Reverse Culture Shock
As my first group of interns prepare to return back to the UK, one topic of conversation that has been heavily discussed is reverse culture shock. As someone who has travelled a fair amount, I am well acquainted with this confusing feeling. However, compared to regular culture shock, the reverse feeling felt upon return to one’s home is rarely discussed. This blog will explain the sensation and hopefully give you some tips on how to prepare and combat reverse culture shock.
So, what is reverse culture shock?
Reverse culture shock is pretty much exactly what it states on the tin; it’s a feeling of shock, isolation, or unfamiliarity when you return home after living abroad for a considerable period of time. It can even sometimes be worse than culture shock felt when first experiencing life in a new place, because you assume that since you are returning somewhere full of family and friends the change will be easier to deal with. However, a lot of people often explain this transition to be more difficult as they are returning to the same place, but not returning as the same person. No one at home completely understands the journey you have been on, and you miss the people you shared that journey with. People at home will often be interested in hearing tales from your time abroad right after your return, but they might become disinterested after a few days or weeks, and this can lead to feelings of frustration and isolation as no one understands the life you lived abroad.
Accept your feelings
Although you may feel down or upset for a period of time after your return, the most important thing is to understand why you are feeling that way. Hopefully this blog will help you to understand this feeling and be aware of reverse culture shock, so if you do experience it you at least know what is happening. There’s always so much focus on preparing to travel somewhere, but hardly ever preparation for returning home. It always feels rushed and last minute as you try and pack in as much fun as possible in the last few days in your temporary home. So, it’s easy to forget to remind yourself that you may find moving home more difficult than moving away. But accept whatever feelings come, and don’t feel bad about feeling bad! It’s totally normal and little can be done to prevent missing your time abroad, because let’s be honest, living everyday as an adventure is of course going to be more fun that the daily life you’re used to back home. But you will slowly adjust back to life at home, and everyday will get easier, just don’t be surprised if sometimes you feel sad or lonely for a day or two.
Stay calm
A major factor which plays into reverse culture shock is often the fact that relatives and friends may not be as interested in hearing about your time abroad as you had hoped. After a few days, they may grow tired of hearing you talk about your time away but try not to be frustrated or offended. Try your best to put yourself in their position. While you have been away discovering new food and making new friends, most people at home have been living their same daily lives and may not want to hear how good a time you have had compared to them. In addition, it’s important to remember that the world at home did not stand still when you were away. People change, situations change, and the place you return to may not feel exactly as it did when you initially left. Be patient, and things will begin to feel normal again.
Stay connected
Thankfully today it is possible to stay in touch with people you met on your travels through the magic of social media. Ease of communication is one pro of the ever-evolving social media used constantly in today’s world. If you ever feel down or alone, give your friends from your internship or your travels a message on Facebook (or WeChat!) and see if they’re feeling the same way. It’s important to recognise that these feelings are totally normal, and most people will be going through the same confusing emotions, so talk about them, or just have a catch up and see how everyone is adapting to life back at home!
Keep busy
Similar to regular culture shock, one of the best ways to overcome reverse culture shock is keeping busy. Don’t let yourself spend days on end sitting in your room reminiscing about your time abroad, this will probably only make adjusting to life back at home even harder. Make plans with friends, cook dinner for your family, go for a run, start to learn a new language, basically anything that keeps your mind occupied and helps you keep developing! When you were abroad, you probably did your best to use your time wisely and fit as many activities in as possible. Take this mentality back home and live each day to it’s fullest. Is there somewhere nearby your hometown where you’ve never explored? Is there a museum exhibit on display nearby? Is there a coffee shop with great cake that you’ve not eaten in a while? Even though it may not be as exciting as living abroad in a brand-new environment, you can still find hidden gems in your own back garden, so go out and explore!
Plan the future!
From my personal experience, the best way to combat reverse culture shock is to plan something exciting in the near future. For me, this is usually a short trip away from home. I’m lucky to live in Europe where travel prices are relatively low, especially in winter, so planning spontaneous trips doesn’t need to break the bank. However, if travel prices are too high, plan a day trip instead! Or a party, a picnic, a sports game, a bike ride… anything that you can look forward to and focus energy on planning, so you can look forward to new adventures rather than becoming sad reminiscing over memories of the past.
