What do Chinese host families normally expect from their house guests? Should I bring a gift for my host family? Are there any cultural norms I need to be aware of? You probably have a million questions about your homestay. Fear not! It’s all part of the discovery process and the magic of living with a host family.
When confronted by a completely different culture, many things you never expected can take you by surprise. My first tip for you before you head to China is to find out all you can about the concept of face. This will be invaluable knowledge for getting by and developing relationships in China.
Secondly, here are some friendly tips about doing a homestay in China and observations to help you prepare for host family life!
Mountains of Food
One of the lovely things about the Chinese culture is their respect, love and attention that can be conveyed by a single meal. The polite thing to do to a guest in China is to pile their plate high with food from the centre of the table. Whether you ask for it, or not.
Homestays are an incredible way to taste a wide variety of local food. You might find your hosts constantly offer you fruit, snacks like sunflower seeds or even occasionally special treats like chocolate. This can be a bit overwhelming at times!
My personal guidelines for when to accept or decline food in your homestay:
- Be open minded to trying things – say yes as much as you can, widen your horizons, don’t chicken out! (Try a few chicken feet)
- Don’t be afraid to say no when it gets to be too much – know your own limits, don’t panic if people keep offering even after you’ve said no
- Take special treats in moderation – avoid losing face by scoffing down all the families most expensive treats (though they might keep offering)
- Beware of Baijiu Alcohol – celebrations and big family dinners can often get a bit wild when local shots are involved. Handle with care!
Water Usage
Chinese families tend to be very conscious of the amount of water used in the home. So, looong indulgent baths or lengthy daily showers might not go down too well. Your family might even be slightly surprised at how often you shower. Feel free to bring this up in conversation with them. The more you discuss differences in living habits, the easier it is to avoid misunderstandings.
In any case, water is the most valuable commodity in the world!
Anti-wastage
In China, chicken stew means the whole chicken; the head, the beak, the feet et al. Waste not want not!
This idea crops up again and again in food and in other areas of life too. With bath towels and other household items too. (Although perhaps not when it comes to plastic packaging). Be aware of this and try to observe how the family use things.
Discuss these observations with the family! You’re both there to discover these differences. It’s always interesting to find out which of your daily habits are due to the culture of your country, your family or just your personal preference. It’s a weird and wonderful world.
Busy Lifestyle
Modern day lifestyle in a Chinese city is busy busy busy. Kids are the absolute epicentre of the family. Everything revolves around their schedule. Dropping the kids of at school, picking the kids up and shuffling them off to badminton class, extra English lessons, lego club, chess or gymnastics championships and finally exam prep, plus more exam prep.
Adjusting your schedule to the family schedule can be a challenge sometimes. The more you communicate with the family about your timetable, your internship hours etc. the more enjoyable the experience will be. You’ll communicate with your host family through WeChat which even has a translate function if conversations get complex.
Top tips for living in harmony:
- Try to set up regular time to spend with the family in the evenings – especially if there are kids!
- Ask advice on the best places to shop, hike, climb or play football – the family with be eager to show of their city and can show you around
- Be patient and flexible -remember how much the family are adapting to make you part of their daily routines
Going Out
Clubbing and your usual night-life madness might not be so compatible with your new family life here in China. Have a think about what you are committing to and decide what is most important to you. Host families can be extremely caring in China and they do tend to get anxious if their house guests stay out late at night.
Remember, it’s a short period of your life and you might only have this one opportunity to do something so unusual!
Gifts
Gifts from your hometown go down a treat! Any local to your community at home. Chocolates, biscuits, stickers, tea towels, scarves, pictures etc. Just a little something to show your appreciation.
In China, people always give and receive gifts. It is also quite common for gifts to be put aside to opened later in private. So don’t be surprised if the gift disappears unopened.
Added tip – try to give your gift with both hands!
Cultural Differences
You have to discover these for yourself. That is part of the homestay journey! However, I would particularly recommend checking out Mamahuhu’s YouTube channel. They’ll give you a fun insight on which to reflect, then build your own perceptions.
Enjoy your homestay! It will be an experience like none other.
Over the Chinese New Year period, our interns enjoyed an authentic homestay experience. Calum and Alejandra both left the city to experience a traditional Chinese New Year with their respective homestay families.
