Economics Internships in China

I had the opportunity to intern abroad for two months as part of Absolute Internship's intern abroad program. I am especially grateful, as this program provided me with the invaluable opportunity to grow outside of my comfort zone, creating new connections with professionals from various backgrounds, and helped me develop and strengthen skills such as cross-cultural communication and the ability to adapt and efficiently navigate through diverse perspectives and situations. Additionally, I was fully immersed in Chinese language as I spoke Chinese to the teachers and my supervisor every day, improving my language skills and learning words that were more applicable to everyday conversation rather than textbook words I’ll usually never use after I learned them. Honestly, I learned more Chinese from my company in two months than from my textbook that I’ve had for two years! As I plan to be a mental health therapist for my future profession, I wanted to focus my outreach on Asian communities, as mental health is not often discussed in Asian communities due to cultural values and beliefs. For example, if you face mental health challenges, many will come to the assumption that you don’t respect and appreciate what your parents have done for you. When I had the opportunity to intern abroad, it was a big challenge for me to find such a specific internship due to the language barrier, as my Mandarin isn’t good because I speak Cantonese at home. Luckily, I found ELG (Engage, Learn, and Grow), a bilingual school for neurodiverse children that offers not only education but also integrated therapy in various fields. For example, in addition to classes such as math, science, and literature, they also have music therapy, art therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Rather than approaching neurodiversity as a “problem that needs to be solved,” like how mental health challenges need to be “fixed” or in other words “gotten rid of,” I admire how ELG takes a strength-based approach for their kids, working with what they can already do and continue to build on top of their skills. Many of the kids at ELG are autistic or undiagnosed; there are also kids with Tourette's syndrome, Rett’s syndrome, and Down syndrome. While planning my career path, working with neurodiversity had never really crossed my mind. Although I didn’t get to work in mental health, I’m really glad that I was able to experience first-hand how speech, occupation, and physical therapy, art, and music-based therapies are done. I am especially grateful for having the opportunity to work directly with neurodivergent kids, as it made me feel happy that I can be a part of their growth and development process, helping them build on their skill sets every day. During the first week of my internship, I was really overwhelmed because I had never really worked with neurodivergent children before. However, being immersed in a new environment pushed me to grow out of my comfort zone and develop an understanding of different community contexts cross-culturally. As I got to know the kids more, I became adaptable to each kid’s needs and as I got to know the kids more, all of the kids are really cute, each in their own way. For example, there is one boy who speaks very softly, and even if other kids take away his toys, he doesn’t get mad, doesn’t complain. Unexpectedly, what’s funny is that he also likes to run. By this, I mean he needs his hand to be constantly held when going to classes, or else he will start running off to wherever he wants. Another girl throws tantrums very easily and is very bossy to teachers, as she tells them to stop talking and yells at them, but when you ask her about the show My Little Pony, her face lights up, and she’ll tell you everything about each pony in the show. I also taught one of the kids how to play UNO! When I first shuffled the cards, her eyes widened, and she was so impressed that she had me teach her how to shuffle cards. She told me that she would go back home and practice, then by the 3rd day, she was a pro! One moment that I am really proud of is when I got a girl outside her comfort zone by coming up with new games to play with the kids during recess time. Usually, the teachers let the kids do their own thing, however, I thought that it felt a bit boring, so I came up with a catching game with bean bags. Once she heard other kids laughing, she came out of her foam-board shelter to see what was going on. I invited her to play, and she immediately loved the game! After that day, she started to come out of her shelter and play with me and the other kids more often! When working with the kids at ELG, I especially love seeing the wide smile on their faces when I teach them something fascinating and new, and likewise, they make me smile when they master what I’ve taught them. One moment that I will cherish with me from this internship is my connection with one of the kids in the class I was assigned to. He reminded me a lot of myself, feeling uncomfortable in loud and unfamiliar places, introverted most times, and slow to warm up, but once he got comfortable, he was sticking with me 24/7! Although he’s around the age of a 1st grader, his speech is still developing, but he can completely understand what you’re saying. To get him to practice speaking, during snack time I would always have him say phrases like “please help open” or “cracker” in Chinese. Sometimes when he wants a toy, I have him say the specific toy, and then I give it to him. Other times, I have him say “hello” when I see him in the mornings, and he can say “bye-bye” very clearly. So cute! I will really miss him when I go home, and the friendships I’ve made with my teachers and the aunties that I’ve worked with as well. Although we all live in different places, we leave from the same metro station, so I really miss always taking the metro with them back home after work! From countless metro rides going home with them, I learned so much about how to work in the ELG classroom environment, like how sitting is better than standing in the classroom, even if you don’t feel like sitting, because the kids will feel a sense of pressure if they see you standing, and even how to take ELG’s strength based approach when working with kids rather than simply doing the task for them or telling them how to do it. Coming from an Asian American background, community was always valued a lot, and I felt like I was missing that when I was in America. When I started my internship in China, I immediately felt the sense of community that I was missing. After working at ELG for two months, the ELG community feels like a family to me, and it was really hard to say goodbye. Although I feel like two months is a short time, I really saw the progress of each kid that I’ve worked with, and I’m really proud and happy that I was able to be a part of their growth. I’m glad that I was able to work with diverse groups of people and met so many professionals from various backgrounds, as I learned a lot just by being with them. I also believe that the neurodivergent community also receives stigmatization, like mental health, and for that, I want to not only expand my outreach to these two communities but also advocate for them as well. I hope that I will be able to go back to ELG and intern for them again, however I’m not sure that’s possible because of financial expenses of being abroad My internship truly gave me the most valuable experience, not only of being abroad, but also the special connections that I’ve made in China and the sense of community that felt like home.