Hopefully this blog has helped you to learn about the reality of reverse culture shock and will help you to prepare for your return back home.
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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!
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!
Although Christmas in Qingdao is great fun with its Christmas Markets and bright festive lights, one can not help but think of those warm sunny days when the Qingdao Wind wasn’t quite so nail-biting cold! Therefore, if you have a couple of days to take off from your internship, then I would recommend heading down to the Yunnan Province to feel the warmth of the sun again!
After spending a fantastic 5 day Christmas vacation in Kunming and Lijiang. I have put together an action-packed 5-7-day itinerary plan to maximise your holiday:
Day 1: Travelling to Kunming
There are cheap flights from Qingdao to Kunming which can take up to 3-5 hours . Depending on the time you arrive, you can grab a taxi or the airport shuttle bus (25 RMB) to the city centre. Kunming is full of delicious restaurants, and while you are there I would recommend trying these local dishes:
Day 2: The Stone Forest
Some say that heading to Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest is a waste of a trip! The stone forest is a spectacular set of limestone pillars which look like petrified trees! They are part of the world heritage site and is representative of south China’s Karst landscape.
According to legend, the forest is the birthplace of Ashima (阿诗玛), a beautiful girl of the Yi people. After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor, and instead turned into a stone in the forest that still bears her name.
There are tour buses which run frequently daily to the Stone Forest, it takes about 2 hours and costs around 25RMB each way.
The Stone ForestDay 3: Yunnan Nationalities Kunming, Guandu Ancient Town and Overnight Train
The Yunnan Nationalities Kunming is a must see! With a student card it costs around 90 RMB, and you can learn about the different cultures and 55 nationalities. You also have a chance to ride an elephant, watch performers and dress up in traditional costumes.
If you have time in the afternoon, visit the Guandu Ancient Town. It only takes about an hour to look around, but it is great fun to watch the locals sing and dance. There are lots of souvenirs, interesting buys, good food and snacks in a nice old architectural environment!
At around 9.30pm, take the overnight train to Lijiang. It is great fun especially if you are in a group together! I would recommend getting the soft sleeper bunk beds which costs around 260RMB, although it’s little bit more that other bunks, you are guaranteed a much better sleep! (Saying that, let’s hope you don’t have a baby with a fever in your carriage apartment like we did!)
Day 4: Lijiang Old Town
When you arrive in Lijiang the next day, although there are many fantastic hostels in the Old Town, I cannot recommend the October Inn enough! This hostel is just for international students,the manager Tommy speaks very good English, and I would recommend eating a home-cooked meal with the other guests around the cosy fireplace.
Make sure to go explore the Old Town and the Green lake (Tommy will give recommendations and tips on how to avoid paying tourist fares!) For the evening activities, there are some great bars in the area to go and visit!
Day 5: Tiger Leaping Gorge
Get up early the next day! We enjoyed Tommy’s amazing scrambled eggs with yak butter before boarding the bus for Tiger Leaping Gorge. For more information about this amazing 2-day hike, check out this blog.
Tiger Leaping Gorge MapAs the route is popular, you will begin the walk with a bunch of people of all different ages and backgrounds. The start of the walk flies by as you hear stories of their own experiences and adventures in China. By the time you arrive at the Half-Way hostel, after 6 hours of climbing, battling the 28 turns, and crossing waterfalls, there is a high chance you will have bonded with your fellow hikers!
The Half-Way hostel not only has great food but spectacular views from the hostel dorms. This is where we spent Christmas Eve!
Day 6: The Descent
The next day, you will begin a 2-hour descent down the mountain to Tina’s hostel where your luggage has been kept. If you have time, I would recommend going down the to see the Gorge, before the bus departs back to Lijiang at 15:30. This walk takes approximately 2 hours, it is very beautiful and a cool opportunity to hear the extraordinary loud roar of the river and to climb up steep ladders!
Option: If you have an extra day or so, I would suggest boarding the bus from Tina’s to the Shangri-La area. From there one can either return to Lijiang or travel a little further north and catch a flight back from Dujing Airport. This region reflects the scenery without incurring the cost of entering Tibet!
Once back in Lijiang, take the overnight train back to Kunming. If you are pushed for time, you can take a flight from Lijiang to Qingdao, however, these flights are expensive and aren’t direct.
