The Dummies’ Guide to Surviving your First Semester Part II

Part II

Now that I’m properly intoxicated from air-smoking 10 cigars and air-drinking 3 whiskeys (I’m on my 20^th as I update this blog), I think, I’m actually insane enough to continue writing this.

Starting school is hard; starting your life elsewhere is definitely harder.

So if you trust a drunk and high majyo, read on, my dear FUSSA noobs!

Upon Arrival

Chapter 1: Nong hou Shanghai

No no! I’m not teaching Shanghainese. The only thing I can say is “How’re you?”, “Thank You”, “I don’t know” and “I DESPISE YOU!!!”.

This is about the basic information about Shanghai. You know? The climate, geography, the people that kinda stuff. (READ: The boring stuff, *yawns*)

• Basic geography

Shanghai is on the Yangtze River Delta on China’s eastern coast and is governed as a municipal city. Nearby cities include 南京、苏州(江苏) , 杭州(浙江), approximately 45minutes to 2 hours away.

• Climate

Weather is mostly wet for spring and winter, with VERY strong winds in between. Everyone will tell you 光华楼and the long walk outside dorm are the No.1 killer-spots for umbrellas. The lowest temperature is around 1degree (might go lower midnight) during mid-winter with light snow (imagine white colored drizzle) and max at around 38degrees for summer.

BUT! Don’t worry, we’ll usually be out of Shanghai and back in Singapore before we can fry our butts black!

• Language

Most people can speak Chinese(普通话), but most Shanghainese (especially the elderly) prefer to speak their native dialect. Don’t get lost at a convenience store when they start speaking Shanghainese to you! Just ask politely “请说普通话，谢谢”。

• Electronics

Shanghai, like most places in China (except for Hong Kong and Macau) uses a different type of plug from ours. This is how theirs look like.

Nonetheless, they all run at 250v 50HZ.

• Emergency Numbers

You must know these numbers! Punch these numbers into your cell right now!

• Police: 110
• Fire: 119
• Ambulance: 120
• FUDAN Foreign Students’ office: (+86)13331975100/ (+86)65642258

• Security

Shanghai is a lot safer than when I first came here. People used to say 政通路is the hotbed for robbers and rapists, but the new shopping mall has made a whole of difference. However, there are still things to note for you own safety! Note: These are just precautions, it’s really not as dangerous as it seems. (Not trying to freak you out here)

· ALWAYS close/zip up your bag and carry it in front of you

· Slip the strap of your bag over your bicycle if you want to put it into your basket.

· Try not to travel alone at night on dark secluded roads

· Try not to listen to your Ipod while walking alone at night (you never know who’s walking behind you)

· Always remember to lock your door/gate

· Try not to order take-out late at night if you’re alone at home or from unfamiliar shops. (Especially girls)

Chapter 2: Say hi to your counselors!

(yeah..this is OUR school)

Yay! It’s registration day! We’re all so excited to meet our counselors and start choosing our modules, aren’t we!

There’re a million things to do before we can relax (and slack our days away…)

• Registration and fees

Before your start-of-school ceremony, you need to prepare all your documents when you meet your counselors!

For those who have not paid their school fees (mostly non-scholars), bank staff will set up booths with registration to settle your school fees. VERY important note!

BRING CASH! Yeah, I know it’s really difficult and scary to carry such a huge sum, but registration day is usually on a weekend and bank drafts unfortunately do not work. So, unless you have a credit card, please come, armed with your briefcase filled with new, shiny red 100RMB notes! The same applies for dorm room rent payments! **For really sotong ones, your school fees are indicated in your admission package.

From last academic year, FUDAN has required all foreign students to purchase insurance. This is compulsory, as the residence permit form will only be issued if you complete your registration, payment and purchase of insurance.

Last year’s rate: 300rmb/semester.

After registration, you will probably meet your counselors at respective classrooms and attend meetings organized by the school for course modules briefings. Remember to bring your documents and your passport-sized photos to meet your counselors (辅导员). (They might also arrange for a photo session) They will need it to process your student pass and library/canteen card. You will be informed when it’s ready for collection. Oh! Make sure you take down your counselor’s mobile numbers and email address! Foreign students are still the minority in our classes, so if you don’t want to be left out on important dates and events, remember to take initiative to keep in contact!

• Residence permit

Once payment and registration is settled, you will be issued a form to apply for your residence permit.

• For dorm-ers, your part is generally settled. Just wait for the dates when the immigrations officers come to our school to apply your residence permit. You will need: Passport, Residence permit form from school, application form and passport sized photos. The application fee is 400rmb/semester.
• For off-campusers, our residence permit application can get a little tricky. First of all, after signing your contract with your landlord, make him/her bring you immediately to the 居委会 to issue an official document. BRING your contract, passport and passport-sized photos! EVERYONE in the apartment needs to get their own documents. Then, go to the Foreign Students’ office and show all these documents and ask for your application letter and your 黄页. NEXT, go to the local police station with all your documents. Ours’ 五角场派出所 (Address: 国和路40号). Ask for the official document that allows you to process your 居留许可证. When this is done, you can apply for your residence permit with the other dorm-ers.
• Alternatively, you can choose to go to the immigrations office at Pudong (民生路1500号, 靠近迎春路). You can take the subway to Line 2, and stop at 科技馆 or pool a cab for approximately 50rmb.

• Computer Entrance exam

They didn’t have this when I started my freshman year! (Every year change pattern one lah!)

So, too bad, really. But don’t worry, it’s nothing difficult. If you can maneuver around blogs and Facebook, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint aren’t going to kill you. You probably don’t even need to lift a finger to pass the test.