Calum’s Homestay CNY Experience in Dali
First off, I must thank my host-family for bringing me along with them for their New Year’s trip to Dali, their generosity regularly astounds me! I struggle to imagine ways they could give me a better experience here in China. Dali sits on the banks of the Erhai Lake, surrounded by mountains. Just a short flight of a little over an hour brought us out of Chengdu, and under the blue skies and sun of Yunnan Province.
Our hotel had a very homely feel, with relatively bare corridors leading to beautifully furnished rooms. The owners were an amiable family of husband, wife, and daughter. Much of the furnishing had been done by the husband, himself a keen carpenter. Each piece of the garden and the house had its own individuality. While there was no clear theme to any of it, somehow, they all came together perfectly to make us feel at home. Meals were all homemade, and I must be honest, I think Yunnan edges out Sichuan for cuisineâŠ
The relatively small size of the business meant that often the hotel owners could accompany us on outings, guiding us through the local countryside. Experiencing Dali’s Old Town was something special. Buildings were an eclectic mix of efficient concrete structure designed to keep cool in the summer. Beautiful traditional Chinese architecture, all gilded with generous amounts of neon. This gave it an almost Vegas-like feel at times, while just two dozen metres back from the main road sat simple farming buildings. Industrious locals all trying to find something unique with which to set themselves apart and earn their living was a pleasure to see. There are some absolute gems hidden away in those streets for those willing to seek them out!
The whole trip was just the right length to shake up my Chengdu routine. Every day discovering a little more of the fountain of different cultures that is China. Perhaps in the future, I will be able to bring my family to see the area and meet the hotel family. Although I could go on for hours about how excellently they treat all their guests, I can tell without a doubt that the pleasure is all theirs!
Alejandra’s Countryside Homestay Experience
Chinese New Year with my host family was quite an experience. It started with a visit to Leshan, my host mumâs hometown. I visited a cousin whom I had met previously and who is kind of a genius with Chinese medicine (yes, I have had quite a few sessions of hot cupping and acupuncture). I went orange picking in Leshan and had an amazing lunch after. Everything is so fresh in the countryside! After lunch, I learnt how to fly cards. First time lucky I managed to fly a card just right and slice through an Aloe Vera plant. The cousin was denting tea cans with every card he flew- I need a lot more practice!
After Leshan, we head off to Guangâan, about 4 hours away from Chengdu, where my host familyâs father is from. As a foreigner, you become the townâs talk in a very good way. People want to come say hi and meet you. I spent my evening playing cards, running around racing with the children and playing badminton. Once you are that far away from the city air is so fresh youâre going to want to be out walking all the time.
However, the next day the Winter Olympics were on and we were all a little tired so we decided to spend the day just chilling, except the host grand parents- they never never stop! They are farmers and their cooking is incredible, with everything they cooked grown and picked from their garden. They are so strong, healthy and always very hospitable and smiley. I offered to help but they said guests were not allowed to help. I managed to quickly pick up the plates once or twice after dinner when they werenât looking (I call that an achievement!)
CNY Eve!
New Yearâs Eve was also spent at home. I thought weâd go out to town and look at lanterns and fireworks but in the countryside, the New Yearâs Eve is spent at home with all the family gathered. No disappointment there at all. We had a great time at dinner then… Fireworks concert just before midnight until 6 am. Everyone in the neighbourhood takes turns and fires amazing rounds of fireworks.
After and during the fireworks, we all went upstairs and watched the New Yearâs gala on the TV. I understood half of the comedy sketches, but it was good fun watching everyone laugh. There also some dancing, singing and acrobatic performances that were all YUP! ASIAN LEVEL! INSANELY PRECISE. We then called it a night for an early wake-up call.
Chinese New Year!
I had no idea what it would be like but the amount of people that Guangâan had made it look more like a big city than a town. Turns out it is good luck to spend the entire New Yearâs day outside your home. I spent the whole day with my host father playing cards and just having a good laugh and banter with his old school friends. I became one of the lads for the day. The town looked like a mix between a childrenâs fair and a tea house full of Mahjong and card adult players. Then towards night time it was Baijiu and dinner time. Letâs just say I had a really good nightâs sleep after such a long day.
Finally, the trip to the countryside made me realise how different traditions are but also how immensely hospitable Chinese people are. The family welcomed me with open arms and were always asking twice if I was okay. Even when you insist you are alright, they always want to make sure you are more than alright and this just shows how giving and kind their character is.
Want to experience a traditional Chinese New Year yourself? Apply Now!
