A Charity Black Tie Ball In Shanghai - Shanghai Sunrise's 10th Anniversary Gala

Last Saturday night (18th of March, 2006) some of my friends & I dusted off our flashy garments and attended the Shanghai Sunrise 10th Anniversary Gala Ball at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel.

Shanghai Sunrise is a local charity that aims to support underprivileged students in the greater Shanghai region. Of course you can read more about them on their website. The Gala Ball was held to raise money to extend their current program to cater for University-aged students. Currently the charity supports primary and secondary students. And, they are always looking for more sponsors.

A good idea for a charity, and it was one we really wanted to support. In particular, as we were getting a great dinner and a good selection of drinks in the name of giving.

So, what was the night like? The location was grand, the food was tasty, the drinks came strong and fast. Knowing that your money was going to a good cause on top of the perks you received from the Shangri-La Hotel's hospitality made me feel conflicted. Both DaDan and myself spent well-earned money on our own tuxedos for the occasion (with a view to other events in the future), so we were definitely enthused about the Gala. I think we also recognised that this money perhaps would be better served on many other ventures such ranging from noble (i.e. student sponsorship) to the self-indulgent (i.e. trips home, holidays, gadgets, etc). So leading up to this night I had this conflicting feeling. At the Gala, we all had a lot of fun but I think we all quickly assessed that this wasn't entirely our scene. At this event, Shanghai's expat money and social circle was on display. Part of me felt dislocated from the night as I know that I'm not part of the established circle of middle/upper level of expats and their relocated families. A relatively primal thought I experienced was that I was a pretender is this crowd. I'm really a guy just starting to knock on the door of my work career like many other young professionals that are being attracted to this city. I'm not on big money, I work long hours, I commute, I'm competing with some extremely talented and hard-working people here. I haven't made it and I didn't have the means to sustain anything like the lifestyle I experienced that night. Expats like myself are more likely to be found in Cotton's, Senses, or Bar Rouge letting off the week's steam each weekend.

I also wonder what any of the student's that were sponsored (or waiting for a sponsor) would think if somehow they managed to see this event first hand. It was so lavish.

Tags: charity, China, dining, Pudong, Shanghai, Shanghai Sunrise