I can not recommend this trip enough! Even for a short time, it was great to travel to a different Chinese province to experience a different climate, culture and food. If my pictures don’t convince you, then have a look at the warm average temperature for December and January!
Average Temperature in Lijiang
Do you feel inspired to travel from Qingdao to Yunnan? Apply now!
Wenshu Monastery
This weekend in Chengdu our interns took a visit to the famous Wenshu Monastery. Upon arrival, the beauty of the buildings stunned us. From the towering peace pagoda to the stunning halls, the architecture amazed us all.
Upon entering the monastery, you notice its layout in the traditional Chinese style. Wenshu is made of 5 south facing halls in a row leading up to the stunning main hall at the far end from the entrance. In classic Chinese style there was maintenance underway including this man precariously perched atop scaffolding on wheels using a jet wash to clean the beams.
Having toured the grounds of the monastery we headed outside to an antiques market. Here we found old communist memorabilia, including the famous little red book, and Mao-ist propaganda amongst other treasures. One vendor was sat outside his shop playing his guitar as his dog kept an eye on the passers by.
After looking around the monastery and the antiques market we headed back towards the temple grounds in search of some food.
The Food
The surrounding area to the monastery is home to some of the most famous food in Sichuan. Not ones to miss the opportunity to eat, we jumped in the line of a famous restaurant. The restaurant was packed full with no space to sit. Upon ordering our TianShuiMian (this restaurants famous dish) we managed to find a spot to sit and dug into to this amazing delicacy. Our interns loved the sweet and spicy contrast to these amazing hand made noodles!
After sampling this delight we wanted more and headed to another famous spot near the metro station. As is the case with all well-known eateries in China, this place also had a queue out the front. This time we were queuing for Guo Kui. The menu offered Beef, Pork, Pig’s Snout, Pigs Ear, Noodles and other delights to fill this delightful pastry pocket. I personally chose the pig’s snout, which didn’t disappoint.
Having filled our stomachs with great food and our eyes with fantastic scenery we all headed off. On the way back we stopped by Tianfu Square, right in the middle of the city to snap some pictures and take in our surroundings. All in all a great day out!
Interested in visiting Wenshu Monastery and trying some Sichuan cuisine? Apply now!
Written by Sylvia Liu
It’s been a bit over a month now since I first began my internship experience in Chengdu with InternChina, and I can easily say that this experience is definitely one that will be remembered!
The City
Having travelled to many other Chinese cities before, Chengdu is a breath of fresh air; not literally however, but rather in the sense of its pace of life.
Chengdu meanders peacefully through each day; while other cities rush and are filled with spontaneity. That’s not to say Chengdu is less developed economically, quite the contrary! Just as its numerous shopping centres, nightlife and still expanding public transport systems like to prove.
Personally I have found the pace of life charming. I have enjoyed spending my Sundays temple-seeing, sipping tea at monasteries, and nibbling on sunflower seeds while listening to the indistinct chatter of Sichuanese.
Food has also held a prominent role in my time here! You will be hard pressed to find a restaurant who won’t serve at least a bowl of chilli with the famous Sichuan Peppercorns along with your meal.
The old streets of Chengdu, the majority located in the inner South West of the city, are a delight to walk through. There is plenty of opportunity to snack on the delicious street food, while being surrounded by traditional architecture permeating with historical significance.
The Internship
I believe that there is knowledge that can only be learned from doing an internship in China. In particular cultural proficiency, which is always a handy skill to have even if one does not pursue a career in international business.
Some of the more interesting tasks I’ve done at the company have included researching the potential of incorporating blockchain technology with gaming, as well as game testing for current beta projects.
The employees at the company are all very inclusive, and it is interesting to gain insight into general Chinese organisational culture. The food options available at lunch are an additional highlight of the workday. The local 7-Eleven is frequented often for its lunchtime pick-and-mix boxes!
The People
The people I have met in Chengdu have been the best part of my internship yet. Being able to meet people from all over the world through my internship in Chengdu is something I’m grateful for. I always look forward to spending time with the other interns or going to events organised by InternChina, such as Thursday Dinner, or even weekend activities outside the city.
I can say with no doubt that it is the people I have met here that make this trip the enjoyable experience it has been!
