CONNECTLiving
Connect
- Clubs & communityChambers, run clubs, faith, alumniThe fastest way out of the expat bubble-or deeper into it, your choice. Chambers of commerce, national societies, run clubs, book clubs, places of worship with services in your language, and where each community actually gathers.All corridors
Voices of the cityOfficial channels, by language and community.A week-one household needs streets and school-bus reality, not a foodie montage. A short list of licensed brands and long-running channels — Yitiao, city English desks, Japanese room tours, Western walkers — and send you to their official home. Independent creators. Home88 is not their magazine.All corridors- Learning ChineseSurvival first, HSK laterThe 100 phrases that unlock daily life, then the schools and tutors if you want to go further. Honest notes on what level you need for what — most daily Shanghai runs fine on app translation plus 50 words.All corridors
- Events calendarF1, tennis masters, fashion week, festivalsThe fixed points of the Shanghai year — F1, the Rolex Masters, fashion weeks, art fairs, holiday closures that ambush newcomers — plus a monthly what's-on filtered for things that don't need Chinese.All corridors
Useful resources for settling in
SEA: find a newcomer gathering on the live calendar
The Shanghai Expatriate Association calendar includes Welcome Chats, coffee mornings and practical workshops about life in the city. Check the individual event page for the current date, venue and participation requirements.
Choose a gathering that fits your daily travel area and check booking requirements before going.
Shanghai Expatriate Association · Calendar ↗Source checked ·
Live near what you love.
Where you live decides how far all of this is. Tell us what your week looks like — we shortlist homes around it.