space

Technically this is a lateral move from Chicago to Shanghai. My career grade stays the same (the ever popular “F”), benefits are comparable or a little better, etc. However, in terms of office space – Shanghai wins hands down. The Health and Benefits team moved into new office space on the 31st floor of their building over the summer while I was back in the States. It is a beautiful office.

I have…drum roll please…a window office with three live plants in it! Everything is new and clean, right down to the Mercer blue pencil cup and stapler. There are two visitor chairs, a large work surface and a filing cabinet included, although the paper storage provided is definitely less than Chicago. The bathrooms are lovely (a great improvement over Kaien). My keycard has been activated. I received my new computer and allowed 10 months of emails to load, which took 3 hours. I think I’m working at Mercer Shanghai.

Office hours are slightly different here – technically they’re from 9 to 5:30, but I think more realistically from 9:30 to 6 or 10 to 6:30. The office space is very quiet, the cubes are open style and so four people are working in each corner with their backs to the middle. The cube walls are lower – there is no overhead storage space which gives a different atmosphere, more hushed.

My boss is in the States right now on business, so I have a week to scope things out, get settled in and then I have a week off because of the Chinese holidays next week. It’s a good way to acclimate myself to the environment, take care of those endless details when you start somewhere new and remind myself what office hours mean.

The attached slide show shows you my office.

Office Space

Question – What has been your worst working environment? Why?
G

The Great Apartment Search

I knew that finding an apartment would take a significant part of my time when I moved back to Shanghai. My friend Ade recommended a real estate agent and even before I left Chicago I was contacting her with my wish list. My wish list included:
- 2 bedrooms
- Balcony
- Wood floors
- Good security in the complex (preferably 24 hours a day)
- Within walking distance of my new job
- Under 10,000 RMB (about $1500) per month

I arranged to meet Jessica my first full day here to begin to look at apartments. At 10am on Wednesday, the 10th I met her in the lobby. She shook my hand and said, “Very nice to meet you – today we will see 12 different apartments.” I was slightly taken aback, but said, "Ok– let’s go." That first day we wound up seeing 15 different apartments. They were all over the city, but most all (except for 3) were within walking distance of my new office and met all my criteria. Jessica was good.

I was pretty jet lagged though and after looking at so many places, needed some time to evaluate. There are plenty of available apartments, especially those focused on expats because many expats left when the visa laws changed because of the Olympics. Rents have also come down lately which is to my benefit as well. On Thursday I walked the distance between my office and a couple of the complexes and decided that I would focus my search on the Laoximen (老西门) area of Shanghai. I contacted Jessica and we made another appointment, this time for Monday, the 15th. On Monday we saw 6 apartments in two different complexes – 3 that I had seen initially and 3 new apartments. The last apartment that I saw was bigger than the rest and slightly out of my price range. It had a window in the kitchen, higher countertops, three bedrooms (one set up as an office), 2 bathrooms, a balcony, a storage room. There was also a two bedroom apartment in the same complex that I liked as well and I was debating between the two. Finally, I told Jessica if we could negotiate with the landlord on the larger apartment, I would take it – if not, the other was already under my budget and I would take that one.

Jessica negotiated the three-bedroom down to meet my budget. It’s over 150 square meters (1600 square feet) which is double the size of my place in Chicago. The utilities will probably kill me, but it’s on the 22nd floor, is quiet, bright and really nice. There is a big supermarket at the corner, it’s close to the line 8 subway station and there is an excellent health club in the complex. As my former students would say, “It is a very convenient place to live.” 这个地方很方便。

China is still very much a cash-based economy, especially for deposits and initial rent payments. Needless to say, it took a while to get that much cash. At home it would have been so easy to just write a check, but not here. On Tuesday I put down a deposit and today (Friday) I paid the balance and signed the lease.

My landlord and her husband are both Americans and own a company that focuses on Balanced Scorecard Management Consulting. They told me that their initial company was bought out by Hewitt (after offers from Towers, Hewitt and Mercer) in China in 1997, but they think Mercer has better brand recognition now and is growing more quickly. What a small world. My main contact will be my landlady’s secretary (Tracy) who will take care of all the details. I think we might go out for a drink some time together too. We really connected over the last week as we waited for approvals and sat in cabs together babbling in a mixture of English and Chinese that many people would not understand.

I’ll be moving in sometime next week and am looking forward to decorating my place and putting some personal touches in it. When my things that are getting shipped arrive, it will really feel like home and I’ll be ready for visitors!

Please – come to China to see me! I’m going to be here three years (maybe not in the same apartment, but still, here) and will always have space for guests. Shanghai is a vibrant city – a good place to get over jet lag and serve as a springboard to the rest of China and the rest of Asia. You have time to make plans, so come!

Question – What has been your favorite or least favorite house/apartment that you’ve lived in? I love my condo in Chicago; we’ll see how this new place turns out. Please share.

Cheers!

Wandering

Going back to a place where you once lived gives you a new perspective. The place has changed, as have you. Shanghai is a city of constant change and after my relaxing summer in Chicago, I’m not the same either. Today is cloudy with hints of rain in the air and after lunch with a friend I took a long, meandering walk back to my hotel. This wasn’t my neighborhood before and it won’t be after I move in a week or two, but the cooler air made me want to explore.

I saw children chasing their grandpa as he bicycled down the street. I saw a store called “Meat Puppets” (not sure what they were selling), I saw dumpling vendors and flower shops and cute little clothing stores. I smiled inwardly at the Shanghai men carrying their girlfriends’ purses. I stumbled across one of the Blue Frog locations (a western chain known for its burgers). I watched people buy moon cakes to celebrate the festival on Monday.

As I wandered I thought about why I came back. When I’m here I feel an energy – this sense that I can try anything. It’s difficult to describe. From the fashion to the food to the crowded subways to the relief on people’s faces when they realize I speak some Chinese, it calls to me. In being so different, I am more me.

I start my job in a week so I have one free week to wander (and find an apartment, get my banking set up, see tons of friends…) before the real world intrudes on my fantasy or the fantasy becomes the real world. 谁知道？Who knows? Anything is possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Birthday wishes go to my friend Joseph and my cousin Matt. It’s not Friday the 13th this year, but hope your birthdays were great just the same.
Cheers!

A Serviced Apartment

Last night I was picked up at the airport by a Mr. Yun and whisked away to my temporary home for the next couple of weeks. I’m staying at a serviced apartment in Puxi, about a 20 minute walk south of the Mercer office while I get my bearings and look for a place to live. Serviced apartments are part of the typical expat experience in Asia – my apartment is bigger than a hotel room, with its own washing machine, living room and kitchen, but maid service every day, a concierge downstairs and other hotel perks like a swimming pool and fitness club.
My room is on the 30th floor with a balcony and last night was a rare clear night in Shanghai. I surveyed the neon lights around me and followed the moon across the sky, reveling in the energy and motion that is this city. I am extremely happy to be back.

G

Weight

Today I finished packing for the big trip. I have two huge suitcases for which I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to pay an additional baggage fee. If you assume each is 50 pounds and then add my carry on, my computer and my purse, my luggage weighs just about as much as I do. That’s slightly scary. I’m really hoping that I can find a luggage cart at the airport!

Question – What trip did you take where you packed the most stuff? Those of you with children will probably win this one.

Thanks for the suggestions for blog title changes. I also got several emails with additional ideas. I’m mulling them over currently and will decide soon.

The next post is from Shanghai-
G