EN • Recently I had an Instagram cooperation with mapiful. I ordered this beautiful map of Shanghai. At the same time I took a trip down memory lane and it brought me back to a unique experience I made four years ago.
Back then I was living in Shanghai. It was the first time I went away from home to study in another country. Not only that it was from my point of view the other side of the world, I also migrated into a completely different culture with different norms, habits and perceptions of right and wrong.
DE • Diese Woche hatte ich eine Kooperation mit mapiful.com auf Instagram. Ich durfte mir dieses wunderschöne Wandbild von Shanghai bestellen. Dabei kamen all die schönen Erinnerungen auf, die ich vor vierJahren machen durfte.
Damals habe ich in Shanghai gelebt. Für mich war es das erste Mal, dass ich weit weg von Zuhause studiert habe. Das war aus meiner damaligen Sicht nicht nur das andere Ende der Welt, ich musste mich auch an eine Kultur komplett anderen Normen, Werten und Vorstellungen von “richtig” und “falsch”gewöhnen.
5 things I learned while living in Shanghai
Europe is not the middle of the world
EN • When I look at a world-map in Germany, it shows that Europe is in the middle. And it totally makes sense, the world works somehow self-entered. You can apply this little “phenomenon” onto our view on different cultures. Most people, (including myself) perceive the own culture as the “normal” one. I’m not gonna lie, when I first moved to China, I had a hard time getting used to a completely different lifestyle. While living in Shanghai I read many blogs and interviews of expats about living in Shanghai, that helped me to understand the world I suddenly lived in.
Fun Fact: when you buy a world map in a different part of the world, the continent where you bought it is always in the center: This is what you will find on Google when you search for “Chinese world map”
DE • Wenn man in Deutschland auf eine Weltkarte schaut, liegt Europa in der Mitte. Und das ist ja auch logisch, die Welt funktioniert eher selbstbezogen. Ich würde sagen, dass man dieses kleine Phänomen auf unsere Sichtweise auf andere Kulturen übertragen kann. Man sieht die eigene Kultur als “normal” an und alle anderen weichen davon eben ab. Ich muss zugeben, meine ersten Tage in Shanghai waren nicht gerade einfach. Ich habe gerade zu Beginn viele Blogs von anderen Expats gelesen, um die Welt, in der ich auf einmal lebte zu verstehen.
Tatsache: Wenn ihr auf einem anderen Kontinent eine Weltkarte kauft, dann wird dieser Kontinent immer in der Mitte sein. Hier ist die Weltkarte, wie sie für Chinesen normal ist.
Kindness is the key
EN • One thing I constantly noticed, was the kindness and politeness of the Chinese people when I needed advice or help. I remember, one day I got lost in the concrete jungle searching for a street. My phone went off because the battery died and I had to ask someone to help me. Instead of just showing me the way, this man walked with my until we found the right street. Afterwards he smiled and went away. Situations like these kept coming up.
DE • Was ich in China ganz deutlich gespürt habe, war die Freundlichkeit und Hilfsbereitschaft der Menschen. Ich kann mich noch gut an einen Tag erinnern, an dem ich mich etwas verirrt hatte und die Adresse zu der ich wollte, einfach nicht finden konnte. Mein Handy hatte schon den Geist aufgegeben und ich musste jemanden um Hilfe bitten. Anstatt mir einfach nur den Weg zu weisen, hat der Mann, den ich angesprochen hatte, mit mir die Adresse gemeinsam gesucht. Danach hat er freundlich gelächelt und ist wieder seines Weges gegangen. Situationen wie diese habe ich oft wieder erlebt.
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Language skills open many doors
EN • While I was living in Shanghai I went to language school to learn Mandarin. I remember that the first months without knowing the Chinese language were super hard and confusing.
DE • Während in in Shanghai gelebt habe, habe ich unter anderm auch Sprachkurse belegt, um Mandarin zu lernen. In den ersten Monaten, in denen ich noch keine Sprachkenntnisse hatte, hatte ich echte Probleme mich zu organisieren.