Interested in seeing everything that Sylvia has during her time in Chengdu? Then apply now!
As you may know, in China you’ll need a VPN to use your favourite apps via Google. And most of the time the traditional Google Maps isn’t really accurate in China, so it’s better to be able to use Chinese map applications. No worries, when you arrive in China our team on place will give you an orientation and help you discover Baidu Maps. However this application is all in Chinese, so we thought this tutorial would be helpful in case you don’t remember all the information we give you on your first day in China!
Our team will help you download the app, and set up your account when you’ll arrive, so I won’t talk about those steps!
Don’t forget : when you want to use Baidu Maps, turn off you VPN – it will be faster!
Favourite Places
Want to know how to save a location as a favourite in Baidu? Follow those steps:
- Type the location name or address. For example, the LPG Bar in Qingdao is “Laofeijiuba”
- Click on the location and it will appear on the map
- To save it for later, just press the star on the left bottom corner – you did it !
How to Find Your Favourite Places
- Click on your profile
- Click on the Star to access your favourites
- To rename it, long press on the location
- Then choose “重命名”
- Use a name that you’ll easily remember, like LPG
- Click on “确定” to save it! Easy right?
Bus and Subway Maps
Want to know the bus or metro route, and the timetable? You just need to use Baidu Maps!
- For subway line: enter the line number + “haoxian”
- For bus line: enter bus number + “lu”
- Choose the 1st choice, or one that looks correct
- Now you can see the entire route, and timetable in both directions
- Click here to find out where is the nearest bus station
- Click here to go there by foot without getting lost!
Reminder:
- 1st stop is indicated by the green pointer, and the last one by the red one.
Route
Let’s say, today is Thursday, and you signed in to join us! Unfortunately you can’t use the location we gave you on our group chat. No worries, we will always give you the location, and the address so you can either follow the location, or search for it on Baidu yourself!
Let’s say tonight we are going to Magic Eggplant in Qingdao: 大尧三路26号 (Dayaosanlu 26hao)
- Copy the adress here
- To see the route, click on the blue button
- Taxi route will appear firstly, you can see how much it might cost you if you chose this option, here 10 RMB
- Click here to chose the public transportation way, and chose the first route for example ( to know more go the bonus pictures)
- How to go there? Follow the foot
- When is the bus coming? It’s one stop away on this case
- Ok we arrived at the bus stop, let’s go to the restaurant – follow the blue foot again!
Bonus Information
For those who can’t read or speak Chinese, here is some more information on how to be a pro at Baidu Maps!
- Left part : How many stops in total / Right part : How long will the journey take
- Are you walking somewhere? First you can see how long it will take you, and how far the place is
- To pick the more suitable route, look at the duration, and kilometers to see what’s more convenient. Usually, 1st option is faster, but might have to walk more
I guess you’re now ready to come to China, so why not apply now!
by Nick Goldstein
Two Week PMSA Language and Culture Programme
I’m not a very good writer, but when asked to write a piece on my first two weeks in Zhuhai as part of the PMSA Programme I volunteered. Not only because I want to get better, but because coming here under InternChina’s culture and internship program taught me the value of doing things you are scared of. That’s why I ended up here writing about InternChina’s program, having already wasted the first 60 words.
The first two weeks were packed! My personal highlights were tea making, calligraphy and Tai Chi classes. Although lots of fun, I also learned a lot. Much like learning about the history of your country helps you understand it today, learning about the details of Chinese culture helped me understand the big picture (it’s a really big picture!)
During this time, we visited two companies operating in the free trade zone. In the same way as our cultural activities, learning about the companies taught me not only about the company itself, its processes and operations, but also the way western firms interact with Chinese. I saw two models, although on the surface very similar, in practice very different, and I felt the difference. If I were to set up an operation in China, I know what I would do differently.
Language Classes
Part of the program was two weeks of intensive language classes. 3 hours a day in a room with other kiwis trying to learn Chinese was invaluable, and although my Chinese is not comprehensive, it is enough to make a contribution to the language gap. In China, at least where I am, the effort is more appreciated than required.
