Episode 8: Damir Kadirov

“Laowai” in Shanghai

In this new episode, we invited Damir Kadirov to share with us his working and living experience in the most prosperous city of China – Shanghai. The podcast covers a lot of topics, including going to grad school in Shanghai, finding a job after graduation, getting a work visa, his first impression of the city, and his impressions on Shanghainese people.

Damir Kadirov is from Kazakhstan but has been living in Shanghai for more than 6 years. Currently, he works as an account manager in Ace Ingredients – a global enterprise that focuses on the research and manufacture of products critical to the food industry. Damir graduated from the Gumilyov Eurasian National University, one of the largest institutions for higher education in Kazakhstan. After graduation, he went to the East China University of Science and Technology on a full Chinese Government Scholarship and received his master’s degree in chemical engineering. While living in Shanghai, he created a YouTube channel (Damir Kadirov) where he shares his life in the city and also interviews other professionals. If you are interested, please check it out. (Note: The channel is in Russian because Damir’s native language is Russian.)

2:18 Why China? Why Shanghai?

I was always thinking to study abroad but I’ve never thought about China. But there was an opportunity for a very good scholarship, which was introduced in our department, and I just applied without any thoughts. Then the results came out and I thought, “Why not”?

3:13 Difference between education in China and Kazakhstan

Chinese education is more competitive and the education quality is relatively higher. China also invests a lot of money in its institutions. In my university, we had more than 20 buildings for laboratory experiments. My college in Kazakhstan had only one part of the building for chemical experiments.

5:04 Studying and living in China: culture shock?

It was definitely hard because I applied to this Chinese program several months in advance. So I didn’t know the language, the mentality and even the climate….  I just jumped to China without any background. Then I felt like “Oh, that’s something different. That’s something I didn’t expect.”

6:35 Why did you decide to stay in China?

I’m a person from the countryside and from a simple background. In most of the post-Soviet Union countries, you need to have connections to get a good job. In this perspective, I didn’t have any good choices. On the other hand, there is an opportunity to stay and work in Shanghai.

8:24 Getting a job

I started it at the beginning of the last year of my master’s program… It took me more than half a year. But another thing was getting a work visa.

10:18 Work visa

It is not easy. Three years ago, the government decided to change the policy. I was graduating that year. It was easier for foreigners to get this work visa before, but then they launched the work permit.

15:30 First impression of Shanghai 

It was the hottest season in Shanghai. It was super humid and hot, and I thought I was gonna die here… Once we got to the city center and I saw all these buildings, and all these beautiful places around, I thought “Wow, this is the city I want to stay in and live in …”

18:20 Shanghainese people

Some people said Shanghainese people are more arrogant and even look down on other Chinese, whom they call “wai di ren,” but …

19:45 Workplace difficulties in Shanghai companies

The company wasn’t really prepared to accept foreigners. So I was almost the only foreigner, although we had an American in the top management. It was kind of hard to get involved in that environment.

23:45 Advice for those who want to live in Shanghai

Be open to any different opportunities. Stay active not only in your studies but also in your social life.