Moving to another country is always going to be different. I suppose that’s exactly what we all sign up for when we decide to pack our bags and relocate. Moving to another country that doesn’t recognise English as a first language however, can be more difficult of a transition than it may seem.
So far my time in China has proved to be poles apart from what I initially imagined it would be. When I arrived in Hong Kong airport after a lengthy journey that began in Belfast, I was pleased to see all of the signs in the airport were in both Chinese and English. However, when arriving by ferry to Zhuhai, the dynamics changed completely, and finding any form of communication in English was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Luckily, I had Janice, a member of the Intern China team with me to help me get to the apartment, and the view from our balcony is awesome; at night you can see Macau in the distance.
InternChina – Balcony view from IC apartmentThe Intern China team were great in helping me get me settled in, and introducing me to my host company.Outside of work, there are many aspects of life in China that are different from the Western world.
Everyone stares
Whether it’s the constantly 2 year-old child staring at you while on the bus, or the shopkeeper in the corner shop who glares at you when you’re trying, and failing, to read the Chinese writing on a carton of milk.
Squat toilets exist
They are on the ground, and it’s basically a hole in the floor. You have to squat if you want to use the toilet. I’m not really sure whether to hold the walls or the floor to keep balanced; but once I find a good strategy, I’ll let you know!
InternChina – Squat ToiletThe food is different
Noodles and rice everywhere. Literally, everywhere. Rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And rice cakes for snacks. It’s everywhere! There are nice markets close-by though where you can buy potatoes and veg. I tend to buy quite a lot of potatoes (Can you tell I’m Irish yet)?
Social media is blocked
You’re probably wondering how I’m using social media if it is blocked in China, right? Well, there are apps and programs called VPNs. They are networks that you can download to be able to access banned sites. They come in really handy, but can be a little temperamental at times.
Traffic is INSANE
Cyclists, everywhere. Buses, everywhere. Zhuhai is a very busy city, and getting to work in the morning can take quite a while! But it is a fast-paced city with so much going on; if you blink, you might miss something!
InternChina – Traffic on the way from workSo far my time in China has been very eye-opening, and adjusting to life in a non-English speaking country has been one of the more difficult aspects. However, the important reason for being here is to learn about a new culture and embrace everything, because we live in a world with so many unique individuals and diverse cultures.
Being in China also gives you the opportunity to do things you wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to do, like using chopsticks, and learning (or in my case, trying yet failing miserably) to learn a new language. All of the cultural differences are staggering, but it is such a worthwhile experience, and going solo is one of the best ways to discover, because you are forced to do everything yourself.
One of the main benefits of being here is the support network that I have available to me. InternChina have been fantastic throughout the whole process of applying for the program, travelling to Zhuhai, and integrating me in to the new role and environment.
The Intern China team also arrange weekly activities, such as football games on a Tuesday night, Chinese language classes on a Wednesday, Thursday night dinners and larger weekend activities. Last week I met the rest of the interns in Zhuhai, and was able to go to the ATP Challenger Tour Final at the Hengqin International Tennis Centre at the weekend, which is a fantastic venue. There is also a great network of people over here, and it makes life in China a little bit easier.
InternChina – Mairéad at the ATP Challenger Tour FinalWant to start you own adventure in China? Apply here
Hello, everyone! My name is Yang Jianning, Aaron is my English name. I’m very happy to be starting my internship with INTERNCHINA. It’s a very good chance to make friends and improve myself. My colleagues have taught me a lot of things, and they are very enthusiastic. The office manager, Paul Yeandle is a funny guy who brings us a lot of joy, but also works very seriously.
InternChina – AaronI’m a postgraduate student from Sichuan University, in which I have studied for five years. I’m energetic, outgoing and easy going guy with a lot of hobbies, such as listening to music and playing basketball. While at University I often ate Chengdu cuisine, which is known for its spicy flavours. It is said that spicy food can prevent arthritis, so this maybe why spicy food is so popular in Sichuan. During my time at Sichuan University, I learnt a lot from my teachers and classmates, who I must thank sincerely.
InternChina – Danba (source)I was born in 1992 to a happy family and as an only child I was the apple of my parents eye. They taught me perseverance, how to be conscientious and push to constantly improve myself.
