Leaving Chengdu!
Since the first day I arrived in Chengdu I have loved every moment. From my first ride on an ofo to my last. From sweating through my first hotpot to a little brow mop at my last. Chengdu has shown me a completely new way of life, laid back, relaxed, slow paced. When you think of China you think of the crazy hustle and bustle of giant cities. But it doesnāt have to be like that. Chengdu despite being the biggest city Iāve ever been to is also the most relaxed.
My initial fears of relentless spice and unbearable huajiao, have ended in me wondering if Iāll ever find a comparable flavour back home. The range of delicious food that can be found here in Chengdu will be one of the things I miss the most.
Alongside getting to know this fantastic city I have also made some fantastic friends! The InternChina family welcomed me with open arms. The office environment is nothing but great fun on a daily basis with great team spirit. As well, all the interns Iāve met in my 3 months have been fantastic in both helping me get to know the city and sharing great stories and experiences together.
My internship has allowed me to pass on the great experience I had previously on my internship in 2015 with the interns Iāve met here in Chengdu. Organising great activities and some extracurricular events have helped me form truly great friendships.
The skills Iāve learnt during my internship are so varied and extensive there is no doubt that I will be able to use them later on in life. From the daily tasks Iāve completed to meetings and marketing, Iāve gained a wide range of transferable skills.
InternChina has given me a platform from which I can only excel. This has truly been an unforgettable experience that Iām sure I will tell stories about for the rest of my life!
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Five and a half months ago, I made my way to the office for the first time – ridiculously early – and sat down at my desk in the IC Chengdu office. I was really quite nervous as this was the first time I have worked in an office environment, but my colleagues were all very friendly and helpful. I admit I felt quite overwhelmed in my first week, there were so many new faces, so many tasks and programmes to familiarise myself with. There was also my jetlag to deal with and the fact that I didnāt like spicy food (and almost everything in Chengdu is at least a little spicy).
Nevertheless, day after day, I grew more comfortable in my role and in what I had to do. I began exploring the city with the other interns as well and saw and experienced numerous interesting sites in and around Chengdu. The most memorable places were of course the Giant Panda Base and Emei Mountain (see my account on that here).
The food has also been quite a journey for me. As I said, I could not eat any spicy food when I first arrived. Now, five months later, I am enjoying my dishes drowned in red chilli sauce and sprinkled with Sichuan peppercorns. I never knew it was possible to train your taste-buds!
I have met amazing people during my short time here, have made friends for life and I admit, despite the fog, I’ve fallen in love with this ever-changing city. I will miss my colleagues, I will miss the food, I think I will even miss the smog!
But it doesn’t end here! Though my internship is over, my time with IC is not – I’m staying on board to take on the role as Qingdao branch office manager! I am extremely excited to have been given this opportunity and I can’t wait to start my new adventures in Qingdao starting from April.
It has been fun, challenging, and most of all rewarding to intern with IC and I look forward to coming back, meeting new people, visiting new places and trying new foods. It is an adventure I would recommend to anyone and I hope to be able to welcome many more students and graduates to China, and make sure they have an amazing time in this magical country!
Kick start your career with an internhsip in Qingdao, Zhuhai or Chengdu and join in the adventure! Apply Now!