Lisa Zhu Expat Services

"Let me show you a unique Shanghai."

Shanghai China

+86 139 1839 8254

Lisa Zhu was born in Shanghai and spent her childhood with her grandparents, just like most of the kids in China. She lived ten minutes walking distance from both the Bund and People’s Square – the heart of Shanghai. She grew up speaking Shanghainese and exploring her dynamic city streets.

At the age of 7, she moved to the "Spring City" of China – KunMing in YunNan province – to be with her parents who lived there because of her father's work. Suburban life couldn’t replace her love of Shanghai and she was determined to move back. In 2001 she finally got her chance, returning to Shanghai to study Business English at college. She worked part-time at a McDonald’s on NanJing Pedestrian Street, practicing her English skills with Western customers. She gave her first tour to actors of the opera Les Miserables!

As her business developed, she worked for expat families as a Mandarin tutor, language assistant and consultant on life in China. She was also a homeschooling teacher for expat children.

Over the past ten years, Lisa has worked with expat families from all around the world. She has helped people with diverse tasks, from language training to holiday travel, shopping tours to cooking lessons, helping with kids' homework to assisting with party plans, to finding and training Ayis and drivers. 

It is not just her language skill that makes Lisa a great facilitator but also her strong awareness of Western culture. Her unique tours let visitors and residents experience an authentic Shanghai. 

Chinese Cultural Tours

For people who have done general sightseeing in Shanghai, I can offer something more. You can learn much more about Chinese culture by attending the following activities with Lisa.

Do you want to learn how to play?

Do you want to learn how to play?

Being Shanghaiese for a day

What's the best way to experience a different culture? Answer is --- blend in with the locals! Lisa will take you to a local community where all the houses were built around the 1940's. It has a traditional bakery, barber shop, and has all of the typical bustling daily activities. We will visit an activity room where people in neighborhood get together and have fun playing Mahjong. You can even sit down and join these friendly people! A ballroom dancing activity is also available for visiting at certain times of the day. All the retired people dance together to classic Chinese music! Ready to see how Chinese celebrate and play together?!

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Traditional Chinese Tea ceremony 

You've always heard about Chinese tea, but how much do you really know about it? How many teas are there in China? What do Chinese really drink in their daily life? Why is tea so important to Chinese? ....We will tell you all about it and help you to learn how to make Chinese tea properly at home. How could you come to China and miss the chance of learning the tea culture?!

Fun and Yum!

Fun and Yum!

Home Cooking Experience 

Chinese food is one of the world's most famous cuisine, eve thought about experience dining at local shanghaiese family's home instead of regular restaurant? Meanwhile, you can learn how to make some popular  Chinese food and bring the skill home to share with families and friends! Spring rolls, dumplings, fried rice, Chinese vegetable ....Don't worry, we won't scare you with chicken feet or duck neck, all the food on menu will be discussed with clients beforehand. This is great fun for kids as well!

Chinese Calligraphy

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We know you've all heard of Chinese calligraphy , but do you know how many different styles are there for the characters? What are "Wen Fang Si Bao" (four treasures for a Chinese study room)? How to use pen-brush properly? And why are there so many different pen-brushes? What's the paper for calligraphy  made from?  We will tell you the answers for all these during our Calligraphy Association tour!

        We will be visiting this Calligraphy Association located in the peaceful French Concession area. In this old ShiKuMen alley way, houses remain as the way they were 60 years ago, the signs on some of the doors tell us, this tranquil neighborhood use to be homes of some Chinese celebrities during 1920-1937. Si De calligraphy and painting association hidden in a courtyard of the neighborhood. We will get to meet the members who are mostly retired people, they love calligraphy and painting, and will share their professional experience with us, show us different style of calligraphy, and take us to a bit deeper to Chinese calligraphy culture. Mr.Zou a professional calligraphy pen-rush producer will also show you the difference of handmade pen-brushes and the proper way to make them. 

      You will also be given a fan with blank sides, members from Si De will teach you how to write or paint your own fan! 

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Jade

Did you know that Jade was first valued as early as 5,000 years ago in China? The Chinese saying goes "Gold has a value; jade is invaluable."Due to its continuing cultural and ceremonial significance and the rising middle class in China, today the finest jade can fetch $3,000 USD an ounce, a tenfold increase from a decade ago. Today, we'll visit a beautiful shop in theheart of Shanghai, Shi Yu 世玉, "World of Jade ".

Although only three years old, Shi Yu has quickly become one of the most exclusive jade stores in China. In this museum and show room, they display more than 1000 exquisite pieces of jade, from bangles to rings. Not only do they sell jade, they also educate the world about Jade culture. Shi Yu was the only official jade trading company of the 2010 Shanghai Expo. 

We will get to admire their most precious piece in this jade "museum" --- Yellow Jade which is valued 2.6 billion RMB on the market now!

A certified jade expert will help us to understand these questions: "Why is jade so special to the Chinese?", "How can we identify a quality jade piece?" "Where does the best jade come from?", and "What made the owner --Ms.Cao-- decide to give up her successful fashion designer career and build up the World of Jade with her husband 3 years ago?"  We will also learn how to carve beautiful detailed patterns on pieces of hard jade. Chinese tea, rice cakes and nuts will be offered in the process. 

Are u ready to join us to see the precious STONES and learn about their stories now ?