Partez-vous bientôt au Vietnam ? Nous avons regroupé quelques réponses aux questions que vous pourriez vous poser !
Argent
- La monnaie vietnamienne est le dong vietnamien (VND). Pour vérifier les taux de change, nous vous recommandons d’utiliser le site xe.com.
- Vérifiez avec votre banque avant de partir si vous avez des frais de retrait ou paiement.
- Il est facile d’échanger des euros au Vietnam. Nous vous conseillons donc d’emporter des Euros avec vous. Vous pouvez aussi partir avec un peu de monnaie locale pour votre arrivée.
Logement
- Vous pouvez arriver 4 jours avant le début de votre stage – le jeudi – et partir de l’appartement 2 jours après la fin de votre stage – le dimanche.
Avion
- Vous pouvez réserver vos billets d’avion dès que vous avez trouvé un stage et signé notre formulaire de réservation.
- L’aéroport international de Tan Son Nhat est le seul aéroport de Hô Chi Minh – vous devrez donc arriver ici.
- InternVietnam recommande d’utiliser notre partenaire officiel STA Travel pour réserver vos billets. Ce sont les leaders mondiaux dans l’organisation des vols pour le Vietnam pour les étudiants. Obtenez votre devis gratuit pour les vols internationaux requis directement ici.
Passport
- Vous devez être munis d’un passport valable au minimum 6 mois après votre arrivée au Vietnam.
- Votre passport doit contenir au minimum 2 pages blanches.
- Il doit être en parfait état, ni taché ni déchiré.
- Pensez à nous envoyer une copie de votre passport au plus vite. Pour que nous préparions les documents nécessaires à l’obtention de votre visa.
Visa
- Nous vous donnerons tous les documents nécessaires à l’obtention de votre visa. Il vous faudra les emmener avec vous et remplir un formulaire.
- Nous prenons en charge les frais liés à l’obtention du visa.
- Vous obtiendrez votre visa à votre arrivée à l’aéroport. Il vous faudra être muni des documents fournis par notre équipe, le formulaire à remplir au préalable, deux photos d’identité , et de votre passport.
- Notre équipe vous donnera plus d’informations 4 à 6 semaines avant votre arrivée.
- Si le processus de demande de visa évolue nous vous tiendrons au courant.
Assurance
- L’assurance santé et voyage est prise en charge par InternVietnam pour vous sur la durée de votre séjour.
- Vous recevrez les documents sur l’assurance avant votre arrivée. N’hésitez pas à les réclamer si besoin.
Vaccins et médicaments
- Aucun vaccin n’est obligatoire pour le Vietnam. Nous vous conseillons cependant de vérifier cela avec votre médecin avant de partir. Vous pouvez aussi vous rendre à l’hopital et prendre un rendez-vous avec le centre des vaccinations pour être sûr.
- Vous pouvez trouver du paracétamol partout au Vietnam. Si vous avez des médicaments plus spécifiques, nous vous conseillons de partir avec un stock pour la durée de votre séjour.
- En cas d’allergie ou de diabète, nous vous conseillons d’emporter 2 crayons à insuline ou EpiPen.
Valise
- Copies de votre passport et documents nécessaires à l’obtention du visa dans votre bagage à main
- Ordinateur
- Adaptateurs pour les prises
- Médicaments avec les ordonnances
- Déodorant, désinfectant pour les mains et autres produits de toilettes
- Pour les filles : des tampons qui sont difficiles à trouver à Ho Chi Minh
- Pour les personnes de grande taille : emportez vos chaussures et vêtements. Vous risquez de ne pas trouver de chaussures ou vêtements à votre taille
- Vêtements simples et formels pour votre stage
- Un costume/tailleur/tenue classe pour un rendez-vous important ou une soirée importante
- Vêtements de pluie et chaussures imperméables en cas de pluies intenses
- Répulsif à insecte et crème solaire
- Tongs ou claquette pour l’intérieur de votre logement
- Vestes et pulls légers . En effet l’air conditionné peut être trop froid dans certains endroits
- Masque anti pollution pour vos trajets en taxis
- Serviettes de toilette
Téléphone et applications
- Pensez à débloquer votre smartphone avant de venir. Sinon la carte sim que nous vous fournirons risque de ne pas fonctionner.