Engineering Internship and Homestay Experience
My name is Ingo, I am a student from Germany majoring in Business Administration & Engineering. Since mid-February I have been working as an intern at a British company in Qingdao. The company provides solutions for environmental protection using their purge and pressurization units to prevent dust, corrosives and other non-hazardous gases from contaminating electrical equipment installed in enclosures close to process applications. My task is to elaborate new functions in the enterprise resource planning system, elaborate and installing a shop-floor information system and support the factory supervisor. I am well integrated in the team and I am glad to have the chance to do an internship in Qingdao and in this company.
For the duration of my stay in China I am living at a homestay family. It is a small Chinese family with a little child. The home of the family is in Shuan Shan area near a big mall and well connected to public transport. The latter is very important for me due to my daily commute to work. I get breakfast and dinner at the family. The breakfast is most of the time a Chinese kind of porridge, boiled eggs and fried bread. For dinner, I am mostly at the parents of my guest mother. There I get all varieties of Chinese food â her father is an excellent cook. Occasionally, my homestay family invites me to meet their friends or to go on a trip. Also, my guest family speaks very good English â to the detriment that my Chinese knowledge is still stagnating on a low level.
Qingdao is regarded as a holiday paradise. The city is located directly by the sea and has several beaches. Near the city, the Lao Shan Mountain is located, from whichâ depending on weather â a wide view over the whole region is possible.
I do not regret my decision to do an internship in China and I am looking forward to my four remaining months in Qingdao!
By Sven von Hollen (CDBS63 Marketing & IT Internship + Homestay)
Es ist schwer eine genaue Vorstellung von China zu haben, ohne vorher dort gewesen zu sein. Bei einer so vielfĂ€ltigen Lebensweise ist es fĂŒr mich selbst nach 6 Monaten in diesem Land noch schwer, passende Worte zu finden. Trotzdem werde ich mein Bestes geben, dir einen kleinen Einblick zu geben.
Ich kann meinen China-Aufenthalt nur als mein bisher gröĂtes Abenteuer beschreiben, neben neuen Erinnerungen habe ich vor allem starke VerĂ€nderungen durchlebt, sowohl beruflich als auch persönlich. NatĂŒrlich bringt das Leben in einer 16 Millionen Einwohner Metropole auch seine negativen Seiten mit sich. Gerade im Winter kann der Smog erdrĂŒckend sein und auch die vielen Menschen und Autos sind fĂŒr mich als Dorfkind stark gewöhnungsbedĂŒrftig gewesen. Mal abgesehen davon, dass ich kaum scharfes Essen ertrage, in einer Region, die fĂŒr seine Chilis bekannt ist. Aber damit hören die negativen Punkte auch schon auf. Die Faszination China kann beginnen.
Sobald man die GroĂstadt verlassen hat, ist die Natur hier herrlich. Vor allem Richtung Tibet und der Provinz Yunnan gibt es eine Vielzahl an wundervollen Orten. Ich kann besonders Lugu See und Jiu Zhai Gou empfehlen. Nach der Anreise gibt es dort Ausblicke, die man nicht mehr vergessen möchte. Kleiner Tipp am Rande: Vermeidet die Urlaubszeiten in China, die Menge an Menschen zu den StoĂzeiten ist erdrĂŒckend und verdirbt einen GroĂteil der Tour.
Der Lugu See im SĂŒden Sichuan’s
Einer der eindrucksvollsten Orte Chinas – Jiuzhaigou NationalparkEs ist jedoch nicht die Natur, die China fĂŒr mich so einzigartig gemacht hat. Es sind die Menschen und die Geschichten, die hinter diesen stecken. Beginnend mit meiner ersten Entscheidung, eine Hostfamilie statt eines normalen Apartments zu wĂ€hlen. Denn wer wirklich an dem Land interessiert ist, sollte sich mit lokalen Personen umgeben. Teil einer neuen Familie zu sein ist etwas ganz Besonderes. Man lernt traditionelle Hausmannskost kennen, nimmt am Leben der chinesische Familien teil, unternimmt spannende AusflĂŒge oder entspannt zusammen auf dem Sofa. Ich hatte das GlĂŒck das chinesische Neujahr mit meiner Hostfamilie zu verbringen. Chengdu zu verlassen und bei den Eltern in einer kleinen Stadt zu leben. Um ein besseres Bild zu vermitteln, stell dir vor, du feierst eine Woche lang Weihnachten und Neujahr zusammen, ein Fest der Freude und Familie. Neben viel Feuerwerk, KTV und SpaziergĂ€ngen durch die Stadt ist es vor allem das Zusammenkommen der gesamten Familie, was das Fest so besonders macht. Man zollt den Vorfahren Respekt, geht zusammen in den Tempel, spielt Mahjong und genieĂt die zahlreichen Mahlzeiten.