Homestay Experience
The third part of the program was the homestay experience. Make no mistake this was an experience, living with my own family was difficult enough, someone else’s is downright terrifying. Despite this, however, the most valuable aspect of the course was the homestay. Visiting companies and learning about culture is useful, but you only learn so much by teaching. Living in a homestay opened me up to the culture, exposing me to the intricacies.
Examples of what I have learnt are 1. That, at least in my family, no matter how loud your child’s friend is screaming, you don’t tell them off and 2. People really don’t like it when you wear shoes in the house, like REALLY don’t like it!
What I’ve Learnt
Jokes aside, I learned about the details of the culture, and I have made friends that I will take back to New Zealand. Reflecting on the past fortnight I think the most valuable thing I have learnt are soft skills. Cultural appreciation, empathy, an understanding of the Chinese approach, and an ability to work in Chinese culture, as well as, I believe, an improved ability to work with any culture. I think the friends, contacts and memories I have made are all important. Overwhelmingly, however, participating in this program has been mostly beneficial to my appreciation of different cultures, expanding my mindset.
More Than Just an Internship – What We Do in Qingdao!
InternChina – More than just an internship!
But what does this really mean in Qingdao? It means weekly dinners, activities and 24/7 support!
I’ve been an office intern for about 3 months now, so I hope I can explain this for you!
During your programme, you’ll have the amazing opportunity to do an internship in China, but that’s not the only think you’ll experience during your time in Qingdao! The InternChina team will organise lots of dinners and activities for you. This is so we can get to know you better, make you feel comfortable in this new country, and give you a chance to meet amazing people! And if you love travelling, there are plenty of great destinations we can help you visit that aren’t too far from Qingdao!
As a Qingdao office intern, I have the opportunity to organise the dinners and trips for our participants. I’ll tell you more about it, so you’ll have an idea of the amazing things you may get the chance to do, and you can discover more about Qingdao.
If you have anything you want to do around Qingdao, just let a member of InternChina know and we can try our best to organise this for you!
Food
Every week we organise one of our famous “Thursday Dinners.”
This is a social event, to share a group meal, discover new Asian cuisine and talk about our week! We understand that you are students, so don’t worry- we try to make these dinners affordable! Usually, we try to avoid expensive restaurants, but they are always tasty. We usually stick to a budget of 50RMB per person, and sometimes this is even less.
How do we organise these dinners? Usually we make a post on our official Qingdao InternChina WeChat account, or we post in our IC Qingdao group chat.
We’ll give you some more details about the restaurant, the cuisine, the food, the time and the location of the dinner. If you’re interested in coming along, then simply join the dinner group by scanning the QR code we’ll provide! This helps us know how many people want to come along, so we can book a table. During the summer, we can have more than 30 people for dinner!
But it’s our job to organise this- all you need to do is scan the QR code and join! How easy is that?
Activities
After a week of working hard during your internship, we’re sure you’ll look forward to exploring Qingdao at the weekend! There is so much to do and discover in Qingdao, and we understand that you want to get out there, so we organise lots of activities and trips for you!
We try to organise a new activity every weekend, and just like the dinners, we try to make sure these activities are all affordable so you can take part in as much as you can.
What can Qingdao offer you? There are lots of fun tourist activities,such as the Tsingtao Beer Museum, the TV Tower, the zoo, the aquarium, the Huadong Vineyard. However, we also want to make sure you see the natural beauty in Qingdao! Outdoor activities such as hiking Fushan or Laoshan with our guide Green Tea, bouldering, archery, go karting are always popular, especially during the summer.
We also want you to learn about the Chinese culture while you are here, so we organise cultural activities such as calligraphy classes, Chinese cooking lessons, tea ceremonies, or even Kung Fu lessons!
There are different things to do during different seasons, so you may also get to attend the German Christmas Market, or some opening ceremonies!
You will definitely never be bored, with plenty of activities available for you to explore the city, have fun, and network!
Trips
We also try to organise some weekend trips for you to discover other cities in China.
Recently, we organised a weekend trip to Beijing- after all, it would be a shame to come to China and not visit the Great Wall! In the past we have also organised trips to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Qufu… the possibilities are endless!
For any weekend trips we organise, we will provide you with a detailed schedule so you can make the most of your time in each city! We will also let you know how much each trip will cost, and this will include your transport, accommodation and activities for the weekend. It will cost more than a regular Saturday Event, but it is definitely worth going and exploring more of China!