- WhatsApp et Facebook seront les applications utilisées par notre équipe pour vous contacter durant votre séjour et stage.
- Grab est l’application pour commander un taxi.
- Vietnammm est une application pour commander à manger en ligne.
- Xe Currency pour pouvoir convertir la monnaie.
- Google translator ou un autre système de traduction.
Plus d’infos
- Dans l’avion avant d’arriver il vous faudra renseigner votre adresse de résidence à Ho Chi Minh. Vous pouvez utiliser l’adresse de notre bureau.
94 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. - N’oubliez pas de remplir vos documents pour l’obtention du visa avant de prendre l’avion. Ainsi en cas de questions nous serons donc en mesure de vous aider, sinon il sera trop tard.
Vous connaissez tous notre slogan, mais qu’est-ce que cela signifie réellement et implique pour vous? Dîners hebdomadaires, activités et support 24h / 24 et 7j / 7 font partie de la réponse!
Je suis stagiaire chez InternChina depuis bientôt 2 mois, donc je vais clarifier les choses pour vous !
Vous aurez l’occasion de découvrir la Chine et son environnement des affaires pendant votre programme ici. Mais vous pourrez aussi expérimenter de nombreuses choses propres à Zhuhai. Notre équipe InternChina organise chaque semaine des dîners et des activités pour votre bien-être et votre divertissement! En outre, cela nous permet de mieux vous connaître et de connaître vos préférences. Cela nous permettra de rendre votre séjour dans ce nouveau pays aussi confortable que possible. Ce sera aussi pour vous une opportunité de rencontrer des gens adorables venus du monde entier! Si vous souhaitez voyager, nous avons beaucoup de destinations incroyables proches de Zhuhai que nous pouvons vous aider à visiter.
Organiser des dîners, des activités et des voyages pour nos participants fait partie de mon travail en tant que stagiaire pour InternChina à Zhuhai.
Lisez ce blog et vous saurez ce que vous pourrez attendre de notre équipe, ce que vous pourrez faire et explorer dans la ville. À la fin, vous vous sentirez comme un local de Zhuhai!
Bien sûr, si vous avez des suggestions d’activités ou de voyages autour de Zhuhai, faites-en part à quelqu’un de notre équipe! Nous ferons de notre mieux pour répondre à vos souhaits!
Chaque semaine, nous organisons l’un de nos fameux “dîners du jeudi”.
C’est un événement social, pour partager un repas de groupe, découvrir la cuisine asiatique et parler de notre semaine! Nous comprenons que vous êtes étudiants, alors ne vous inquiétez pas, nous essayons de rendre ces dîners abordables! Nous nous en tenons généralement à un budget de 50RMB par personne, voir parfois encore moins.
Comment organisons-nous ces dîners? Habituellement, nous créons un post sur notre compte officiel Zhuhai InternChina WeChat, ou nous publions un post dans notre chat de groupe IC Zhuhai.
Nous vous donnerons plus de détails sur le restaurant, la cuisine, la nourriture, l’heure et l’emplacement du dîner. Si vous êtes intéressés pour venir, alors rejoignez simplement le groupe de dîner en scannant le code QR fourni! Cela nous aide à savoir combien de personnes sont attendus, ce qui facilite les réservations au restaurant ! Pendant l’été, il arrive que plus de 30 personnes rejoignent le dîner !
En somme, tout ce que vous avez à faire est de scanner le code QR et de nous rejoindre! Ça ne pourrait pas être plus facile!
Après une semaine de travail intense pendant votre stage, nous savons que vous aurez tout à fait envie de profiter d’activités et de voyages amusants pendant le week-end. Avec toutes les possibilités qu’offre la ville, vous ne vous ennuierez jamais à Zhuhai. IC organise également beaucoup d’activités et de voyages autour de Zhuhai, car nous savons que l’exploration de la Chine et de sa culture est un must.