Sven und sein GastbruderEs ist aber nicht nur die Familie, mit der ich besondere Momente teilen durfte. Es gibt unzĂ€hlige andere Erlebnisse mit neu gefundenen Freunden. Ob Stadttour, SehenswĂŒrdigkeiten aufsuchen, lokale Geburtstage feiern, KTV, Events, Clubabende, ein gemĂŒtlicher Abend in einer der zahlreichen Bars oder sogar eine lokale Hochzeit, von traditionellen Einblicken bis hin zu langen NĂ€chten wie man sie im Westen kennt, war alles dabei. Es gibt eigentlich immer etwas zu unternehmen wenn man Lust hat. Die hĂ€ufigen internationalen Events waren fĂŒr mich die wichtigsten Orte, um neue Freunde in allen möglichen Bereichen zu finden. Auf Kulturfestivals eher in entspannter Umgebung, auf dem Startup Weekend Chengdu bei perfekter Mischung aus SpaĂ und ProduktivitĂ€t im Businessbereich. Die neu gewonnenen Freunde haben mir einen sehr persönlichen Einblick in Ihre Kultur verschafft.
Und das ist auch der beste Tipp, den ich geben kann. Traue dich, neue Menschen kennenzulernen, ein einfaches âJaâ zu aufkommenden Gelegenheiten (vor allem wenn man sich nicht sicher ist, ob es gut wird) hat mir meine besten Erlebnisse beschert. Dieses kleine Wort kann dir das Tor zu einer völlig neuen Welt eröffnen. Treff neue Leute, unternehme etwas mit ihnen, nutze jede Gelegenheit auf neue Erfahrungen und verstecke dich nicht immer zwischen anderen AuslĂ€ndern.
My September homestay family lives in an apartment complex in northern Shinan District. Â They are kind, hospitable and very friendly, a couple and their ten-year-old sonâI am really enjoying my time with them. Living in the building is like living in a beehiveâso many apartmentsâfittingly; the ten-year-old is a fan of honey. We eat breakfasts and most dinners together, which I really like, as they are lovely people, and I also hope my Chinese will get better as a result.
InternChina – My host family
Our towering building is built against the base of a mountain, part of Fu Shan Forest Park. In the midst of the complex, there is a garden with a shivering river, pink lotuses floating on its surface. At nightfall, many adults and children come out to the garden. They laugh, chat, play, dance, run around and listen to music, and with handheld coloured lights, they trail luminous patterns and characters on the dark. The windows of buildings glow like jewels, and the moon hangs low, as large as painted in ancient Chinese artworks; full, round, golden, celestial.
There are many reasons why I decided to come to China for three months shortly after graduating university, reasons both professional and language-related. But perhaps none of those reasons would exist, and perhaps nor would my Chinese language skills, if not for stories I loved at a much younger age. So, for my first entry, I will begin with these stories.
When I was a child, one of my favourite books was named Dragonkeeper, which told of a slave girl who lived in ancient Chinaâs Han Dynasty. Complaining all the while, she selflessly rescued an old green dragon from captivity and death in the mountains. Beset by dangers, she and the dragon travelled together on a long, difficult quest. Their twin journeys: his to find the ocean, a safe place for his child to hatch; and hers to find her own name and her own identity.
Every morning from my bedroom window in Qingdao, I look outside and see the craggy peaks rising high above, revealing twisting trails which seem to appear and vanish, intricately carved sculptures of fish and lions, jagged rocks, birds that wheel and hover, and trees that whisper and sway.
InternChina – Climbing FushanWhen I look upon the light and dark greens and blues and browns of these high peaks, all blending together like the hues of a half-remembered dream, I think of Dragonkeeperâthe mountain range before me just as I always imagined in the story. I wonder if the girl and her dragon friend may have made their way, clambering and climbing, tired and footsore, among these mountains. If they came to Qingdao, perhaps they soon found the sea. (But first, Iâm sure they took the time for a rest stop at Gaoshan, âHigh Mountainââ for what a perfect place for a dragon, after having curled up and rested, to take flight!)