You can have the time of your life
EN • During my time in Shanghai I started more and more to feel like home and I really loved to explore all the different areas of the city. When you start accepting your environment, you can have the time of your life! I truly felt like home and established an emotional bond to this city. Returning to Germany gave me a hard time and showed me that I was able to adapt to another culture.
DE • Mit den Monaten ist diese Stadt mehr und mehr zu meinem Zuhause geworden. Ich habe es einfach geliebt, die verschiedenen Teile der Stadt zu erkunden und die Sonne in den Häuserschluchten untergehen zu sehen. Wenn man beginnt, die neue Umgebung anzunehmen, kann man wirklich tolle Erlebnisse fürs Leben machen! Umso schwerer war es für mich am Ende des Semesters nach Deutschland zurück zu kehren.
Get your own beautiful map
The paper map was gifted by mapiful.com.
Use the discount code meetmiri10 to get 10% off your order.
The code is valid until 15.06.2019
Die schöne Wandkarte habe ich von mapiful.com geschenkt bekommen.
Nutzt bis zum 15.06.2019 gerne den Code meetmiri10 um 10% Rabatt
auf euren nächsten Einkauf zu bekommen.
I’ve seen these maps everywhere and they look gorgeous! I loved reading the things you learned while living in Shanghai. Sounds like it was a great experience and you learned a lot!
http://myclusterofthoughts.com/
Author
I love this map since it helps me to keep my memories alive! So happy you loved to read my experiences! Have a great weekend.
This is such a great way to remember a place you once used to call home. I would get one of these of Chicago!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Author
Thats so true! I bet Chicago is beautiful, I’ve never been there but it is on my list. Have a great weekend!
Such a great post! I‘m super interested in visiting China and Asia in general, I love that you had such a good experience!
Jasmin
Jasminlen.blogspot.com
Author
So glad you liked this post Jasmin! I can only encourage you to visit. Asian cultures are one of a kind – there is so much to learn! Besides, there are so many beautiful cities, countrysides and beaches.
Shanghai is arguably more commercial than other major cities in China, but it is still a center of cultural activity, with many inexpensive things to see and do.
Author
I lived in Shanghai for an exchange semester within my business studies. Therefore it was super interesting to live in such a commercial hotspot. You’re right there are so many things you can do on low-budget too!
That is a gorgeous map! I think it’s amazing you got to experience living in Shanghai, I used to live in Japan for a year but I’m already itching for another year living abroad.
Mai
✰ maidoesthings.com
Author
Thank you so much Mai! I always wanted to visit Japan 🙂 Have a lovely weekend dear.
Many people who have never visited China are a little skeptical and only know what they have only heard from others. The only way to truly know is from direct first-hand experience and there is no better place to start your China visit than in the wonderful city of Shanghai.
Author
That’s so true Leland! I was skeptical at first but started to love it as soon as I got used to the new way of life. Also I think that Shanghai is the most “western” city of China.
Sounds like such a great experience and you learned a lot!
xx- Nina
http://www.stylingwithnina.com/2019/06/my-casual-go-to-look-for-spring.html
Author
Yes I truly did Nina! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh wow I love traveling the world and your pics are amazing! These flowers!! Love it!
Lovely Greetings
Alexa
https://alexas-bellevie.de
https://www.instagram.com/alexas_bellevie/
Author
So happy you like this post Alexa! Have a great weekend
Wow deine Zeit in Shanghai kingt wirklich spannend – und was für eine perfekte Erinnerung daran mit diesem Poster 🙂
♥
xxx
Tina
https://styleappetite.com
Author
Jaa ich finde es wunderschön und bin echt froh, dass ich es habe 🙂
That’s a really good idea to familiarize a new city. Anyway, loving your photos dear!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Author
Yes that’s true girl!