Nous essayons d’organiser une nouvelle activité tous les week-ends. Comme pour les dîners, nous essayons de nous assurer que ces activités soient toutes abordables afin que vous puissiez y participer autant que vous le pouvez.
Qu’est-ce que Zhuhai a à offrir? Il y a beaucoup d’activités touristiques amusantes, telles que la route des amoureux, la statue de la Fischer Girl, la plage de Jida, l’aquarium Chimelong, l’opéra, le marché souterrain de Gongbei et les nombreux temples. Nous voulons également vous permettre de voir la beauté naturelle de Zhuhai! Les activités de plein air telles que l’exploration des îles de Zhuhai, la randonnée, les cascade, le tir à l’arc, le paint-ball sont toujours des activités populaires, surtout pendant l’été.
Il est important que vous apprivoisiez la culture chinoise pendant votre stage. C’est pourquoi nous organisons donc des activités culturelles telles que de la calligraphie, des cours de cuisine chinoise, des cérémonies de thé, ou même des leçons de Tai Chi!
Selon les saisons, vous pourrez également assister au festival Cixi en août ou à des cérémonies d’ouverture!
Vous ne vous ennuierez jamais avec les nombreuses activités disponibles pour explorer la ville, vous amuser et réseauter!
Nous essayons également d’organiser des week-ends à la découverte d’autres villes chinoises.
Récemment, nous avons organisé un voyage d’un week-end à Tangkou, village classé parmi les sites du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO! Par le passé, nous avons également organisé des voyages à Pékin, Hezhou, Shanghai et Yangshuo … les possibilités sont infinies!
Pour tout voyage de week-end que nous organisons, nous vous fournirons un calendrier détaillé afin que vous puissiez profiter au maximum de votre temps dans chaque ville! Nous vous indiquerons également le coût de chaque voyage, comprenant le transport, l’hébergement et les activités pour la fin de semaine. Le coût sera plus élevé que pour une activité simple, mais l’exploration et la découverte d’autres lieux en Chine en vaut largement le coût.
Notre équipe IC vous offre leur support 24h/24, 7 j/7. Nous sommes présents à chaque étape de votre séjour en Chine, avant, pendant et après!
Dès votre arrivée, nous viendrons vous chercher à l’aéroport ou au port et nous vous conduirons à votre logement (appartement ou famille d’accueil). Nous vous fournirons également une orientation pour vous aider à comprendre la culture chinoise et vous donner quelques conseils sur la vie à Zhuhai.
Votre kit de bienvenue vous attendra! Il comprend une carte SIM, une carte de voyage, une carte de la ville, une carte d’adresse et quelques goodies InternChina! Tout ce dont vous avez besoin pour vos débuts en Chine.
Chaque fois que vous aurez besoin de nous, n’hésitez pas à nous le faire savoir, nous serons heureux de vous aider!
Notre équipe sur place est également toujours là pour vous soutenir! Nous aurons toujours beaucoup de conseils et d’informations à partager avec vous. De plus, si vous vous sentez malade, nous vous accompagnerons à l’hôpital! Si vous avez d’autres problèmes, nous sommes là pour vous aider si nous le pouvons!
Quand vous débarquez à Zhuhai, et que vous ne savez pas où aller ou quoi explorer, nous sommes là pour vous proposer des lieux où aller! Voici une liste de nos lieux préférés! Vous pourrez ainsi impressionner vos collègues, les inviter et étaler vos connaissances sur Zhuhai !
- HuoGongDian 殿 工 殿 – Tentez la nourriture du Hunan du nord de la Chine! Le Hong Shao Rou (红烧肉) est censé être le plat préféré du président Mao. Cet endroit est un must pour les grands dîners, la nourriture est excellente. Adresse: 珠海 市 香洲 区 石 花 西路 62 号 (近 白莲 洞 公园) ou descendez du bus à 伙 工 殿 大厦 (huo gong dian da sha).
- The London Lounge – Bar très populaire parmi les expatriés. Leurs employés chinois et occidentaux sont toujours prêts à faire une blague. De plus, les sessions Open-Mic le 2e jeudi du mois valent le détour! Lieu: Côte Est, Jida
- FBB Fresh Burger Bar – Un bar et restaurant allemand situé à Jida. Ici vous pouvez obtenir de nombreux plats et boissons occidentaux (surtout allemands)! Il y a une large gamme de bières allemandes disponibles! Descendez du bus à 水湾头” “Shuǐ wān tóu” ou dites-le au chauffeur de taxi!
