Shanghai

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Shanghai, is the second most important city in the People's Republic of China after Beijing. With a population of over 21 million people, Shanghai and its bright lights, incomparable skyline, cultural and highly fashionable lifestyle, its important (and sometimes imposing) expats community, all make it one of the most fascinating cities in the world today, while representing the modern Chinese urban society.

For more information about Shanghai please visit the official wikipedia page: [1]

Couchsurfing Shanghai

Couchsurfing Shanghai has over 750 members on its group [2], but officially there are actually 1599 members on Couchsurfing based in Shanghai! [3]

Couchsurfing Shanghai has began to see a structural backbone starting from September 2007, when the first monthly meeting took place.

Since November 2008, CS Shanghai has established its own Couchsurfing Zone. A "Couchsurfing zone" is a cafe, restaurant or bar where Couchsurfers in one particular city can physically meet and hangout, either for surfers/visitors who are visiting the city, or as a host or member living in this city, when having an afternoon or evening free wanting to chill out in a laid-back atmosphere and meet other fellow surfers. This is meant to be an actual 'physical base' for the Couchsurfers in this city, be they hosts, visiting surfers, 'coffee or drinks only' members, fellow couchsurfers wannabe's, new members..etc The purpose of a couchsurfing zone is to promote more spontaneaous unplanned gatherings among couchsurfers in a city, where local members can meet and get to know each other, where also potentially visiting surfers may "meet" a last minute couch if they couldn't find one previous to their arrivals, where new members could meet old ones and find out the truth and the marvels of the couchsurfing lifestyle!

The Couchsurfing Zone of Shanghai is the Bell Cafe,

a small cafe in the Taikang Lu fashion/design/trendy district [4], tended by a nice and friendly manager called Amei.

Here is the current temporary profile of the Bell Cafe, http://www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=6804SHA before a formal upgrade to a CS Zone profile.

You can find all information and address on the Bell Cafe here: <a href="www.bellbar.cn">www.bellbar.cn</a>

NOTE: The Bell Cafe's presence on CS is solely for the sake of promoting the couchsurfing's mission statement [5], and is not to pursue in any means whatsoever

any profit- or commercial-oriented activities on the Couchsurfing site. This has been made in agreement with the management and owner of the Cafe and has been, is and will be monitored by the CS Shanghai ambs.

History of meetings

--Philtzou 05:02, 10 January 2008 (UTC)Couchsurfing Shanghai has been holding regular monthly meetings since September 07, there is currently no Shanghai city ambassador so i'm sort of doing what i can with my available resources (ie not a lot of time!!). irregular meetings have taken place throughout the years before spontaneously when people on the CS Shanghai group post a suggested meeting/dinner/drinks together..etc

On September 07: we had our first 'formal' coffee get-together at the Old Film Cafe on the pedestrian Duolun Road, near Sichuan North Road, where the old 1930s mansions nearby, the antique stores on the streets and the nice weather accompanied our good spirits! there was an impressive number of people (locals!!) who were new on CS or interested in CS.

October 07: we had a great dinner at the Mandchurian Restaurant (Dong Bei Ren) on Shanxi Nan Road 1, about 2 tables over 24 people! great turnout out, couple of surfers, a few hosts, also a few interested minds who then did sign up! then the party moved to the House of Jazz and Blues (Maoming Nan Lu 158, near Fuxin Middle Road) a must-go to all jazz lovers, and enjoyed the nice live music by the current house quintet.

November 07: a rather spontaneous but great party, less CS-focused because of the crowd in the bar, CS Shanghai gathered for the Too Dumb to Die trio who played at Piccone Bar, www.piccone-sh.com. this was a great concert by three travelling musicians going around Asia by bike, 2 of them are now officially CS TBMs (i'll post links to their profile later, CS website is down right now...)

On December 31st 2007 Couchsurfing Shanghai had a great New Year's Eve bash at the Beca Cafe in REd Town, next to the Shanghai Sculpture Museum. event page on FB. about 70 people showed up, among which maybe 50 or so were involved or related to couchsurfing. hopefully lots of new signup's subsequent to that.

also, a Couchsurfing in China group has been created on facebook

all those in china or coming to china or interested in china are welcome to join! 

January 08: CS Shanghai started up the Chinese Olympic Year by having a fully energized evening of culture and fun. first we attended the Pecha Kucha [6][7] Shanghai event, at the Shanghai lifestyle center, then we had our couchsurfing shanghai first ever KTV party, where we had a beautiful mixture of cultures, from France, Togo, China (of course), US, Turkey, Finland, Korea, Canada. absolutely fabulous party at the Haoledi KTV near Xintiandi.

February 08: probably the first month when we actually had 2 great gatherings! Feb 16: we had a nice Brazilian dinner near China Eastern Normal University campus, then we took it further to the funky Shanghai Gecheng KTV (Song city), and then some hardcore people continued onwards to party and dance at Windows til the wee hours!! whatta amazing night!

Then on Feb 29th now that was a full house we had!! Couchsurfing Shanghai had a blast at the dinner gathering with two full tables (over 22 people!) at the yummy Sichuan restaurant You Jia Chuan Cai on Jiangsu Road 121, between Yuyuan road and Changning Road. We then moved the party to the Hut [8] a cool dive bar where we actually had an amazing full house party!! we fully used up this back-room special lounge in the back of the bar, and there were over 30 people!! because we were the biggest party in the bar, many of us actually ended up meeting others at the bar, brought them into our 'CS lounge', and competely converted them!!

March 08: in celebration of one of the surfers' birthday, we had our first full day event: St Patrick's Parade, then picnic in Fuxing Park, followed by a nice little drink in Taikang Lu (recommendable to all for a nice afternoon coffee in a traditional shanghaiese ally transformed into a trendy cafes and restaurants and gallery district!), a nice get-together dinner at Papa John's (not very chinese but fun atmosphere!) and finally, a gathering at Harley's to enjoy some cool cats playing nice French electrohouse.[9]

there will be more to come, Shanghai is gaining certain momentum, we meet more and 

more Chinese sign-up's, it's a great and diverse goup that likes to get-together and greet the passing-by surfers, and sensibly and progressively the core people are forming a comunity that is now growing stronger and more connected!

In May 08: after the disastrous, tremendously traumatic nation-wide earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, Couchsurging had its very own fundraising afternoon at the Bell Cafe, we raised over 13 000 RMB which

was directly donated to an earthquate relief fund based in Chengdu, http://www.sichuan-quake-relief.org/
via CS Chengdu member Jane.

In June, CS Shanghai joined the momentum accross the world and held its own Couchsurfing International Day, on Thursday June 12th. We organised it on the rooftop of a private appartment near Xujiahui,

and had a huuuuuuuuuge turnout! It was a great success, we even made a Sticker
which was distributed to everyone who came:

In July 08 we had a dinner at a very local Uyghur restaurant, nice turnout with a good bunch of people around the table from over 8 countries and continents, then we headed to Yuyintang for an interesting eclectic party.

TO BE CONTINUED SOON..

end of meetings report, --Philtzou 17:00, 25 March 2008 (UTC)