When at home, in DanBa, I often do farm work with my parents. I like to feel the sunshine on my skin and work up a sweat. With my parents, I’m always happy, no matter what I do. In summer, I go climbing with my father to find wild mushrooms known as Matsutake mushrooms which are quite famous in China and are known to reduce the possibility of abnormal formations in children. In autumn in Danba, the scenery is beautiful, and there are lots of local festivals, it’s a very special time.
InternChina – Danba in Autumn (source)I would love to invite my colleagues and friends to my home one day to experience a different life.
Herzlich Willkommen zu meinem Blog über die do’s und don’ts des Networkings in China!
Diese Tipps sind nur für Praktikanten und Geschäftsleute gedacht, die für eine Firma in China „networken“ wollen und richtet sich nicht an Menschen, die versuchen eine Anstellung zu finden.
Zu allererst muss man einmal den Begriff des sog. „Networkings“ verstehen. Das Wort kommt aus dem Englischen und bedeutet soviel wie sich selbst mit anderen vernetzen, um dabei ein Gewebe an Beziehungen aufzubauen, die eines Tages einmal von gegenseitigem (oder auch einseitigem) Nutzen sind.
Networking in China und Networking in Europa sind eigentlich sehr ähnlich, doch der Teufel liegt bekanntlich im Detail. Deshalb gibt es nicht nur einen, sondern ganze zwei Blogs von mir zu diesem Thema.
Der erste Teil behandelt die kulturelle Seite des Networkings. In Teil 2 folgen die wichtigsten Tipps, um das Beste aus einem Networking Event herauszuholen.
Guanxi
Guanxi (关系) ist ein Wort, welches man vielleicht schon einmal hier und da aufgeschnappt hat, aber von dem man nie die wahre Bedeutung richtig verstanden hat. Es ist ein wenig mit „eine Hand wäscht die andere“ vergleichbar, aber weniger negativ belastet und man bekommt bzw. gibt selten sofort etwas für seine Hilfe zurück. Manchmal ist es auch nur eine Einbahnstraße und der Eine bekommt nichts zurück, während der Andere ständig am helfen ist. Des Weiteren ist guanxi im Gegensatz zur westlichen Welt einfach ständig und überall in ganz China zu finden. Ohne Kontakte ist es um ein Vielfaches schwerer in China zurechtzukommen, und damit meine ich nicht einfach ein wenig mehr auf eigene Faust recherchieren, sondern man muss sich wirklich durchbeißen und eine Menge Geduld aufbringen.
Bei uns machen Kontakte das Leben einfacher, in China macht es das Leben wiederum um ein Vielfaches schwerer, wenn man keine Kontakte hat.
Die Bedeutung von guanxi geht in China auch wesentlich tiefer und ist um Längen essenzieller als „eine Hand wäscht die andere“ bei uns.
InternChina – Netzwerk an Kontakten (Quelle)Mianzi
Mianzi (面子) ist der Begriff, der „Gesicht-geben“ sowie alles was damit zu tun hat mitbeschreibt. Das wichtigste Ziel eines jeden Chinesens ist es nicht das „Gesicht zu verlieren“. Das Zweitwichtigste Ziel ist „Gesicht zu bekommen“.
Wenn ihr also gerade am networken seid und euer Gegenüber euch zum Abendessen einlädt, ihr aber keine Zeit und noch weniger Lust dazu habt, dann solltet ihr auf gar keinen Fall ganz direkt „nein“ sagen, denn das führt dazu, dass er sein Gesicht vor euch verliert. Besser ist es eine Floskel à la „Das wäre toll. Ich schaue in meinem Terminkalender nach und sage dir dann Bescheid“ anzuwenden. Euer Gesprächspartner weiß dann schon Bescheid, ohne von euch bloßgestellt zu werden.