- GongBei Underground Market – Pour tous les accros du shopping, il y a un marché souterrain à Gongbei où vous pouvez obtenir tous vos vêtements de créateurs de marque à des prix étrangement bon marché. On y trouve aussi des enseignes occidentales (H & M, Vera Moda, Only , etc.) dans les centres commerciaux.
J’espère que ces détails et ces photos vous ont convaincu qu’InternChina propose bien plus qu’un simple stage! Vous ne vous sentirez jamais seul, et cette expérience restera inoubliable!
Le moyen le plus simple de nous rejoindre est de postuler dès maintenant!
By Rosa Spence
On the 28th March, myself and four other representatives from the NGO I am interning with, CDNGO06, organised and accompanied farmers from Yunqiao village on an overnight visit to Mao Xian. A district 5 hours north-west of Chengdu and only 40km away from Wuchuan (the place where the earthquake hit in 2008!).
The aim of this visit was to introduce the local farmers from Yunqiao to local Sichuanese Pepper farmers in Mao Xian. These farmers have previously worked closely with WWF to increase sustainable farming of Sichuan pepper. As a result of this collaboration, their Sichuan pepper crops have become organically certified. The farming community has become a co-operative, having received support from Sichuan Rural Credit Union – an initiative established by the People’s Bank of China to provide credit to rural areas in China.
This, in turn, has led to better access to national and global markets. The NGO hopes that the farmers from Yunqiao will be able to learn and adapt some of the techniques, used by Mao Xian farmers, and apply them to their Luo Bo crops (the main crop of Yunqiao) with the aim of increasing quality and production rates.
We left the sleeping city of Chengdu at six o’clock in the morning and traveled in a minibus to Yunqiao village. Two hours north of the City, to pick up the farmers who were coming with us. As we drove for another three hours from Yunqiao to Mao Xian, I was not prepared for the scenery that I was about to witness.
The concrete jungle of Chengdu disappeared and the skyline was replaced with towering mountains, so tall that the peaks were dusted in snow. The cloudiness of Chengdu’s city sphere also dissipated and we basked in bright sunshine and crystal clear blue sky. I think it’s the first time that I have seen cloudless skies and unobstructed sun since I arrived!
Arrival at Mao Xian
On arrival at Mao Xian, the farmers and NGO Staff were taken on a tour and shown how the pepper was produced. The first station was the warehouse, where the pepper granules were stored; next, we were taken to the building where the raw pepper granules were ground down into refined powder and packaged to be sold in the national market. They weren’t kidding when they said it had a kick to it, I tasted a single granule and my tongue went numb for the next 20 minutes!
This farming co-operative has won numerous awards for their work, all of which were displayed proudly on the wall in the meeting room. The meeting between the two communities lasted for over 2 hours, with the NGO workers and the farmers from Yunqiao taking notes about how the Mao Xian farmers’ model worked. My role as the NGO’s photographer was to document the event. The host farming community were really accommodating, with tea being provided throughout and the meeting came to a close in good spirits and a formal photograph was taken.
After the formalities were completed, there was a chance to explore Mao Xian. We were taken to see some beautiful blossom trees, their delicate petals floating in the warm breeze. I got told that these trees and most of the surrounding area had been rebuilt after the area was flattened by the 2008 earthquake. The experience was also very culturally enriching, as the next day we were given the opportunity to observe a Qiang ceremony –an ethnic minority group, with a population of approximately 200,000, located in North Western Sichuan Province.
The ceremony was enchanting, consisting of singing, chanting, dancing, drumming and role play. We were then given a guided tour around an ethnographic museum, where we were told about Qiang history and also got to observe people going about their daily routines – these people still live very traditional lifestyles, making their own clothes and tools. We were fortunate enough to witness two Qiang men forging an iron blade, using two hammers and an anvil, the precision of the technique was mesmerising – clearly, a skill which has been refined over generations!