Support
The InternChina team offer you 24/7 support while you are on place, and we are also here for you before and after your time in China!
When you arrive, we will pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your accommodation, whether is an apartment or a homestay. We’ll also give you an orientation to help you understand Chinese culture, and give you some advice about living in Qingdao.
You will receive a welcome pack, which includes a SIM card, travel card, map of the city, and address card and some InternChina goodies!
We are here for you whenever you need us!
Moreover, our team on place is also always here to support you! When you arrive we will give you an orientation, in order to make you understand Chinese culture, and give you lots of advice! If you feel sick, we will come with you to the hospital! If you have any other issues, we are here to help if we can!
InternChina’s Favourite Places
When you are new to Qingdao, and don’t know where to go or what to see, we’re here to tell you where to go! Below is a list of my favourite places- you can even impress your colleagues with your Qingdao knowledge and invite them along!
Magic Eggplant – or the best Chinese restaurant ever! 美达尔大尧三路店 – Dayao San Road
ChunChuan Iron Plate – best Korean restaurant! 青岛市崂山区苗岭路 瑞纳花园内 Miao Ling Road
Huadong Winery – a beautiful vineyard, where you can visit the museum,the caves and try some wine at the end! 南龙口崂山Nanlong Kou, Lao Shan
ZhongShan Park – an amazing park where you can easily walk around for hours! The zoo is right next to it if you want to see a panda! 市南区文登路28号 Wen Deng Road
I hope these details and pictures convinced you that InternChina has so much more than just an internship to offer you! You’ll never feel alone, and this experience will be unforgettable!
The easiest way to join us is to apply now!
Mais qu’est ce que l’on entend par la à Qingdao? Cela signifie, des diners, des activités et un accompagnement 24h/24.
Je suis actuellement stagiaire dans le bureau d’InternChina à Qingdao depuis maintenant 3 mois, alors laissez moi vous expliquer!
Quand vous réservez l’un de nos programmes , vous allez réaliser un stage dans une de nos entreprises partenaires, mais ce n’est pas tout! Les différentes équipes d’InternChina dans nos 5 destinations vont mettre en place pour vous de nombreux dîners et activités tout au long de votre séjour! En effet, nous voulons faire de votre séjour une expérience inoubliable! Ce sera l’occasion de se connaître plus, de s’adapter plus facilement à votre nouvel environnement de vie, ou tout simplement l’occasion de passer un bon moment avec des gens extraordinaires! Envie de voyager pendant vos week-end, c’est aussi possible, nous pourrons même vous aider à tout planifier!
Comme je vous le disais, je suis stagiaire dans le bureau de Qingdao, et j’ai eu la chance d’organiser de nombreuses activités et dîners depuis 3 mois. Je vais vous montrer quelques photos et vous donner plus de détails afin de vous présenter Qingdao, et vous montrer à quel point les programmes d’InternChina sont une réelle opportunité!
Surtout lors de votre programme, n’hésitez pas à nous faire part de vos envies et nous essayerons d’organiser des activités qui vous plaisent!Tous les jeudis soirs nous organisons les célèbres “Thursday Dinners”!
C’est l’occasion de se retrouver pour partager un repas, découvrir la cuisine chinoise, ou asiatique, et partager nos expériences! Je suis aussi étudiante, comme vous, donc ne vous inquiétez pas, nous essayons de choisir des restaurants bon marché, mais avec d’excellents plats! Nous nous fixons un prix moyen par personne de 50 RMB, soit environ 7 EUR, parfois même moins!
Comment ça fonctionne? Généralement nous publions un article sur notre page WeChat officielle, ou alors nous publions un message dans notre groupe WeChat!
On essaye de décrire le restaurant, le type de nourriture, on donne des précisions sur l’heure et le lieu de rendez-vous. Si le post vous intrigue, ou que vous voulez simplement passer une soirée avec nous, il vous suffit de scanner le QR Code pour vous joindre au groupe chat du dîner. Ainsi on peut savoir combien de personnes seront présentes, afin de réserver une table! En été, il y a parfois plus de 30 participants à ces repas!
