My Shanghai Odyssey: Finding home in the city

Editor's Note:

As Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey captivates audiences worldwide, we are reminded that the longing for home is a story that never fades. 

Max Caruso's journey is proof. Born in Rome, raised in Australia, shaped in Dubai—and finally, anchored in Shanghai. But unlike Odysseus, Max wasn't trying to return home. He was trying to find it. 

This is his Shanghai Odyssey.

Dr Max Caruso and his wife toast with drinks against Shanghai's glowing night skyline. [Photo provided to iShanghai]

Every great odyssey begins with a departure. Mine started in Rome, in the summer of 1963. By 1969, my father—then working for Pirelli—received an assignment that would set our family adrift across the globe: a two-year placement in Melbourne, Australia. We packed our lives into steamer trunks and sailed south, never imagining that those "two years" would stretch into a lifetime.

Like Odysseus, I did not choose the wandering; the wandering chose me. I grew up under the Southern Cross, became an Australian citizen in 1984, and later dedicated myself to a life in education. My career eventually led me to China, where I had the privilege of founding a school and, in that process, meeting the woman who would become my anchor: my Shanghainese wife, Ying. China felt like a home I had not yet found.

In time, my professional path took me to Dubai, where I served as Director General of a school —a flourishing chapter in my journey. Yet, even in the glittering desert, my heart remained tethered to the East. When China called us back, we returned without hesitation, knowing that our true home had always been here, waiting for us to recognise it fully.

This is the story of my final homecoming—the application for China's Permanent Residency—and how the journey of that process only deepened the sweetness of the arrival.

China's permanent residency system—the "Five-Star Card"—offers several routes to shore. For me, the course was clear. Having been married to my Shanghainese wife for many years, and having lived continuously in China for over five years, I qualified for the Family Reunion category. It felt right — a legal recognition of what my heart already knew: that home is not a piece of land, but a person, and a shared life.

The application process tested perseverance and attention to detail. The most significant document was the Certificate of No Criminal Record—and with it, the necessary Apostille. Like Odysseus navigating between Scylla and Charybdis, I found myself needing documentation from two distinct jurisdictions: Italy, where I was born but had never lived as an adult, and Dubai, where I had worked but had since left.

We drafted formal appeals, explaining our unique circumstances to the Changning Sub-Bureau of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. For the Dubai certificate, our appeal was granted with remarkable understanding. For the Italian certificate, however, the waiver was not granted. We had to find another way. And yet, even in this outcome, there was no harshness—only a gentle insistence that I complete the final leg of the journey.

Throughout this entire odyssey, I could not have navigated these waters without my wife, Ying. Her knowledge of the system, her mastery of the language, and her unwavering positive support were the anchor that kept me steady. She translated not only words but also the nuances of a system I could not fully grasp on my own.

And the officers at the Exit-Entry Bureau were extraordinary. They listened to my tangled history without a hint of impatience. They read my appeals not as legal nuisances, but as human stories. They guided me on how to communicate with Italian authorities, offering strategic advice that ultimately helped me secure the necessary documents through an expedited online channel.

They are the lighthouse keepers of this city—quietly ensuring that weary travellers can finally see the harbour lights. I have lived in many countries, dealt with many immigration systems, and I can say with absolute sincerity: the humanity and professionalism of these Shanghai officers is unparalleled.

Dr Max Caruso and his wife take a photo with the officers at the Changning branch of Shanghai Exit-Entry Bureau. [Photo provided to iShanghai]

Whatever the outcome of our application, I am already deeply grateful. Grateful to Ying, whose love and support made this journey possible. Grateful to the officers of the Changning sub-bureau, whose understanding and professionalism guided us through every step. In particular, I wish to express my gratitude to Ms Wu, who really tried her very best to support me throughout this process. Her dedication and kindness made a significant difference.

Grateful to this country, which has given me not only a home, but a family, a purpose, and a sense of belonging I had searched for across continents.

Shanghai is my Ithaca. It is where my wife waits, where my parents-in-law offer their wisdom, and where I have finally dropped anchor after a lifetime of drifting. The odyssey is over, but the story continues—because a homecoming is not an ending; it is a beginning.

To Ying: thank you for being my anchor, my translator, my guide, and my home.

To the officers at the Changning Sub-Bureau: thank you for seeing the man behind the paperwork. You did not just process an application. You welcomed a wanderer home.

About the author

Dr Max Caruso is an educator and school founder who has lived across Australia, China, and the Middle East. He now resides in Shanghai with his wife.