It has been a fantastic experience, I feel very fortunate to be so included in the work that the NGO is doing for local communities, they are truly committed to helping to create change at a local scale.
Inspired by Rosa’s Experience? Apply Now!
Life would be so much easier if everyone liked to eat everything or could eat everything. I know my life would, but, like many people, there are some things that I don’t like and others I can’t eat because I am allergic. There are so many dietary requirements in one’s life that you have to be careful, especially when you are not cooking yourself. When you go to a restaurant and order something, it is hard to know what ingredients they use exactly.
Vietnamese food is full of fresh ingredients and spices. If you are planning on going to Vietnam and you have specific dietary restrictions, this blog may help you get through.
It is ok! You don’t really have to eat EVERYTHING there is. There are several reasons why someone doesn’t eat a specific type of food. It could be allergic reactions, religious reasons or simply because you don’t like it.
Allergies
I hate it when I start eating something and all of the sudden my entire body starts itching because of something I ate (a lot of times I don’t even know what exactly). Others react very differently from me. Sometimes you could have a serious reaction to it, so you have to be careful.
Vegetarian / Vegan
Many of us have chosen to live a certain lifestyle and we all have to respect it. Vegetarian restaurants are really common in Vietnam, as there is a large Buddhist population. It means that being a vegetarian is not a big deal!
It is important to know the Vietnamese word for vegetarian (chay) and that would get you through. You can make any Vietnamese dish into a vegetarian dish like phở chay, bánh xèo chay, hủ tiếu chay, cà ri chay, and so on. Or say “Tôi ăn chay”, which means “I’m vegetarian” or, if you are a vegan, “Tôi là người ăn chay trường”.
Religion
In some religions, certain animals are sacred like the cow in Hinduism. In other cases, for example in Islam is forbidden to eat pork.
But also in Judaism you can find dietary restrictions. Jews are only allowed to eat Kosher.
Or if you simply don’t like a certain time of food you just simply say “I don’t eat (type of food)” in Vietnamese “Tôi không (…)”. For example,
There are many other dietary requirements and restrictions. Don’t be afraid to try new things. You never know if you like something if you haven’t tried it!
Come and apply for an internship with InternVietnam. Apply now!
Today I am going to do a Vietnamese Crash Course for those who are learning or want to learn Vietnamese.
As redundant as it may sound, Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam. But for a very long time Vietnam didn’t really have its own language. For so long it was object of constant foreign intervention. Therefore, Vietnamese has borrowings from Chinese, French and also English. Vietnamese is a difficult language, especially because it differs between regions.
Like other Southeast Asian languages, Vietnamese has a comparatively large number of vowels.
Some consonant sounds are written with only one letter like “p”, other consonant sounds are written with a digraph like “ph”, and others are written with more than one letter or digraph. Vietnamese has no use for the letters F, J, W and Z. Also, not all dialects of Vietnamese have the same consonant in a given word (although all dialects use the same spelling in the written language).
So in Vietnamese, every syllable is a separate word, this is why Vietnam is sometimes written as Viet Nam!
Tones
Vietnamese is a tonal language, with 6 tones in total, which means that one syllable can have at least 6 different meanings. Be careful with the tones! You’ll probably end up calling someone’s mother a horse or a grave at some point. Tones differ in length, melody, pitch height and phonation. The tone is indicated by diacritics written above or below the vowel.
Grammar
Similarly to languages in Southeast Asia, there is no real number and gender for nouns in Vietnamese and verb tenses generally don’t exist.
Useful Phrases
Basic
- xin chào = Hello
- Khỏe không? = How are you?
- Khoẻ, cảm ơn = Fine, thank you!
- Tôi tên là… = My name is…
- Làm ơn = Please
- Cảm ơn = Thank you
- Không sao đâu = You are welcome
- Vâng = Yes
- Không = No
- Xin lỗi = I’m sorry
- Tạm biệt = Goodbye
Lost in Translation
- Biết nói tiếng Anh không? = Do you speak English?