Mais nous nous occupons de tout, il vous suffit de nous lire régulièrement pour rester informé et scanner le Qr code pour vous joindre à nous! Facile la vie non?Après une intense semaine de stage, pourquoi ne pas visiter la ville le week-end? Après tout, c’est l’occasion de découvrir la Chine! Encore une fois, on vous comprend et c’est pour cela que nous organisons des activités tous les samedis, et parfois même des voyages!
Nous essayons d’organiser des activités différentes chaque semaine! Cela montre bien que la ville de Qingdao à beaucoup à vos offrir! Coté budget, c’est variable, parfois gratuit, parfois 100RMB (13 euros), mais cela reste toujours abordable!
Plus de détails? A Qingdao il y a de nombreuses visites à faire : le musée de la bière, des parcs, des temples, la tour de la télévision, le zoo, l’aquarium, le vignoble… C’est aussi une ville pour les sportifs: randonnées en montagne à Fushan ou Laoshan avec notre super guide nommé Thé Vert, de l’escalade, du tir à l’arc, du karting, du bowling… Pour les passionnés de culture, c’est aussi génial : calligraphie, cours de cuisine chinoise, cérémonie du thé ou encore cours de Kungfu…
En fonction de la saison il y aura aussi des événements particuliers comme des marchés de Noëls, le festival de la bière… En un mot, il y en a pour tous les goûts, et c’est impossible de s’ennuyer!Nous essayons également d’organiser des voyages certains week-ends, afin de vous permettre de découvrir d’autres villes!
Par exemple, le mois dernier mes collègues ont organisé un week-end à Pékin! En effet, venir en Chine sans voir la grande muraille, c’est dommage non? Dans le passé nous avons aussi organisé des voyages à Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou et Qufu… il y a tant de possibilités depuis Qingdao!
Et là encore, vous n’avez à vous occuper de rien! Nous vous fournirons un emploi du temps détaillé avec les activités du séjour, et nous essayerons de rentabiliser le voyage! Ce genre de voyage c’est un budget, mais cela inclut le transport, le logement et les visites, donc c’est une super opportunité! Et vous ne risquez pas de vous perdre, puisque notre équipe vous accompagne!L’équipe d’InternChina vous offre un accompagnement et support 24h/24, 7j/7! Bien sur nous sommes présent avant et après votre séjour en Chine!
Quand vous arrivez en Chine, nous venons vous chercher à l’aéroport et nous vous emmenons dans votre hébergement, que ce soit un appartement ou une famille d’accueil, peu importe l’horaire! offrons une séance d’orientation afin de vous familiariser avec votre nouvel environnement, vous donner des conseils et vous en apprendre plus sur la Chine!
Vous recevrez un kit de bienvenue, avec une carte sim, une carte de bus, un plan de la ville, votre adresse en chinois sur une carte, et des goodies InternChina !
Nous sommes là pour vous à tout moment!
De plus, nos équipes sur place seront là pour vous soutenir! Dès votre arrivée nous vous donnerons des conseils pour bien vous adapter! Si vous êtes malade, nous vous accompagnerons à l’hôpital! Un problème survient, appelez nous et nous ferons tout notre possible!Vous n’êtes pas encore un pro de Qingdao, alors voici mes recommandations personnelles! Si vous voulez vous y rendre pendant votre temps libre ou y inviter vos collègues pour les impressionner!
Magic Eggplant – ou le meilleur restaurant chinois! 美达尔大尧三路店 – Dayao San Road
ChunChuan Iron Plate – le meilleur restaurant coréen ! 青岛市崂山区苗岭路 瑞纳花园内 Miao Ling Road
Huadong Winery – un superbe vignoble: vous visiterez les vignes, le musée et la cave! Sans oublier la dégustation à la fin, tout cela pour 50 RMB! 南龙口崂山Nanlong Kou, Lao Shan
ZhongShan Park – un superbe parc à la chinoise, ou vous pouvez flâner pendant des heures. Le zoo est juste à coté si vous voulez voir le panda de Qingdao! 市南区文登路28号 Wen Deng RoadJ’espère que mes photos et explications vous ont prouvé qu’InternChina avait beaucoup à vous offrir! Vous ne vous sentirez jamais seul ici, et vous allez vivre une expérience incroyable, j’en suis persuadée!
Rejoignez-nous pour en faire l’expérience par vous même!