On the mountain hike I took with my host family in Fu Shan Forest Park, I could just as easily imagine Sun Wukong, the mischievous Monkey King of the Chinese classic Journey to the West, leaping from peak to peak, treetop to treetop, soaring atop his cloud, spinning his gleaming magic staff, his grinning face coloured brown and gold.
InternChina – Fushan mountainWhen I was five years old, I read with relish a set of Stories of the Monkey King, coincidentally; the same tales most Chinese people come into contact with at a similar age. They told of the noble Buddhist monk Xuanzang who goes in search of sacred Buddhist sutras, and of his disciples; the food-loving pig-man Zhu Bajie, the stoic soldier Sha Wujing, and the Taoist trickster god, the Monkey King.
The Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin, and the Jade Emperor, sentence the Monkey King to act as bodyguard for the three other travellers, as penance for his past crime in Heavenâhe had ruined the heavenly garden of the Peaches of Immortality belonging to the Queen Mother of the West. He is sworn to protect and defend the other travellers against a host of malevolent supernatural beings led by the White Bone Demon, who are determined to kill and eat the holy monk, and destroy the sacred scrolls. The stories were exciting, hair-raising, dramatic, emotional and funnyâperfect for children. Tales of bravery, tragedy, redemption, which were all about fighting battles against hordes of demons using magic, weapons, wits and Buddha-esque compassionâwhat could be better?
Dragonkeeper and Stories of the Monkey King were my first experience with Chinese cultureâI adored these stories, and I never forgot them.
Without them, I might not be here today.
It makes me very happy to have come to Qingdao, where I can imagine the stories taking place.
Sophie Comber
First Impressions of Zhuhai
My name is AlizĂ©e and I am currently doing an internship in Zhuhai through InternChina. At the end of my Bachelorâs degree, my need to explore new horizons automatically brought me to China. It was the most logical choice, being the farthest country and, by all standards, the most different. But after only a week, I already felt right at home. Here are a few of the first things I discovered about Zhuhai.
InternChina – View from BanZhangShan Mountain
1. Guangdong is the land of the Cantonese
Zhuhai situated in Guangdong, and being so close to Hong Kong and Macau, has quite the Cantonese influence. Along with the language (both Mandarin and Cantonese), comes delicious Cantonese food! It is the most populated province in China, Guangdong’s capital is Guangzhou. Itâs hard for me to believe, coming from France where we are 66 million people in total, but Guangzhou hosts over 50 million habitants, in one city only. In comparison, 10 million people live in Paris. These proportions are hard to grasp.
2. Beware of the Karaoke!
Here, itâs called KTV (short for Karaoke TV, as you might have guessed). Basically, you gather all your friends into a private room and sing loudly together. In China, KTV is a cultural institution, suitable for all generations and social backgrounds. The name for us westerners can be quite off putting. Since it is not being broadcasted, why is it called TV ? It originated when new piracy laws from the GATTâs Uruguay round shut down itâs predecessor in 1988, MTV (MovieTV, Netflixâs ancestor). The company, not put off in the least, then simply switched itâs market to a less regulated sector; the music industry, and changed the first M to a K, with little regards for it’s meaning.
My first experience with this strange practice was during my companyâs party, reuniting over 30 people from different branches, in a large pandemonium of beer and music. It was quite fascinating to watch my colleagues, usually so assiduous and solemn, turn into such party animals. The classic studious and hardworking stigma that is usually observed, was largely proven wrong during those few hours of letting loose. Unfortunately, knowing no Chinese music, I relied on a good olâ Beatles song, and got away with it. My second experience was in the home of my host family daughterâs friend. In a smaller setting, it was indeed quite a different mood, and I got to pay greater attention to the meaning of the songs. In order to be prepared, I could advise everyone to learn one famous Chinese song; itâll make them laugh, and make you practice your pronunciation!
 3. Menu Tasting & Furniture Shopping
 My company is on the verge of opening its new vegetarian restaurant. So for lunch, Juan (another Indonesian intern) and I taste tested the new menu. My personal favourite is the tangyuan, which is the Chinese version of the Japanese mochi, a glutinous rice cake filled with various pastes or nuts. Part of the Japanese Washoku, listed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, itâs Chinese equivalent is just as delicious.