- Tôi không biết nói tiếng Việt [giỏi lắm] = I can’t speak Vietnamese [well]
- Có ai đây biết nói tiếng Anh không? = Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Tôi không hiểu = I don’t understand
Emergency
- Công an!/Cảnh sát! = Police!
- Việc này khẩn cấp = It’s an emergency
- Tôi bị lạc = I’m lost
- Tôi bị ốm = I’m sick
- Tôi cần một bác sĩ = I need a doctor
- Nhà vệ sinh/wc ở đâu? = Where’s the toilet?
- Cứu (tôi) với! = Help!
Transportation
- Một vé đến … là bao nhiêu? = How much is a ticket to …?
- Xin cho tôi một vé đến … = One ticket to …, please.
- Tàu/xe này đi đâu? = Where does this train/bus go?
- Tàu/xe đi đến …ở đâu? = Where is the train/bus to …?
- Tàu/xe này có ngừng tại…không? = Does this train/bus stop in…?
- Tàu/xe đi…chạy lúc nào? = When does the train/bus for…leave?
- Khi nào tàu/xe này xẽ đến…? = When will this train/bus arrive in…?
- Tắc xi! = Taxi!
- Làm ơn đưa/chở tôi đến… = Take me to…, please.
- Mất bao nhiêu tiền để đến…? = How much does it cost to get to…?
Money
- Có nhận thẻ tín dụng không? = Do you accept credit cards?
- Tôi có thể đi đổi tiền ở đâu? = Where can I get money changed?
- Máy rút tiền (ATM) ở đâu? = Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
Food
- Cho tôi một bàn cho một/hai người = A table for one person/two people, please.
- Cho tôi xem menu? = Can I look at the menu, please?
- Tôi ăn chay. = I’m a vegetarian.
- Tôi không ăn thịt heo (South) / lợn (North) = I don’t eat pork.
- Tôi không ăn thịt bò. = I don’t eat beef.
- Tôi chỉ ăn thức ăn kosher thôi. = I eat only kosher food.
- Cho tôi xin một chaicà phê / nước trà / nước / rượu vang / bia? = May I have a bottle of coffee / tea / water / wine / beer ?
- Cho tôi xin một ly (South) / cố (North) …? = May I have a glass of …?
- Cho tôi xin một ly (South) / cố (North) …? = May I have a cup of …?
Shopping
- Có size của tôi không? = Do you have this in my size?
- Bao nhiêu (tiền)? = How much (money) is this?
- Đắt quá. = That’s too expensive.
Tips
Seems like these tips might have been said many times before, but they are so true and useful!
- First of all, look for language classes. Either in a one-on-one class or in a group class, you can learn about the differences in tones and the Vietnamese grammar. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you don’t understand.
- Also, practice makes perfect! For some people, learning a new language might come easier than for others, but no one can be fluent without practicing. You can look for a language partner. Go out and make friends!
- Last, but not least, don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Locals will appreciate that you are making an effort on learning their language and you can also learn from your mistakes.
Learn more and apply now!
You may have some superstitions or taboos yourself, such as not walking under a ladder, not crossing paths on the stairs or stepping on a triple drain! However, these differ country-to-country, culture-to-culture. Check out some taboos in Vietnam below.
Some Vietnamese Taboos
In Vietnam, it is considered bad luck to travel on certain days of the lunar month. These days are the 5th, 14th, and 23rd of the lunar month. Many Vietnamese will not travel on these days!
It is considered taboo to have the headboard of your bed face the road. This is due to the head of coffins facing the road during funeral ceremonies (usually held in homes.)
Another interesting taboo is for individuals to marry within a year of the passing of their mother or father. It is the case that many will change the arranged marriage date to outside a year of the date of the relative passing.
It is also important in Vietnamese culture to not face anyone with the soles of your feet. Whilst this may seem a fairly simple one to avoid watch out when you’re sat on a couch with your feet up!
Whilst these taboos may seem strange and unusual our taboo’s in the west probably seem peculiar to those in Vietnam. Throwing yourself into another culture is all about experiencing new things. The culture, the food, the history. Vietnam is a great place to submerge yourself in a different culture and learn about these new, obscure taboos!
Inspired by experiencing Vietnamese culture for yourself? Apply Now!