InternChina – Mianzi (Quelle)Chinesische Visitenkartenetikette
Visitenkarten sind etwas sehr Spezielles in China. Jeder, egal wie unwichtig die Person innerhalb der Firma ist, hat seine eigene. Man zeigt damit mianzi und gibt mianzi. Deshalb gibt es auch bestimmte Regeln während der Visitenkartenübergabe:
- Gebt und nehmt Visitenkarten immer mit zwei Händen entgegen, die Daumen sind dabei in den jeweiligen Ecken der Karte
- Das Geschriebene zeigt dabei zu dem, der die Karte erhalten soll
- Sobald ihr eine Karte erhalten habt, lest sie kurz durch oder tut zumindest so und zeigt Interesse. Ihr wollt ja schließlich auch, dass der Andere weiß, was auf eurer eigenen steht.
- Steckt die Karte nicht gleich in eure Tasche oder euer Portemonnaie und erst recht nicht in eure Hosentasche (ihr sitzt dann auf seinem „Gesicht“). Legt sie vor euch auf den Tisch, wenn ihr gerade sitzt, damit zeigt ihr wieder Respekt. Geht das nicht, tut’s auch eure Anzug- bzw. Kostümtasche. Geht das auch nicht, dann eure Hemd- bzw. Blusentasche. Geht das ebenfalls nicht, geht es eben nicht und ihr verursacht, dass euer Gegenüber sein Gesicht vor euch verliert.
- Bonustipp: Es ist wirklich von Vorteil euren chinesischen Namen auf der Visitenkarte zu haben. Habt ihr keinen, dann denkt euch einen aus. Es gibt nichts unangenehmeres als zu sehen, wie ein Chinese versucht euren ausländischen Namen auszusprechen und dabei sein Gesicht verliert. Mein vietnamesischer Name ist Thị Hồng Nhung Trần, also weder annähernd englisch, noch chinesisch. Und während es bei uns weniger schlimm ist, wenn jemand meinen Namen nicht richtig aussprechen kann und ich es bereits gewohnt bin und für mich selbst daher auch nicht weiter schlimm ist, ist es doch sehr peinlich für den Chinesen. Dieser denkt dann, dass er bei euch einen Gesichtsverlust verursacht, was wiederum einen Gesichtsverlust für ihn bedeutet, was er ja tunlichst vermeiden will. Es ist kompliziert. Schreibt einfach euren chinesischen Namen drauf.
InternChina – VisitenkarteNamen
Mein chinesischer Name ist Chen Niuniu (陈妞妞). Mein Nachname Trần wird ähnlich ausgesprochen und Niuniu klingt ein bisschen wie Nhung und ist außerdem süß. Die meisten suchen entweder nach Zeichen, die ähnlich klingen, etwas ähnliches bedeuten oder Zeichen, die einfach etwas bedeuten, was einem gefällt. Ihr müsst euch auch nicht wegen des Namens zu sehr verkrampfen. Ich habe meinen 3 Mal geändert.
Eigenen Namen ausdenken
Wenn ihr euch nun euren eigenen Namen ausdenkt, müsst ihr folgendes beachten:
- Der Nachname kommt dabei vor den Vornamen
- Er sollte entweder aus 2 oder 3 Silben bestehen. Dazu nehmt z.B. die Anfangssilben eures echten Namens
- Euer Name kann aber auch nur aus eurem Vor- oder nur eurem Nachnamen bestehen. A-Mi-Er (啊米儿) für „Amir“ Mustermann oder Li-Gen (里根) für Max „Reagan“
Anrede
- Wenn ihr jemanden ansprecht, dann immer mit dem vollen Namen und niemals nur dem Vornamen, auch wenn ihr noch so gut befreundet seid. Es ist einfach unvollständig und ergibt auf chinesisch keinen Sinn.
- Ihr könnt jemanden jedoch mit seinem Titel ansprechen. Wenn jemand z.B. Sun Yuji (孙玉洁) heißt, dann wäre das Frau Sun oder auch Sun Jingli (Sun Manager).
- Ihr könnt sie auch als Lao Sun bzw. Xiao Sun ansprechen. Lao bedeutet in dem Fall älter/eng. Senior und Xiao soviel wie jünger/eng. Junior. Altershierarchie ist sehr wichtig in China. Die Älteren werden respektiert und um die Jüngeren wird sich gekümmert.
