Make no mistake, adjusting to life in Shanghai will come with its fair share of culture shock. While it is quite a modern and industrialized city, the sheer amount of people and observable urban poverty can be a lot to take in, even for the most seasoned traveler. Adjusting to the crowds and fast paced life can be challenging, but the experience and maturity you will gain from volunteering in Shanghai is invaluable.

Twenty-four million people live in the municipality of Shanghai, and 34 million live in the larger metropolitan area. Public transportation is very affordable throughout the city. The Shanghai Metro consists of subway and railway lines, that connect almost every urban and suburban area of the city. Beijing, China’s capital city, is also only several hours away from Shanghai by high speed rail.

Shanghai boasts a virtually limitless supply of entertainment and culturally immersive opportunities. There are tons of museums, cinemas, public parks, and historical attractions speckled throughout the city, that are all well worth visiting. Though the government is taking gradual steps to curtail pollution, smog is still a big problem in Shanghai, so some days are undoubtedly better spent inside!

If you are planning to learn Mandarin as part of your volunteer program in Shanghai, then more power to you. However, learning the language is not essential if you still wish to become a volunteer in Shanghai. Shanghai is a very globally connected city, and you can get by well enough on the streets knowing English