Here we are! You have secured a great internship with InternVietnam and you are now impatiently waiting to go. But of course you might be anxious about some things, and one of them is- what should I pack for my Vietnam trip?
Hopefully this blog will answer your questions and you will have nothing to worry anymore as you can prepare your check list to ensure you don’t forget anything!
Recommended items
- Laptop or tablet : It is essential that you bring your laptop, as you will need this for your internship!
- Power adapter: Vietnamese plug sockets fit two plug types: 220V flat 2 or 3 pin plug, which is the same across much of Asia.
In Vietnam, the following plugs are used :- Pharmaceutical products: Sun cream, insect repellent (Although malaria is rare and seldom found in most areas of Vietnam, Dengue fever can pose quite a problem), Tiger Balm or Cortisone Cream (if you do happen to get bitten by mosquitoes, tiger balm or cortisone cream can prevent the bites from getting infected.) Vitamins and preferred medicines. If you have prescription medicines, then be sure to bring a copy of the prescription with you.
- Clothes: Work attire is mainly casual wear due to the warm climate. However, it is necessary to bring at least a shirt, trousers and tie for more formal events in your internship. Clothes are relatively cheap in Vietnam so it is not necessary to bring clothes to last your entire stay, if you want to buy some while you are there!
- Swimwear: This is different in Vietnam than in the West (men wear tight swimwear and women are well covered up) so you may wish to bring your own. For those with a large shoe size, it is advisable to bring shoes for the duration as it may not be as simple to find your size as back home.
Specific Advice
- Bring a light-weight, waterproof jacket. During the monsoon season, it is wise to bring a light jacket to protect you from the rain that can come and go in a flash.
- If you would like to have access to pagodas and temples, modest below-the-knee clothing is a must. Chose below-the-knee Skirts or trousers. Despite the heat, local men and women dress quite conservatively, and you should be expected to do the same by covering your shoulders and legs, especially when visiting sacred places and government buildings.
- Flip Flops. Alongside practical footwear, bring along a pair of flip-flops – or even better, purchase some once you’re there. Not only will these be easy to take off when visiting temples, certain bars and restaurants, but they will also allow your feet to breathe in the hot and humid weather.
Monsoon in Vietnam
We hope this blog has been useful for your pre-arrival packing mission!
Want to discover more about Ho Chi Minh City for yourself? Then apply now!
As can be expected when travelling to the other side of the world, many things will be different. From eating and drinking, to socialising and relationships, expect a lot of cultural differences!
Eating!
In the West, if you make much noise when eating it may be considered rude and bad manners. However, in Vietnam the more noise the better! When eating a particularly delicious bowl of noodles, locals can be heard slurping.
Celebrations!
Whilst your birthday may be considered the most important celebration in the West, in Vietnam it is peoples death day when celebrations take place. During this time they will worship ancestors, prepare a big meal and get all the family and relatives together.
Greetings!
In the West we have no particular routine of introduction, aside from maybe a formal handshake or an embrace with a close friend. In Vietnam however, shaking hands is less common, especially with the opposite sex. When introducing yourself, it is important to greet the elders first before then the younger individuals.
Cutlery!
As I’m sure you are aware knives and forks become a rare sight once you enter the Eastern world. You can expect to eat all your meals with a spoon and chopsticks! This may take some getting used to at the start but after a few meals no doubt you will be a pro!
Affection!
In Vietnam, you will rarely see husband and wife, or boyfriend and girlfriend showing affection in public. This is considered inappropriate and should be kept to private areas. Very different to the West where you can see a whole variety of PDA!
Want to experience Vietnamese culture for yourself? Apply Now!
Chengdu Diaries
My name is Zachary Black and I am from York in the North of England. Although I pride myself on being Yorkshire born and bred, I have been very fortunate to travel a lot. Having frequently visited South-East Asia as a child, it is safe to say that I have always had an affinity with this part of the world.