- Des Weiteren kann man weibliche Namen oftmals schwer von männlichen unterscheiden, weshalb man sie besonders häufig mit einer Anrede versieht:
- Furen (夫人) = Ehefrau
- Nüshi (女士) = Dame
- Xiaojie (小姐) = Fräulein
- Meinü (美女) = hübsches Mädchen (Das ist in China nicht als Anmache zu verstehen, sondern nett und freundlich gemeint, sollte jedoch nicht in einem geschäftlichen Zusammenhang verwendet werden)
Persönliche Fragen
Wenn ihr mit einem Chinesen ein Gespräch angefangen habt, seid nicht überrascht, wenn ihr schnell Fragen bekommt, die bei uns als zu persönlich eingestuft werden, wie in etwa „Wieviel verdienst du denn?“, „Bist du verheiratet und hast Kinder?“, „Was denkst du über die Flüchtlingspolitik von Frau Merkel?“, „Hast du ein Sparbuch bei der Bank, wenn ja wieviel ist darauf?“, „Magst du die Spice Girls?“ und so weiter und so fort…
Das ist in China vollkommen normal und hat nichts mit Unverschämtheit oder der Gleichen zu tun. Antwortet einfach ehrlich oder leitet die Frage um, indem ihr direkt zurückfragt und anschließend vom Thema ablenkt. Auf keinen Fall aber sollte man sich angegriffen fühlen und direkt „nein, das beantworte ich nicht“ sagen, denn das – ihr ahnt es schon – würde einen Gesichtsverlust bei eurem Gegenüber verursachen.
InternChina – Persönliche FragenJetzt kennt ihr also die groben Grundlagen im Umgang mit Chinesen wenn es ums Geschäft geht. Im zweiten Teil erzähle ich euch die wichtigsten Tipps und Tricks um das Beste aus einem Business Meeting herauszuholen!
Um euer erlerntes Wissen über Networking direkt anzuwenden, bewerbt euch hier bei InternChina um ein Praktikum!
You may not be aware of the music scene in China, however it is big, vibrant and growing. There are music festivals across the country, and many of the “Mando-pop” and “Canto-pop” stars have amassed fanbases comparable to those of the chart topping stars popular in the West.
Famous Chinese Musicians
Chinese musicians are not often well known outside of China, Hong Kong or most of Asia, unlike their Korean pop counterparts. However there are many who have established huge fanbases similar to those fanatics of Justin Bieber or One Direction, including the “Four Heavenly Kings of Canto- Pop”. These four men (Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai) are beloved across China by the young and old alike, and are revered by many young women. Andy Lau is in the Guiness World Record book for “Most Awards Won by a Cantopop Male Artist”.
InternChina- Andy Lau (source)One young musician, Tao, has an obsessive fan base that often travel across China or further afield to see him perform or even just visit the places he has been.
InternChina – TaoAnita Mui is a Hong Kong native who broke records with her sold out performance in London, and enjoyed a hugely successful international career which saw her performing with Janet Jackson at the 1988 Summer Olympics and earning the nickname the “Madonna of Asia”.
InternChina – Anita MuiMany Chinese artists, such as Priscilla Chan and Faye Wang, are examples of Chinese stars who have used Hong Kong as their base for establishing a successful career in China and the rest of Asia.
InternChina – Faye WongMusicians Beyond the Middle Kingdom
Western music isn’t uncommon in China at all, at least from what I have experienced. If you go to bars and clubs popular with Westerners you will of course hear a lot of popular American and British songs, albeit they may be songs you haven’t listened to since you were in school or songs you thought were buried deep in the 1990s.
You may be surprised at the opinions on some Western musicians here. For example, Avril Lavigne, seen by many in the West as an artist who has left her best days behind her, has earned the nickname “Godmother” (酵母) in China as she is still beloved by many young Chinese girls who see her as the “Godmother of Pop- Rock”. However, this sounds the same as the Chinese for “yeast”, so her Chinese fans have unfortunately taken to calling her this instead.
InternChina – Avril Lavigne performing in Beijing (source)
Other popular musicians in the US and the UK are not so lucky with their nicknames. Taylor Swift has earned herself two nicknames among Chinese music fans- “Unlucky” (霉霉) because of her well-publicised love life, and the slightly more insulting “Bus”, (公车霉) because she has a lot of boyfriends. Mariah Carey is known as the Cow Sister (牛姐), and Ariana Grande, because she is so often compared to Mariah Carey, is “Little Cow” (小牛牛).