InternChina – The dishes AlizĂ©e tested at for the company’s new vegetarian restaurantThe following day, we went to buy furniture for the new restaurant. On the outskirts of the city lays a vast warehouse-like furniture store, specialized in traditional goods, which is actually composed of multiple little shops. From old locks, to carved doors, to tea tables and stone water fountains, it was quite a delight to the eye.
InternChina – The furniture hangar (left) & Wesley, AlizĂ©e’s manager, testing out a new desk4. A Peak at the Local Life
 For anyone wishing to truly experience the local life, I canât insist enough on how great a homestay can be. I was extremely fortunate to intrude into the life of the Kong family. They have welcomed me into their daily routine and have been continuously generous and attentive. They have already promised to come visit me in my hometown, and I really hope they do! Having come to China to experience being a fish out of water, I quickly realized that all human beings are the same, no matter how far apart they seem to be. Sure, the food is different (itâs delicious!) and the languageâs structure is arduous to grasp, but in the end, itâs a small world, after all.
5. Oh, one more thing:
 Most public place doors here arenât outward opening as they are in the west. So donât look foolish (like I did for a week): open doors as you would in your house, inward.
If you looking to immerse yourself in Chinese culture whilst getting yourself valuable internship experience, apply here now!
My first days in Qingdao
I am from Germany and finished school last year. Now, I am between secondary school and looking forward to going to university next year. As part of my Gap Year I chose to go to Qingdao for five months to learn Mandarin.
I landed in Qingdao after 16 hours of flight and stopover. At ten in the morning I arrived in a freezing cold Qingdao. Having not slept the whole flight because I wanted to watch all the movies I was quite tired upon my arrival. But all my fatigue quickly fell away when I saw that my host family had sent their driver in a Jaguar to pick me up and excitement set in! An hour later we got to the house I was placed in, where I have my own room with a balcony. The house is in a beautiful neighbourhood and within a two-minute walk from the beach.
InternChina- Panorama of the street I live onI met my DiDi (little brother) later that afternoon when he came back from school and the parents in the evening when they came back from work. The family made me feel most welcome and I managed to settle in quickly. Not knowing what to expect of the food in Qingdao I was relieved when the Ayi (housekeeper) â who helps me where she is able to â served some egg-fried rice alongside a good olâ steak with some beans. The Ayi cooks heaps of food, does my laundry, cleans my room and tries to support me wherever possible, as does the rest of the family.
The food here is dangerously spicy for people who cannot eat spicy food and understandably consists of a lot of rice and dumplings but I personally like hot food and the Chinese cuisine so I was happy. However, my stomach was not and took a few days to get used to the food. The only thing I do not enjoy quite so much is the ZaoFan (breakfast). But this problem was resolved swiftly after I told the Ayi that I would be happy to eat toast. Now, the only remnant of Western cuisine in my diet is toast with Nutella in the morning along some scrambled eggs. At this point I got to warn any prospective interns that it is not easy to come by foreign groceries here. I have yet to find Nutella and for now I make do with some surrogate chocolate cream. Also all imported food is more expensive than it would be in the country of origin.
InternChina- Chinese FoodOn Monday I had to drive to school for the first time which was a piece of cake given that the public transport is really efficient. But it can be very confusing because all maps are in HanZi and most people only speak Chinglish so I would advise you to get a good description of the buses you can take and at which stop you have to get out. Furthermore, Google Maps does not work in China unless you use a VPN, so getting around the city can be a challenge. Nonetheless, I arrived at school safe after an exciting bus ride â the traffic is wild and the bus drivers are mad. My school is great, I am a single student and my teacher is very able and we get along just fine. After school I usually go to lunch with my colleagues who are great fun which makes work so much more bearable. The work atmosphere is relaxed and my tasks do not bore me, so I am perfectly happy with my placement.
InternChina- View from the officeThe weekends are really exciting, as we always have a group activity â last week for example we went hiking in the mountains and this weekend we will go paintballing â after which we go out in the city. Also on Thursdays all interns get together and have dinner at a different restaurant every week.
InternChina- Skyline in the nightHaving had little prior Mandarin skills I think I can say that even the mere two weeks I have been here so far have made a huge impact on my knowledge of HanYu, so I am looking forward to the next 16 weeks, during which I am hoping to travel around China with the other interns. For Chinese New Year we are probably travelling to NanJing, the ancient capital of China.
If you also want to experience the real China and live in a hostfamily during your internship, apply now!
