Hello everyone, I’m Pia the new Intern of the Zhuhai Office. In my last blog I introduced myself and now I’ll try to introduce China to you.Well the fact, that I’ve been to China before made it easier for me to imagine how life in China could be. BUT China is a total different world from what you are used to in Europe.
When I arrived at Hong Kong Airport I walked into a wall of high air humidity and intense heat. One starts to sweat as soon as you step out of an air conditioned room.  So for us Germans and other Northern Europeans we try to wear as little as possible!  Everywhere is air conditioned which is great – however because of the constant change in temperature it makes it much easier to catch a cold here in China. So I recommend you to drink a lot of water, then it´s going to be fine.

When catching a bus to the office and while shopping after work you are completed immersed in the Chinese way of life- you‘re living with Chinese people and trying to act like they do in order to not attract attention. But as a Western girl with blond hair this isn’t always possible!

Some of the Chinese people stare at you as if you’re an alien from another planet. The best thing you can do is just ignore it –  it’s something you’ll soon get used to!
Saying that, Chinese people are usually really friendly and are interested in where you come from and what you are doing in China. As a result, they try talking to you even if their English is not the best. Don’t hesitate to talk with them if you think your English isn’t perfect – they are very nice people who just want to offer their help or to create a new friendship and they are happy to communicate with you.

In Zhuhai there are big clean streets with lots of nice shops and restaurants and there are also smaller side streets. Don’t follow the prejudices and keep away from these small streets. This is where you can often find the best food. Zhuhai is a very safe city, so don’t be afraid of these streets. However here you can also see the small children running around with the back opened trousers, so if they need to pee they just stop where they are and pee on the street!  I’ve even seen a child peeing inside of a ferry. So one hint I can give is don’t eat from the floor! 😉

One thing I really enjoy here in China is the 24/7 element of everyday life. At any time of day regardless of where you are you can find open restaurants and shops. And the food here in China is so delicious.  I’ll miss it so much when I have to go home to Germany again!
That’s China for me!

Would you like to explore Zhuhai as well? Then apply for an internship now.