InternChina-Mariah Carey (source)
InternChina-Taylor Swift (source)
Obviously there are many Western artists who have made a name for themselves in China, and the general consensus is that if they have managed to coin a Chinese nickname for themselves they are hugely popular (despite how insulting the nickname may seem). Justin Bieber, One Direction, Adele… all of these huge stars in the West are similarly popular in China.
Aside from Western musicians, the world of K-Pop (and to a lesser extent J- Pop) has also made a huge mark in the Chinese music scene. In Qingdao, there is a huge Korean influence (due to the cities proximity to South Korea) and this has come through in the music played in the Korean restaurants and shopping malls throughout the city.
Taiwanese musicians are also hugely popular- especially Jay Chou. He is an artist who has managed to gain some significant popularity in the West alongside huge success in Asia, due to his unique combinations of R&B, rock and pop.
InternChina- Jay Chou (source)
KTV
KTV, or Karaoke TV, is hugely popular among Chinese people of all ages. It is popular throughout the week as an excuse to get together, consume a fair amount of alcohol, and have a good time while singing loudly but not necessarily well to Chinese and occasionally Western songs.
KTV has been described by some Westerners as “surreal caterwauling.” It is however, a fantastic experience and if you have the right mix of people (preferably with some Chinese friends) you will have an unforgettable night.
KTV is the perfect place to let go of your inhibitions and get comfortable with your inner singer (however warbler may be a better description than singer.) It is definitely more fun if you have Chinese friends with you as they will encourage you to fully embrace the experience and forget about any potential embarrassment- everybody is singing, everyone is terrible, but everyone is having an amazing time!
InternChina-KTV (source)
InternChina – Margarita’s Internship Experience
Read Margarita’s thoughts on her marketing internship in Zhuhai and her time with InternChina.
- Tell us a little about yourself and your internship.
My name is Margarita, I am an Industrial Engineer, and recently finished my Masters in International Business Management. In China, my internship position was as ‘Assistant of Marketing’. My role as Assistant of Marketing meant that I was in charge of creating online media content and campaigns for our Chinese and Latin American markets as well as our social media platforms. I also translated many documents from English into Spanish.
- What did you gain from the internship? Do you think it will be helpful in the future? Why?
From my internship I have realised that I really enjoy working in Marketing and I am now searching for a job in this field. During my internship I learnt about different marketing concepts and how to implement them.
I believe this internship was helpful as I received an opportunity to learn about something I am really interested in while being surrounded by a work culture that is completely different from my own country. I think that everything I have learnt from this internship will definitely be useful in the future so I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn in this environment.
- Why Zhuhai?
I have always been interested in Asia and it has always been one of my dreams to live there. However, I did not know a lot about China before I went. I applied to do my Masters in Dalian, north of China, and later found an opportunity to complete an internship with InternChina as part of my course. Zhuhai is a beautiful city and I chose to do my internship there because of it’s wonderful location; on the border with Macau and 1 hour away from Hong Kong by ferry. Having lived in the north of China for so long, the south was a good change for me.
- Ultimate survival tip
For me, the most difficult thing was the food. I can’t handle spicy food at all and it felt like Chinese food always had spice in it. I quickly learnt how to say “No spice” (不要辣的). Luckily for me, they do not eat a lot of spicy food in Zhuhai and there is such a large variety of dishes that you must try them all! If I could give one tip, it would be not to close yourself off to new experiences, you will regret it later.
- Would you recommend doing an internship with IC?
I would absolutely recommend doing an internship with InternChina! They are wonderful people and they provided a range of activities for reasonable prices. I was only there for 2 months but I met so many great people from different countries. Some of whom I will definitely stay in touch with. InternChina always help you and make your time in China very enjoyable. You will still be part of the Chinese culture but you will also feel like you are at home with InternChina.
For your chance to experience China and try something new, apply here!
Across the globe the travel and tourism industry comprises of 266 million jobs and contributes to 9.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) globally. The impact of the hospitality industry on future economic growth globally, cannot be denied.
Over the next ten years China’s hospitality industry is expected to become a $100 billion industry.