Absolute Internship gave me an incredible opportunity this summer. For the first time, I was able to visit China and complete an eight week internship abroad in Shanghai. It was an incredible time where I was able to put past skills to use, all while gaining new ones. Additionally, Absolute had structured a great program with a strong balance of planned activities and free weekends to explore the city on one's own. Absolute hosted several day trips and two weekend trips, all with chaperones and busses that drove us to our locations. They planned activities for us, got our train tickets, and essentially made sure all we had to do was show up. It was amazing not to have to worry about details all while getting to see new places. One thing I absolutely loved was the housing Absolute chose to put my program in - we were in an apartment with our own rooms. Being able to come home to an empty room after a long day at work was incredible. I don't know if I would have been able to finish the program as happy as I did if I had to share a room the entire time, knowing I would've been incredibly burnt-out the entire time. It definitely wasn't the 'best' part of the internship, but it made it much better.

Great way to improve both your personal and working profile. Such an incredibile city and culture. The program is well organized with great experience coordinators like Cici. The overall experience is a fantastic way to acquire new skills, meet new people, and explore a unique environment!

AIP provided excellent support throughout my internship experience in Hong Kong. From the beginning, the process was organized, clear, and much less stressful because the team was available to answer questions and provide guidance. Moving to another country for an internship can feel overwhelming, especially when you are balancing travel arrangements, housing, workplace expectations, and adapting to a new city, but AIP made the transition much easier. The communication was one of the strongest parts of the experience. I always felt that I had a clear point of contact if I needed help or had a question. The team was responsive, professional, and supportive throughout the program. They helped make sure I understood what to expect before arriving and continued to provide support while I was in Hong Kong. That gave me confidence and allowed me to focus more on learning from the internship itself. The placement gave me a valuable opportunity to experience a professional workplace in an international environment. I was able to develop practical skills, improve my confidence, and gain a better understanding of how professional work is done outside of the classroom. Living and working in Hong Kong was also a meaningful part of the experience. It pushed me to become more independent, adapt to a different environment, and learn how to navigate daily life in a fast-paced global city. I also appreciated that the program was not only about completing an internship. It gave me the chance to grow personally as well as professionally. I learned how to communicate in a workplace, manage responsibilities, work with different people, and become more comfortable in unfamiliar situations. Those are skills that will be useful in future internships, university, and my career. Overall, I am very grateful for the opportunity and for the support AIP provided throughout the process. The experience was well organized, worthwhile, and memorable. I would recommend AIP to students who are looking for an overseas internship and want the support of a team that is helpful, professional, and committed to making the experience run smoothly

My experience in Thailand has been so fun! I got to see a lot of the major temples and sites that are a must visit. I made many friends with the other interns here. The staff were very welcoming and accommodating. They helped me with any questions I had or anything in general. Overall my experience was amazing, 10/10 would recommend to anyone on the fence about it! I would even come back if I could!