Goodbye China
No way, Iâve been in Qingdao for three months already⊠Time flies as we say. Three months completely disconnected from western countries, entirely immerged in the Chinese culture. Now after three months I will leave China with my head full of memories and amazing experiences!
Since the day I arrived, I was looking forward to go to Laoshan, the famous mountain near Qingdao. Sadly, in January, February and March, the weather was still too cold to consider climbing that mountain, and I was feeling desperate to never be able to climb that mountain. And finally, as the end of my stay drew closer and I resigned to not climbing it, I took part in a Laoshan trip organized by InternChina. After an early wake up at 5 am to get to the bus – Laoshan here we are! Even though the weather wasnât that sunny, I think it was the perfect week end to go to Laoshan (and not because it was my last week end in Qingdao). The temperature was warm enough to take off our sweaters to climb the stairs!
  
 
We went through unofficial trails, in the wild part of the mountain. Thankfully we had a Chinese guide who seemed to know exactly where we were and where we went, he was amazing! And once he even took me by the hand and helped me to climb the stairs (not that I couldnât have done it myself but it was far easier this way). Mid-April is cherry blossom time! A lot of flowers everywhere which gave me the feeling that spring was finally here. After a lot of stairs, I can say that I managed to reach the top of the mountain (or at least the top of the peak our guide led us to), and I am so glad that I was able to do it!
  
When I wrote my first blog, I still couldnât believe I was in China, and now I canât believe I am about to leave it. Three months, itâs short, but I used all the time I had to discover most of the places that have to be seen in Qingdao and to meet a lot of incredible people. I am so grateful towards all those people who made my stay in Qingdao unforgettable. Thank you especially to the InternChina team in Qingdao, for giving me this great opportunity. And of course, many thanks to my host family who has been so nice with me!
Read more blogs here!
How is it to live with a family who is Chinese and actually not your family? I tell you, it’s great! Here is my experience:
My Chinese family consisted of my hostma and her husband, their 5 year old daughter and the mother of the hostdad. They were really welcoming from the start and even if I can’t speak a lot of Chinese we always understood each other.
As my host family was quite young they were great fun. We went out for midnight snacks with my other colleagues, they even came to the opening of a club one time, invited me to go to KTV with their friends and so on.
I also got introduced to the whole family, the parents of my hostma and celebrated the moon cake festival with them. They also chose a Chinese name for me, giving me their last name. Really sweet!
And the FOOD! I had so much good food during my homestay and got fed so well that I am still surprised that I didn’t end up 20 kilos heavier.
I still miss to come home after work and smell the food and hear the granny telling me “CHI FAN!” (engl.: eat!).
Besides the cultural experience, it’s great to feel so welcoming and it’s an easy way to learn Mandarin just by teaching each other.
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Hi Everyone! This is Maddy! I arrived in Zhuhai about one week ago and I am going to stay six months, to do my internship at the Zhuhai office of Internchina. Some of my main tasks will be to take care of the social media presence of Internchina, as this is quite connected to my studies in Public Relations. Besides that I am going to assist my office team in their daily tasks.
So why didn’t I choose to do my internship in Germany? Why China?
Basically I fell in love with Asia at some point of my life (maybe 4years ago) and as I only explored Southeast-Asia so far, I wanted to get a new experience. As China is one of the world leading economies and is still growing so fast I think an internship in China will provide me with a good insight of the Chinese culture and hopefully also about how business is done in China. Besides that i think that working within an international team will strengthen my skills: work related and personally.
What did I experience so far? Actually, I first entered Hongkong and stayed there for 2,5 days before I set over to the mainland of China. It is really easy: You just have to take a ferry from HK China Ferry Terminal to Zhuhai Jiuzhou, which takes about 1hour and costs 220HKDollars. You can even check in your luggage at the ferry terminal (up to 20kg free).
When I arrived here Henry and Kevin picked me up and took me to my host family. One thing I immediately noticed was how calm and pretty Zhuhai is. There are so many trees, there is not a lot of traffic, most of what I have seen till now is very well maintained, etc.
So I am going to stay at my hostfamily for two months and well, what should I say? They are so sweet! My hostma already took me to a Taichi class, she even invited co-interns for her birthday dinner and introduced us to her whole family. And even her mother-in-law who can’t speak English always shows me things or helps me out (for example with the washing machine, no clue what those signs mean đ ). It’s a great experience and I hope to improve my Mandarin and maybe to even learn how to cook some Chinese dishes.
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