*Tip: If you really can’t do it, see the “Type a question for help” in the top right corner?

• Modules selection

You know, as we say, “Every year change pattern one lah!”, we can’t really tell you what’s happening this year or how you can choose your modules until we know what major you’re in and take a look at the modules list.

Ask us again!

(Try www.jwc.fudan.edu.cn （培养方案/修读计划）to check out the system.)

Chapter 3: One way ticket to the…

Yay! We finally talk travel! I love holidays, don’t we all? I’m already looking forward to a fantastic October holiday!

• Airport to school and vice versa

It is highly likely that a big batch of freshmen will travel together for the first time with a few seniors, so the best and most convenient way to travel back to school (with all your heavy suitcases) will be to take a minivan taxi. Depending on the number of people to split the cost, it should be about 160rmb and takes 1 hour to get back to school compound.

Alternatively, if you’re alone and traveling budget, take the airport express 机场4号线to 五角场. Then take a taxi back to wherever you stay. (Airport express 16rmb + Taxi 11rmb)

• Taxis—Flag-down rates are 11RMB (Try to bargain if its pass midnight and it’s a long distance)
• Buses—1-3rmb
• Subway—3-5rmb (Nearest station is 赤峰路站[Line 3 or 4] but a more convenient station will be 虹口足球场[Line 8]) Many buses go to these two stations from the main gate
• Bicycles—get one if you can ride and don’t want to spend half an hour walking from dorm to 五教. It should cost between 180-300rmb (depending on quality and number of add-ons. Remember to bargain!!!)
• Trains-上海站and 上海南站 are both connected to many important cities in China. There is an agency that sells tickets along 国定路. Tickets can only be bought 7days in advance, so don’t forget to queue up early if you want your tickets for your out-of-Shanghai trips!

· Flights-China Eastern Airline (Call 95808) is at 威海路, Singapore airline operates at Kerry Center on 铜仁路. For domestic flights, try 春秋航空 along 邯郸路. (Useful websites: www.ctrip.com, www.elong.com, www.qunar.com)

Chapter 4: Hungry Tummy

Yummy umm! Oops, I did not mention that cookouts are FUSSA-ians favorite activity! Singaporeans love eating, that’s for sure!

So how do we satiate our primitive desires in unfamiliar Shanghai?

FDU has got three canteens around school, the本部食堂,北区食堂and 南区食堂. I will say北区食堂is the most bearable one, with meals ranging from 5rmb-10rmb, depending on your order. There’s a tiny café “5^th Avenue” there, do try the milk tea! They have very cheap morning breakfast sets that include a drink and a sandwich. Grab it before classes; they even have a take-out window!

*Tip: Your rice is measured in 两(5grams). Girls usually eat between 1-2两, obviously more for guys.

Around 9pm each day, the roadside “pasar malams” will emerge from corners around dorm selling all sorts of snacks, even fried rice/noodles, 麻辣烫etc etc. These yummy goodies can go as low as 1rmb for a potato croquette. Be warned though, our stomachs are pretty much pampered by hygienic food back home, so try to ‘test the waters’ by eating at the school canteens first before venturing out for these ‘野食’. Diarrhea is very tiring. I WOULD know.

Having said all that, most of us are not fans of our school canteens and we usually eat out. There’re many cheap and yummy eateries around school. Trust me on this. I’m living in the CBD area in Beijing now. Food around school is usually GOOD and CHEAP. The average spending is between 7rmb-15rmb.

Recommendations?

德隆馆(咸蛋黄小笼包!),沙县、鸡公煲(at 步行街), 福州鱼丸粉丝,川妹子,东北人家,鼎灵东北菜 and the list goes on. BUT! I think everyone should DEFINITELY try 鸡蛋饼 at 涂鸦街!

If you cook, there’s Wal-Mart and 菜市场at 国年路or 国定路that can fulfill most of your needs.

Tip: Go to the wet markets for your fresh food, they are usually fresher and cheaper. Go to Wal-Mart for your dried goods!

Sometimes, if you need the ang-moh ingredients, you might have to head downtown for the City Supermarket at Times Square on 淮海路.

Chapter 5: Fashion Woes

Yeah, I know I said don’t pack your winter clothes. Before you give me that accusing look, pull out your cell and call me so that I can bring you shopping!

China is affected by seasons and climate changes, so we do need our goose feathers and wool when winter hits. But don’t start getting gan-jiong before the leaves even turn a slightest shade of brown because I’m sure way before October, we’ve already made at least TWO shopping trips.

Where to? Where to???!!!

Our favorite places to shop :

• 七浦路—the wholesale area where you have to fight nail and tooth through the crowds and bargain your a** off but can get cheap and fashionable clothes (if you look hard enough); I suggest you take the elevators up the higher floors.
• How to get there: Take 854 from 正门 and stop at 武昌路
• 长乐路/兴乐路—small boutiques scattered along the road, check out local designers too (can get a little weird and expensive) Oh, Edison Chan’s very expensive shoe shop is there too. It also carries his own label CLOT.
• How to get there: Take any bus that goes to the LRT(虹口足球场), take Line8 then transfer to 陕西南路站(Line 1).
• 淮海路—Mango, Zara, H&M (‘nuff said) (oh, that said, we already have H&M just beside school! It’s a dream come true!!!)
• How to get there: Take any bus that goes to the LRT(虹口足球场), take Line8 then transfer to 陕西南路站(Line 1).
• 青浦factory outlets—apparently guys get to find what they want there. AND, factory outlets! It means brands with a budget price tag!(I heard it's a complicated LRT ride though)

(To be continued...)

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*Part I