Cultural Exchange and Internship in China: Creative, Business, and Engineering Internships in Beijing & Taipei

My name is Nora, I'm a master's degree student at NYU. I participated in My China Opportunity's internship program last summer in 2013. It was an awesome experience being able to meet new people from the program and to also work in a dynamic company.

During my stay, I was living in Shuangjing. It was convenient for me because I was able to walk to work and be extremely close to all the western amenities. My apartment was gated and had a guard watching at all times. I never once had a problem with the safety of my apartment. Beijing is a really big city, so it's important to make sure you feel comfortable as you can be. MCO definitely helped in making sure I was comfortable during the duration of my internship.

The public transportation around my accommodation was really good, although it was a little crowded. I can't really complain because Beijing has a huge population. No matter where I went on the Subway, it only cost me 2 yuan (25 cents). Walking to the subway only took five minutes as well. There was also easy access to buses. And if I was ever lazy, I could always take a taxi. They were always outside the apartment and quite cheap as well (13 yuan or $2 for the first 3 kilometers). Overall, China has a really efficient public transportation system.

During my internship, I was able to get exposure to marketing and PR projects. I was able to manage some of the social media and create strategies that would be later implemented. I was also able to learn the basics of social media marketing and search engine optimization. By participating in the internship, I was able to improve upon my existing communication skills, and creative writing. Overall, I feel that the internship I did in Beijing really helped me to find out what I want to do for a career.

MCO help some interesting events during the program. I would say that the best social event was being able to camp on the Great Wall of China. Not the refurbished part of the wall, but the wild untouched part. Another great event that MCO hosted was a guest speaking event with the digital editor of Vogue. We got to hear his perspectives of the industry and learn more about Vogue's challenges in the China market. We also got to attend many networking opportunities to develop a professional network.

Overall, I have to say that interning in China with MCO is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not only do they help you find an awesome internship, but they also make sure you're having a good time and excelling in China.I definitely recommend this program to anyone who is interested in getting a taste if China.

I decided to join My China Opportunity's internship program back in 2012. Overall, I had great experiences with MCO and China in general. When I had a problem, Chris & Miranda were always there to provide support. My housing was super close to work, only one subway stop away which was super convenient. During the program, I got to meet tons of new people from all over the world, network with other professionals and learn the basics of a new language. I had a wonderful experience in China with MCO and would highly recommend it to anyone looking come to China.

Chris and Miranda the co-founders of MCO provided me with an invaluable experience in Beijing. After meeting them in San Diego, California it was two months later that I moved to Beijing. I was picked up at the airport and driven straight to the apartment that they had already arranged for me. While meeting them in San Diego I was explaining my current business I was starting using Himalayan coffee beans and how I needed more business experience in general. On top of that, I was not a typical business student but a sociology major who has a deep passion for Social Entrepreneurship. MCO immediately saw a great fit for me at Shangrila Farms. Shangrila Farms is a social enterprise that focuses on coffee and honey, two products that I am very passionate about. My experience with MCO and Shangrila Farms has extended far beyond an internship. I received a full-time job from them and continue to get great personal and professional advice from Chris and Miranda. The skills I have gained include sales, channel management, marketing, event organization, contract negotiation, and beginner to intermediate Mandarin.

I spent last summer working in Beijing through this internship while living in the Shuangjing district of Beijing - I had an overwhelmingly positive and safe experience during my time there. I am an American and have visited China twice before via study abroad programs through my university before applying for this internship, so I did have some knowledge of what to expect. Nonetheless, most of my fellow interns had never been to China before and it was an extremely smooth and accommodating experience for them too.

If you haven't been to Beijing yet, you'll quickly learn that it's a metropolitan area not unlike many places you'd find in the west. The apartment complex I lived in had installed a key-card system at the front doors and there was a 24-hour gatekeeper who monitors all foot-traffic -- it's about as safe as I could have asked for. There is a constant flow of taxi cabs (which are extremely affordable) right as you exit the buildings, so it's very convenient to get anywhere in the city. Personally, however, I preferred to take the subway everywhere, which is cheaper still and allows you to avoid the road traffic. The subway station is just a ~5 minute walk away and you don't even need to cross the street to enter it. The agent who maintained the apartment through the internship was a British native whose number I always had on hand in case I got locked out, the wifi was down, etc. etc... it was convenient not being forced to use Chinese if little issues like that arose. In addition to this, there are many foreigners living in and around the area to befriend and for a network with.

During work, I would routinely arrive back in the evenings and read/relax/eat at the shopping malls which are located a stone-throw away. They have western-style supermarkets with virtually any imported food you could desire, Starbucks, 7-11, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Dairy Queen, and a Costa Coffee just to name a few... not mentioning the (much more delicious) Chinese restaurants. I'd also go to the gym virtually every day, which was akin to anything you'd find in the States. The Walmart is a subway stop away too. Basically, it's a very great and safe area to live in... and very westernized if you're afraid of the culture shock.

My apartment-mates were all very respectful and interesting people. I would look forward to hanging out with them on weekends and evenings and had no reservations keeping my bedroom door unlocked with them around, although each door has locks/keys if you'd like to be extra safe.

The group programs organized by the internship coordinators included wonderful and memorable events that will stay with me for life. Perhaps my favorite among them was a camping trip to a more-secluded section of the Great Wall where we could avoid the crowds and spend an entire night in a guard tower! We also had a game night, BBQ, Chinese hot-pot dinner, a Chinese-style group massage day, and others, in addition to frequent invitations to attend various events with Beijing-area expats (i.e. professional mixers, a TED talk). The networking opportunities with like-minded individuals and experts is enormous.

Overall, my experience last summer was one of the greatest of my life and I couldn't imagine a better or more convenient way to have spent it than through this program!