On the Great Wall
Why did you decide to intern abroad?
I needed an experience totally different from what I would normally get back in Europe or in America, and so I looked toward Asia to get a fresh perspective. Naturally when you think of Asia, China stands out as an easy choice due to its prominence in Asia and the attention it is getting in the world.
Why did you choose Go Abroad China?
I was researching ways of traveling to China and I knew that my travel needed to have some rich experience behind it, so I got introduced to Go Abroad China’s programs and communicated with them. I then decided to go ahead and experience China with their arrangement, which was an internship together with some Chinese language lessons.
What was your favorite part about Beijing?
Go Abroad China organised my internship in Beijing, which is the capital city of China. Beijing was totally different from what I had imagined, there were lots of people, lots of cars and bicycles everywhere, and it was very fast-paced, with people always in a hurry to go do something. It is quite modern and yet at the same time you get to see some old Chinese remains in the city.
Fjodor in Croatia
What did you like best about your program?
I liked that my program structure allowed me to do the internship and take some Chinese classes too. Of course it was very convenient that in the company some of my colleagues could speak English as well as Chinese, so I learned a lot about the Chinese language and culture from them too.
What kind of support did the local staff provide you with during your internship in China?
I got a lot of help and support from Go Abroad China, everything with my internship program went smoothly. My Mandarin language tutor was also helpful and taught me a lot about not only the language but also the culture.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
My only wish was that I could continue with my experience in China for longer. I only signed up for two months, and if I had the opportunity I would definitely stay for longer to get more work experience.
What was a typical day like for you in China?
I interned at China International Broadcasting Network doing some business development, attending meetings and working together with the team. I was happy that we got to focus more on the B2B side of development instead of the usual B2C. My co-workers were really friendly and some of them spoke English, which made the working environment quite pleasant and free of any trouble.
What did you enjoy doing outside of your internship placement?
Besides interning every day, I enjoyed sightseeing with my Chinese tutor, who really made learning Chinese for me really fun and interesting. I liked walking down the old streets, exploring the city, visiting the Great Wall, and trying out some Chinese food.
KTV experience
What type of accommodation did you choose? What did you like about it?
I chose the homestay accommodation. At first I wondered how it would be living with a Chinese family, but when I arrived in China they were very friendly, prepared really nice Chinese food, and taught me some Chinese too. It was a really special experience and I would do again.