As China’s middle class continues to grow, their tastes are becoming ever more sophisticated and this is especially true for travel in and out of China. According to the McKinsey Quarterly, by 2022 middle-class citizens will make up to 75% of China’s total urban population, this will be matched by China’s growing trend for leisure and travel in China.
InternChina – China has a growing middle class with more money to spend (source)
As part of China’s 12th ‘Five Year Plan’ tourism was declared as one of the core components in China’s economic growth engine. Through direct investment, provincial government authorities around China plan to further promote tourism. Key tourist development cities are the areas of Beihai; Kunming; Yangzhou; Lijiang; Sanya and Yangshuo. These areas are not only being developed to become the top travel destinations for the Chinese but also to gain international recognition as a “must go” destinations with facilities for an international audience. This level of investment, however, is not only exclusive to these areas. In the South of China, the Pearl River Delta area, hotspots like Zhuhai are receiving a significant amount of investment and are developing at a considerable rate.
InternChina – SanyaSince 2014 China’s economy has slowed down, GDP growth for the first half of 2015 was 7% compared to the 7.4% in 2014. The Chinese economy is now being restructured to focus more on the tertiary industry and economic growth is being geared towards consumption rather investment.
In the first quarter of 2015, consumption generated more than 50% of GDP growth, the highest in 10 years.
As China’s hospitality and tourism industry has grown, so has the demand for qualified workers. This may in-turn lead to the hospitality and tourism industry becoming one of the largest employers. Over the next few years the hospitality and tourism industry is expected to become one of China’s largest employers. By 2021 the industry’s direct contribution to employment is forecasted to expand to 26.6 million jobs. International hoteliers like Hyatt, Starwood, Hilton, InternContinental Hotels Group, Marriott, Kempinski and Four Seasons are recognising the growing market for hotel development in China as part of their corporate strategies.
InternChina – The Marriott, Zhuhai (source)However, the growth of this industry is currently limited by the relatively low supply of qualified and trained hospitality staff in China. Hospitality and Tourism training is not a common programme to offer in many Chinese universities. This has lead to many hotelier giants like the Marriott in Zhuhai (ZHHT03, ZHHT04) and the Crowne Plaza in Chengdu (CDHT03, CDHT05, CDHT06) to look worldwide for staff and interns to become part of a global corporation to launch their international careers. A fantastic opportunity for any individual!
InternChina – Crowne Plaza, Chengdu (source)The significance of China’s hospitality and tourism industry cannot be ignored and it will be interesting to see how and in what way this industry develops.
For your chance to develop an international hospitality career, apply here!
Goodbye, Zhuhai
Hi all, this is my last blog post with InternChina. My time in Zhuhai has come to an end, for now. It’s been a great experience, and one that’s taught me a lot.
My last few weeks in China have been fun and busy. I went to Danxia Mountain, in Shaoguan, on a weekend trip with InternChina. The mountain is well-known for it’s ‘male rock’ – so called for obvious reasons.
InternChina – Clearly, we all have a mature sense of humourThe Shaoguan area has some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. Pictures just don’t do it justice, but here’s one anyway:
InternChina – The most amazing viewBefore heading back to the UK, I went on a business trip to Shanghai for a few days, which was cool. Shanghai is a massive metropolis. The cold and wet weather more closely resembled my natural habitat than the subtropical climate of Zhuhai.
InternChina – Wet weather in ShanghaiI’ll be sad to leave, but I’ve made great memories here. I am grateful to the British Council for awarding me a place on their Generation UK scheme. Coming to China has been a life-changing experience. I would also like to thank my boss, colleagues, and everyone on the InternChina team for their support and hard work. I’ll miss my new friends, but I’ll be sure to stay in touch.
My internship experience has made me realise that China is not a whole world away – it’s more similar than I thought. At the same time, it has also given me a greater appreciation of the differences between our cultures.
My biggest obstacle before coming here was believing that China was too different and too distant, therefore I kept putting it off. However, with these things in mind and seeing this country for myself, I look forward to coming back to China in the future.
InternChina – See you soon China!For your chance to fall in love with China and experience an internship of a lifetime apply here!
InternChina – Zhuhai