After finishing school in Ireland, I didn't want to just travel — I wanted to do something meaningful. GAC's gap year program in Shanghai was perfect. I interned at a marketing agency in the mornings and studied Mandarin at Fudan University in the afternoons. The team arranged everything — my internship, classes, shared apartment, and weekend trips. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and a clear direction for my future. Highly recommend.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

After studying Mandarin for ten years, moving to Shanghai felt like turning years of learning into real life. Suddenly, the language I had studied in classrooms became the language I used every day: to work, connect with people and truly experience China from within. My internship challenged me professionally, while living on the other side of the world pushed me to become more independent, adaptable and confident. Knowing Mandarin helped me overcome cultural barriers and made every interaction more meaningful, from the workplace to everyday life and travelling across China. I went to Shanghai looking for international experience in one of the countries I love most, but I came back with something much bigger: the feeling that ten years of studying had finally found their purpose. China was no longer something I had learned about—it became a part of my story. Choosing just one photo to represent this experience almost feels impossible—two months in China gave me far too many places, people and memories worth capturing in a single frame.

Before going to Hong Kong, i thought all I was going to experience is the internship itself and nothing else. Until I realized the intern group provided other memorable experiences for us. I met a LOT of new people and got to know more about them and how we all ended up in Hong Kong. What an experience

After finishing school in Denmark, I wanted something meaningful before university. GAC's gap year program in Beijing was perfect. I interned at a consulting firm in the mornings and studied Mandarin at BLCU in the afternoons. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, and even weekend trips to the Great Wall and Xi'an. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and a clear direction for my future. Best decision I ever made. If I get to do it again, I will certainly go with GAC's program.

As an engineering graduate from Milan, I wanted hands-on experience in manufacturing. GAC placed me with a tech company in Shenzhen where I worked on real production projects. My colleagues were incredibly supportive, and my mentor taught me how Chinese factories operate at scale. The team handled my visa, found me a modern apartment, and checked in regularly. Three months later, I returned to Italy with practical skills and a job offer. Highly recommend for any engineering student. I came back knowing what would be next step in my career.

After high school in Sweden, I wanted something more meaningful than just traveling. GAC's gap year program in Shanghai was perfect. I interned at a trading company in the mornings and studied Mandarin at Fudan University in the afternoons. The team handled everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, and weekend trips to Hangzhou. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and a clear direction for my future. Best decision I ever made and I will do it again If i get the chance to do so.

After finishing high school in Norway, I wanted something more meaningful than just traveling. GAC's gap year program in Shanghai was exactly what I needed. I interned at a trading company in the mornings and studied Mandarin at Fudan University in the afternoons. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, and weekend trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and a clear direction for my future. Best decision I ever made.

After finishing school in Sweden, I didn't want to rush into university. GAC's gap year program in Beijing was perfect. I interned at a marketing agency in the mornings and studied Mandarin at BLCU in the afternoons. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, even weekend trips to the Great Wall and Xi'an. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and job offers. Best decision I ever made.

After finishing school in Ireland, I didn't want to just travel – I wanted to do something meaningful. GAC's gap year program in Shanghai was perfect. I interned at a marketing agency in the mornings and studied Mandarin at Fudan University in the afternoons. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, and even weekend trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and job offers. If you're thinking about a gap year, skip the backpacking and do something that builds your future.

After finishing school in Germany, I wanted something more meaningful than just traveling. GAC's gap year program in Beijing was perfect. I interned at a consulting firm in the mornings, studied Mandarin at BLCU in the afternoons, and explored China on weekends. The team handled everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, even weekend trips to the Great Wall and Xi'an. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and job offers. If you're thinking about a gap year, do this.

After high school in Switzerland, I didn't want to rush into university. GAC's gap year program in Beijing was exactly what I needed. I interned at a consulting firm in the mornings and studied Mandarin at BLCU in the afternoons. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, even weekend trips to the Great Wall and Xi'an. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and clarity on what I want to study. If you're thinking about a gap year, skip the backpacking and do something that builds your future.

After finishing school in Germany, I didn't want to just travel – I wanted to do something meaningful. GAC's gap year program in Beijing was perfect. I interned at a marketing agency, studied Mandarin at BLCU, and explored China on weekends. The team arranged everything – my internship, classes, shared apartment, even weekend trips to the Great Wall and Xi'an. I came back with real work experience, improved Chinese, and job offers. If you're thinking about a gap year, do this.

As a mechanical engineering graduate from Sweden, I wanted hands-on experience in renewable energy. GAC placed me with a clean tech company in Shenzhen working on EV battery systems. I wasn't just observing – I was in the lab, running tests, analyzing data, and presenting findings to senior engineers. My mentor taught me how Chinese manufacturing works at scale. The team handled my visa, found me a modern apartment, and checked in weekly. Three months later, I landed a job in green tech back in Stockholm. My China experience made my CV stand out. Worth every krona.