– By Charlie Smith and Adelle Offerman
Arrival in Qingdao
We knew we were coming to China four our internship in the middle of winter… And we knew to bring our warmest of clothes… But there’s not much you can do to prepare a group of Australians for the sub-zero temperatures when they step off a plane in Qingdao!
The Qingdao winter breeze was living up to its name, our fingers were beyond numb, and it wasn’t long before we invested in some gloves.
Despite the temperatures, it was a very warm welcome in the city we would call home for the next five weeks.
We were so lucky to have a lot of help from our friends at InternChina. Without any Chinese language skills, we would have been pretty lost – we wouldn’t have known what to eat, how to order or even how to get around!
They passed on a lot of essential local knowledge – like to look for a red light when hailing a taxi, and the fact you can’t really trust the green man when crossing the road. Some other things we learnt the hard way like most public toilets don’t have toilet paper – safe to say, we now always BYO!
The Internship at REDSTAR
We feel we got really lucky with our internship placement at REDSTAR – a Qingdao-based magazine for expats and visitors to the area. We get to see some of the best spots in the city to write reviews and create content for the magazine. So far, we have had the chance to write articles for the upcoming issue learning about Chinese culture and in particular the upcoming Spring Festival.
Our supervisor has not just been there to oversee our writing, but has also been an incredible tour guide to some of the best local lunch spots, including fried dumplings, Chinese savoury pancakes, and lamb soup. We are so grateful to have had him!
REDSTAR – Reading the Qingdao based magazine !Traditional Hot Pot experience !
One thing we weren’t so sure about was the traditional Hot Pot, which we agreed to try for work. Luckily, we weren’t told what the “delicacies” were until after we had tried it… pig’s esophagus, goose intestines and cow penis were just a few. It was a memorable experience to say the least and we would it is a must try when in Qingdao… We are told you can have less scary delicacies when at the hot pot, which we are looking forward to trying at our next InternChina Thursday dinner (a great way to meet up with other interns and the InternChina team every week).
Traditionnal Hot Pot Experience !Conclusion of this experience…
Our work has been busy but has been so diverse that it hasn’t felt like work, and our weekends have been even better with the InternChina sightseeing trips.
So far we have snapped the views, walked the pier and enjoyed the coffee street in the Old City, and hiked the incredibly beautiful Fushan Mountain in the heart of the city.
Qingdao is a city that is growing so quickly, and our first two weeks have gone by so quickly too! We looking forward to telling you about the rest of our internship and adventure in Qingdao!
So you’re getting ready for your internship in China, and checking everything off on your to-do list. Aside from all the usual important stuff you need for going abroad- your passport, visa, medicine, clothes… you need to think about what vaccines you might need for China.
This is something you need to consider before starting your adventure in China, and while vaccines aren’t necessary, you definitely need to speak to your doctor to see what they recommend.
It is recommended that you speak to your General Practitioner at least 6 to 8 weeks before your scheduled flight to discuss any health risks or vaccinations.
It is not necessary to be vaccinated before your arrival in China, however there are some recommended vaccinations for your stay in China: Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus-Diphtheria and Measles if you do not already have them.
Ask Yourself
- What’s the risk of me contracting a vaccine- preventable disease?
- How long am I going for?
- What will I be doing?
- Can I be protected without a vaccine?
What Countries Say
For more information about vaccines, please check the CDC’s website, or read some information here about travelling safely and healthily in China.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to China soon!
Hi there!
My name is Till Fornoff and I just started a week ago as a Marketing and Business Development Intern at Intern China’s new branch in Western China’s bustling metropolis of Chengdu.
In 2010, after I’ve already worked and travelled for two years in Australia, I felt the urge to see something totally different and went on a three month trip through China and instantly fell in love with the country, the culture and the people. On this trip I already covered a big chunk of the megacities and cultural highlights of the east coast as well as the beautiful landscapes and colorful minority regions of China’s southwest.
Back in Germany I started to study Chinese Studies / East Asian Studies at the Free University of Berlin, so I made sure that I will go back to China sooner or later – in my case sooner… After my first year in Berlin, I realized that it makes more sense to learn Chinese in a place where you can actually use the language in daily life rather than just in a classroom. So last year August I made my way to Guangzhou to start a language course at the Sun Yat-Sen University (中山大学 – ZhongShan DaXue) and finished in January.
Since it is a fact that if you want to make it in China, you need to have connections (关系 – GuanXi) to and in the Chinese business world, my plan always involved to do an internship and get first hand experiences in the Chinese business culture. That’s why I’m more than happy that I have the chance to work in a young and fast-growing company like Intern China and help other students to have the same opportunity to get to know more about this exciting and diverse country.
Even though I’m only in Chengdu for a week now, I already feel that it was a good decision to have a change from the fast paced east coast and ‘go west’, since the overall more relaxed and laid back lifestyle here is very appealing.
I’m looking forward to welcome our first interns in Chengdu and explore with them together what the city has to offer!
Be one of the first interns in Chengdu and explore the city together with Till! Apply now via email or through our website!
