Paid Internships at Fortune 500 Companies in China

I finished high school and have no clue about what to do next. I thought that to work abroad for some months could be fun and at the same time a valuable experience.

I found GoAbroadChina and compared to other companies, which offer basically the same kind of products, has the most competitive prices and was the fastest to answer my questions.

Accommodation: I choose to stay in a host family because I wanted to be closer to Chinese culture. It was great, maybe a little bit awkward at the beginning (my level of Chinese was really low, we had to use gestures to understand each other). I became part of the family and when I got time I spend time chatting with them. I know much more about Chinese culture now.

Internship: as I didn't really know which kind of job could be more suitable for me, I asked GAC staff who helped me a lot. I studied scientific (IT, telecommunications) subjects during high school, so I decided that an internship in a company in that field.

Mandarin course: you don't really need to speak fluent Chinese. Anyway, I wanted to get closer to Chinese culture, that's why I decided to take some classes of Mandarin with a private tutor GAC put in contact with.

Ever since I participated in an exploratory Mandarin Chinese course in Grade 11, I had always craved the ideal opportunity to immerse myself in Chinese culture. As my university required an internship component as a graduation requirement, it seemed only reasonable to set my eyes on China as an internship destination. Only one concern remained. How would such an ambition become feasible? Luckily, there is Go Abroad China (GAC), a non-profit organization dedicated in equipping young adventurous interns in China with the expectation that they succeed and emerge as global leaders.

Naturally, the core of the internship program revolves around endeavors at the workplace. Assuming that the companies operate Anglophone environments, exposure to Chinese culture on a daily basis appears to be missing. Thanks to GAC, embedding elements of a culture pertaining to one-sixth of the world’s population everyday became a reality that left me as a well-rounded and open-minded leader prepared for future challenges involving China’s emergence as a world superpower.

If learning the Chinese language and customs is to occur regularly, then focusing in on the accommodation remains imperative. GAC abounds with options that enable participants to live with Chinese of all lifestyles. In my case, I managed to live with single roommates working full time, a wealthy family in Beijing’s northern suburbs, and a host mother who worked professionally as a doctor. Irrespective of social status, all appreciated my effort to learn Mandarin, and they introduced me to a wide array of Beijing specialties to satisfy my appetite for Chinese cuisine. Such a set-up proved worthwhile in helping me integrate into Chinese society.

Additionally, GAC provided supplementary help in learning Mandarin my assigning me a tutor. We would meet regularly in a café in order to maximize the language-learning environment since I could order food in Chinese at the same time. If the student’s expectations do not directly correspond to those proposed by the tutor, GAC offers flexibility in which changing a tutor would not be problematic.

Assuming that the participant takes Mandarin, resides with a Chinese-speaking host family, and has exposure to the cuisine, everything would seem to be in order. What else could still be missing? GAC fills in the last missing puzzle piece by inviting students to take part at numerous excursions and cultural workshops offered on a weekly basis. Whether it be climbing at the Ming Wall, or learning the ins and outs of a Chinese massage, participants will enthusiastically choose cultural electives that cover an extensive realm of preferences. Those passionate about history and gardening will enjoy the Summer Palace, while those who are more action-oriented will enjoy Tai Chi.

Without GAC, interns would abound with confusion in a part of the world that may initially seem unfamiliar to them. Nevertheless, the help of such a reliable agency around the clock engages participants in an adventure that they will treasure for a lifetime. Remember, whatever a student puts into the experience is what he or she takes out of it, and those who take advantage of GAC will find a very rewarding experience that will remain indented in their memories beyond their stay in China.

I finished high school and have no clue about what to do next. I thought that to work abroad for some months could be fun and at the same time a valuable experience.

I found GoAbroadChina and compared to other companies, which offer basically the same kind of products, has the most competitive prices and was the fastest to answer my questions.

Accommodation: I choose to stay in a host family because I wanted to be closer to Chinese culture. It was great, maybe a little bit awkward at the beginning (my level of Chinese was really low, we had to use gestures to understand each other). I became part of the family and when I got time I spend time chatting with them. I know much more about Chinese culture now.

Internship: as I didn't really know which kind of job could be more suitable for me, I asked GAC staff who helped me a lot. I studied scientific (IT, telecommunications) subjects during high school, so I decided that an internship in a company in that industry. Luckily GAC found me a place and in very short time, so I could fly to China and start this experience. My plan was to stay there at least three months.

Language course: the best way to learn Chinese is to stay with Chinese, so I can say I learnt more talking with my host family than in class. Anyway, Chinese classes were useful to learn something about grammar and tones (which in Chinese are crucial!!).

I believe that my experience in China allowed me to grow personally and learn a great deal about other cultures.
I think that GAC’s services are very unique and beneficial for students like me.
As for the language course, the tutor was extremely helpful, and allowed me to develop skills in a language I knew nothing about prior to coming to China.
Speaking about the internship, the program coordinator was very helpful and was available whenever I had a question or concern.
Overall was a great experience because on one hand I had the chance to develop and improve my level of Chinese; on the other hand I had a unique working experience.

I stayed in a family house, my "mom" and "dad" were really kind and when I had time I gave some private English lesson to the child.

I went to work every day. The place wasn't so far, just three stops by subway.
After work, I used to go out with some colleagues or friends I met during my stay.

My stay in Beijing has been really great!

I participated in GAC program last summer. I thought the program offered what I was looking for: a way to improve my Chinese while experiencing China. The Chinese tutors were available flexibly to help with any language questions. My host mother Grace has been very very nice and patient with me, as well as GAC staff who has provided me with constant guidance and feedback! We often met up for dinners and other excursions, giving me the opportunities to converse and learn Chinese outside of the classroom. Before my program started in Beijing, GAC team was very responsive, making the process of getting to China and working, living in China much easier. Any problems came up were easily solved. I have to admit it is a great relief to know that I can call her anytime!

In addition, the group dinners and trips organized by GAC were wonderful. I was very very pleased by the welcome, and I am very thankful to GAC staff. I love them!

I interned in CRI through GAC and I worked closely with the manager and a number of other colleagues doing mostly interviewing, events and social media-type work. By interviewing, I mean interviewing ambassadors and counselors of various embassies like Micronesia, Nepal, etc.

When I decided to participate I the internship in China program, I absolutely did not know where I want to work, what I want to do and what can this opportunity bring me. The program adviser was extremely helpful and helped me to figure out all the details about the program and to set up my goals. I was offered a variety of options and was provided with all the necessary information to make the right choice. When already in China GAC staff was by my side every second I needed them.

This experience gave me the opportunity to use theoretical knowledge acquired at the university. Now I know exactly what I want. I believe that the experience of working in a successful and rapidly growing company provided significant advantage in the future career development. This internship is a very important stage of my life, I realized that every day counts and you need to work hard and always "invest in yourself" if you want to succeed. Do not be afraid of new experiences, look for new opportunities to realize yourselves!