Shanghai is a world famous metropolis in China. It is known for its soaring skyscraper and bustling city life. While you are traveling in Shanghai, except for paying visits to common attractions, seeing night shows, doing some shopping, what else could you do? Wouldn’t it be interesting to do something out of usual travel routine? To be a Shanghainese for one day is a hot programme for foreign visitors. For those who take part in the programme can have an interesting experience of local daily life in local residence. TopChinaTravel can arrange this fun tour for you. And it is usually arranged in Caoyang New Community (or known as Caoyang New Village), which is located in Baiyu Road, Putuo District, Shanghai. People can make either a half-day, 12-hour or a 24-hour visit (including one-night homestay in the house of a local resident). Then how does this programme “Be Shanghainese for One Day to Experience Local Daily Life” work? What can visitors see and what will you do?
Clients learn how to make dumplings
Usually, foreign tourists can have a general visit to the community, local market, nursery school and gerocomium, enjoy the performance of the Elder Singing Group, earn how to cook Shanghai food, and dine with a local Chinese family to experience the daily life of Shanghainese.
The general process for Caoyang New Community visit would be as follows:
1. Be guided to the reception room in the community. There will be a reception staff of the community to meet you there, then he/she will introduce some brief info about the Caoyang New Village for a few minutes.
2. Move to visit a local residents’ home. Have simply chat in the living room with the residents under the translation of tour guide while enjoying some fruit or biscuits provided. The residents can teach you some simple Shanghai native language. Most of them are willing to make friends with foreigners especially children.
3. If time allows, the housewives will take you to the nearby wet market to tour around, to shop for food in the same way that most locals do every day.
4. Having meals in local resident is possible. The housewives can cook the food for you with the materials that you buy in the market. The most interesting thing is to learn how to cook Chinese food if you are interested. Here, Jiaozi (dumplings) are a must. Of course, after working, you can enjoy the meal with the local family.
Clients learn cooking in local residence
Clients go to the nearby wet market
Clients enjoy simple meals with the with residents
In the 24-hour arrangement, visitors can also sleep in a local resident’s home. Be reminded that the facilities conditions in the local home are not as good as those in a hotel. But you should get up early in the next morning, because the house holder will lead you to a park nearby to play Tai Chi and do morning exercises, or take you to a local wet market to buy food (market is at its bustling in the morning or at early evening).
In addition, calligraphy, paper cutting and Tai Chi lessons are also available.
1. Calligraphy Learning
Time: 1 hour
Location: Activity Center in Caoyang New Community
How it works: Firstly, the teacher will introduce the common tools of calligraphy and explain the traditional knowledge about calligraphy. Then the teacher will tell you the right gestures to sit and hold pens while practicing calligraphy before teaching you to write some simple Chinese characters.
2. Tai Chi Learning
Time: 1-1.5 hours
Location: neighboring park to Caoyang New Community
How it works: Firstly, the teacher will introduce some simple history and significance of, and what you can benefit from playing Tai Chi. Then the teacher will play a full set of Tai Chi to show you how it looks like. After that, you will be taught some main actions of Tai Chi.
Clients learning Tai Chi
3. Paper Cutting Learning
Time: 1 hour
Location: Activity Center in Caoyang New Community
How it works: First, you will be introduced of the significance of paper cutting to Chinese and its development in Chinese history. You will learn some benefits of doing paper-cut. Then you will be taught to make Paper Cutting.
Paper Cutting Learning
If you are interested in this “Be Shanghainese for One Day to Experience Local Daily Life” programme, you can tell us at contact with your travel advisor at TopChinaTravel or send email to sales@topchinatravel.com We would be glad to make the arrangement for you.