My passion for Asian culture led me to my study of Mandarin at Newcastle University along with Spanish, Catalan and Business. As part of my BA at Newcastle, our year abroad was spent at a partner university in China in order to improve our language skills. This proved to be a life-changing 12 months for myself and has in fact led me to being here at InternChina today. Living in Shanghai ignited my passion for the way of life in China and was the driving force behind me studying mandarin for a further year after completing my BA.
After returning home in the summer of 2017, I found myself itching to get back to the middle kingdom and was fortunate enough to secure this fantastic opportunity with InternChina which is only just beginning. Although Chengdu is completely different to Shanghai, there have been a few elements that have pleasantly surprised me – Not just the Pandas !. For example, there is an unparalleled emphasis on the slow-paced rhythm of life here with people just seemingly going with the flow and taking a more ‘laid-back’ approach to life. This is definitely a welcomed release from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, and even the UK sometimes.
My First Impressions
I have been overwhelmed by how friendly people have been here which has helped me settle in my short time here. One further aspect of life here so far which I am enjoying is the food, Chengdu has definitely justified being selected as a global gastronomic site by UNESCO. The juxtaposition of 火锅-‘hotpot’ and 串儿 – ‘anything possible on a stick’ is complimented wonderfully by an array of western restaurants for that occasional change of cusine .
My time in Chengdu has already pushed me out of my comfort zone, yet I am more than committed to welcoming the InternChina participants here to China. I feel lucky to be experiencing life in a fantastic part of the world whilst further improving my mandarin. I can’t wait to see what the next few months hold, so all that is left to say is “加油”－Let’s go !
Interested in Changing your life ? – Apply now !
What is KTV?
KTV/卡拉OK (KalaOK) is a staple of Chinese nightlife. Your Chinese friends and work colleagues may invite you out to what is basically a nightclub to Karaoke. You’ll pay for a room usually for at least a few hours and then you get to sing, drink and dance the night away!
My first KTV
I first went to KTV almost 4 years ago. I had just arrived in Nanjing and was still getting used to the culture shock of living in China, when before I knew what was happening a bunch of us were heading out to a KTV. The experience was intense, it started off with our two Chinese friends each singing a Chinese pop ballad extremely well, which would make most people feel nervous.
Luckily for me this was also my first time trying 白酒 (baijiu) – Chinese rice wine, which took the edge off! Soon we were all mumbling along to the pop songs we knew most of the words to and by the end we were singing full belt to Queen. We left at 5 am, after close to 6 hours of singing. It was one of my fondest memories of my first time in China and since then has become one of my favourite pastimes.
Some people’s Marmite
Love it or hate it KTV, can certainly make or break friendships. Often the first-time can be nerve-racking, and whether you need some liquid courage or just the support of friends, it’s important that everyone feels relaxed and not judged, as at the end of the day 90% of people don’t have golden pipes! You’ll probably discover who is accepting of other people’s music taste and who presses the skip button when they don’t like something. Most importantly you’re not auditioning for The Voice, so the emphasis is on fun!
What to expect
There is a plethora of choice when it comes to KTV. Sometimes it will be a palatial structure full of mirrors and disco lights, or sometimes it is just a simple affair with a cosier feel. Based on how much you are willing to pay you can book a small room or a huge auditorium with a balcony. You pay for the room, so the more of you there are, the cheaper it will be!
They may provide you with drinks and even food for free. There may be instruments such as tambourines and maracas in the room and even a bar and toilet. KTVs will have Western songs, however the choice may vary from just famous pop songs all the way through to a vast collection of classics!
KTVs in Zhuhai
Usually it is helpful to get a Chinese friend to help you book a KTV in advance, so that you don’t get there and find it is fully booked!
Below is a list of some of the best KTVs to visit in Zhuhai:
- GTWO 量贩KTV
九州大道西富华里9栋二楼GTWO KT
- 音乐匣子（Yinyuexiazi）- Music Box
海滨南路7号
- 星歌会量贩式KTV
石榴岗路3号凯荣都国际大酒店3-4楼(近地铁赤岗站)
- Ktime量版式KTV
珠海市香洲区拱北迎滨南路摩尔广场二楼
Whether you give a heart rending rendition of your favourite ballad or scream into a microphone as you attempt to make up for your lack of pitch, either way it’s going to be a laugh!