Earthquakes in Shanghai?

[xidi]

As a 21 year old preparing to go to Shanghai this August, I would like to know as to whether Shanghai has any history of earthquakes occuring, and what types of precaustions does one need to take, generally in the sense of:

1. Whether it is safe to drink tap water

2. What types of food to watch out for, perhaps not to eat

3. Scams and trickery foreigners are prone to

4. The law in China, how to best live with it and things to watch out for

[skylee]

What have you found in your own research?

[xidi]

Skylee, that does not answer my question. I am asking because I don't know, I don't see how my own findings if I had any, should affect what you might know, which is what I am kindly aksing for.

[imron]

I think Skylee's post was more a hint that perhaps most of these questions can be answered with a little bit of Googling and also searching the forums for relevant keywords.

[xidi]

Hi Imron! I have done that and I'm not getting any clear answers from my research. I don't think I am asking for too much by asking what people could know? Half the things that people discuss and ask on these forums can be googled, but we still ask each other, or ?'.....

[imron]

I have done that and I'm not getting any clear answers from my research

In that case it's generally better to at least show that you've done that research by stating what you have already learnt and asking specific questions about the things that are unclear and why you think they are unclear, rather than asking overly broad questions that will just result in people answering like this:

shanghai earthquakes

shanghai tap water

shanghai food safety

shanghai scams

I don't see how my own findings if I had any, should affect what you might know

It generally makes a big difference in terms of how people respond to your post. People are usually more willing to help people who show they have already tried to solve a problem but got stuck at some point, rather than those people who give no indication that they've made any of their own effort into finding an answer. This is especially so for very general topics like the ones you have listed in your original post.

[xidi]

Hi again, okay. I have another question. Would you mind assisting me on how one can remove a topic they started?

[abcdefg]

!. Earthquakes in Shanghai: Don't worry about them. Seldom occur and are not severe. What I've read is that Shanghai is not in an active earthquake zone. Have you read something to the contrary?

2. Tap water in Shanghai: Don't drink it without boiling it first. Most people drink bottled water. What have you found when searching the topic on your own? Was it radically different advice?

3. Food that's been sitting out a long time at ambient temperature in a vendor's stall might not be safe; better to get something freshly cooked in front of your eyes. This is more of a problem when the weather is warm than when it is cold. Have you found some specific foods mentioned in your own research that you are wondering about such as seafood or salads? Seafood needs to be fresh and salads are not a good idea, because the vegetables might have been washed in dirty water. Better to eat cooked vegetables.

4. Scams: the usual, just like any big Chinese city. Google "tea scams" and "art student scams" for a start. Did you have something else particular in mind, like "money switching" scams? Are you worried about "Black Taxi Scams?" A large variety of scams exist and it is worth while becoming familiar with the main ones in advance instead of learning "the hard way."

5. The law: Obey it; especially as a foreigner. Must confess, they don't seem to strict on jaywaking. Pay attention to registering with the authorities in a timely manner. Are there some particular areas of the law you are worried about such as visa restrictions or taxes?

What are the circumstances of your upcoming Shanghai trip? Is it your first time in China? Is it your first time out of Omaha without Mom and Dad along? We promise not to laugh. Knowing such things helps us understand what you need to know, especially regarding scams.

Will you be here a week for tourism or for a year as a foreign student? Will you be staying in hotels or with friends in their home? Maybe in a university dorm? These things are relevant to getting good answers to your questions. Different challenges are involved in each situation.

Supplying some personal background and asking more specific questions would almost surely yield more useful answers. Asking broad, generic questions will get you broad, generic answers. We are all more eager to share our personal experiences when we understand who is asking and why. And we all prefer it when it's clear the "asker" has already made some effort on his own.

Nobody is trying to run you off. If you go about it right, you can gain a lot of useful information here and you will wind up being very welcome one this site. You got off on the wrong foot in this thread, but why not regroup and give it another try? We would like to have you on board.

[lorenz]

@abcdefg

wow, what a great answer!