大家好！ My name is Cui Qianyu, or you may call me Sue if “Qianyu” is too difficult for you to pronounce. I am currently studying at National University of Singapore, and for this summer break, I will be the new intern at InternChina Qingdao office. As you might tell from my name, I am a Chinese and what’s more, I am a native “Qingdaonese”!

This is my first internship in Qingdao and what attracts me most is that through the work at InternChina, I can view my hometown from another perspective. In fact, just at the beginning, I have already found out something new about Qingdao— it is much more international than I first thought. For example, there are many people around the world working and living here, instead of just visiting. As I grew up here but have studied abroad for many years, I have found many things different between China and other countries from my own experience. Hence, I would like to share some of these differences and hopefully, these will help you adapt to the life in China.

Crossing the road: In China, vehicles drive on the right side of the road and thus you should look left first when you cross the road. In addition, even if it is a zebra crossing, it is better to follow the traffic lights as some cars in China may not stop for pedestrians. Due to the high population, most of the main crossroads are of high traffic during peak hours and the traffic lights seem complicated. In this case, it is relatively safer to walk with the locals since they are more experienced.

Sitting around to eat: Eating is a very important part of Chinese culture. There are many eating habits and practices that may be surprising to you and you need to pay attention to; One of the major differences is that people in China often sit at a round table and share the foods from common dishes other than having individual plates. Having hot pot might be a good example here.

When you are sick: For some common diseases, you may simply buy non-prescribed medicines from pharmacies along the street. If you need a doctor, hospitals may be a better choice compared to clinics. Appointment is not mandatory for most of the public hospitals in China, so patients can just walk in and queue up for registration.

Supermarkets vs. Street Markets: I think supermarkets such as Wal-Mart and Carrefour might be very familiar to you. As for street markets, they usually operate in the morning or at night in the open air. Typically, goods in supermarkets are of high variety, more organized but may be more expensive compared to those in a market. If you live near some markets, you may buy vegetables and fruits there as they are more fresh and cheaper.

Just for those who are interested, below are some interesting upcoming events in Qingdao:
– Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition 2014 (25 Apr-25 Oct)
– Qingdao Cherry Festival (18 May-10 Jun)
– Qingdao Beer Festival (10 Aug-25 Aug)

Want to enjoy a new life and get some work experience at the same time? Apply now to come and join us! Internship places available in Qingdao, Chengdu and Zhuhai.