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CRCC Asia

Why choose CRCC Asia?

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Reviews

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Sam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

If you see an opportunity take it, especially this one!

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What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Make as much use of your weekends as possible to travel and see more of the host country

Make use of all the networking opportunities

Don't be afraid to try new things and go outside you're comfort zone
Pros
  • The people and support from the CRCC Asia team
  • The accomodation and location
  • The entire experience
Cons
  • Not speaking the language (but makes it more fun)
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Adam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Magazine Journalist in Shanghai, 2017

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What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Compiling a widely read ranking of Shanghai's nightclubs and getting into some very hilarious and mostly light-hearted conflicts with the city's nightlife barons as a result.
Pros
  • Cultural exchange
  • Work experience
  • Meeting people who are still some of my best friends today (I'm flying to the US to stay with one of them shortly! - I'm coming for you Kiki)
Cons
  • If you're shy you might not feel supported enough to put yourself out there
  • Some people felt their placements were mismatched to their career goals
  • More Mandarin classes would have been good!
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Eileen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Foundational experience for my career path

I interned with a digital marketing agency specializing in e-commerce where I conducted research and created decks and spreadsheets on brands in the Chinese market. I later went back to China as a part of an international masters’ degree program in Global Commerce and now work for a creative advertising agency back in the U.S. where my background has given me a unique POV on my clients’ business. I also think the personal growth and skills of resilience and cultural adaptability honed through CRCC and beyond has been foundational for my career growth over the last decade.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Hiking in Huang Shan was utterly breathtaking - and surprising because instead of trails, all the paths were paved or carved stone steps. And our hostel was at the top of a mountain! My legs felt like Jello for a week, but the views were so worth it.
Pros
  • Experienced living in a very different culture
  • Met people from around the world both in the program and outside of it
  • Gained valuable professional experience in my chosen field
Cons
  • In hindsight, I wish I had done more to immerse in the language and build relationships with locals vs expats
  • Internships had a wide range of involvement in the actual work of the company. I felt lucky that I got somewhat real, usable experience
  • While there were some opportunities to meet others in the program, I mostly stuck with people from my school or my workplace, I wish I had been less shy!
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Jamie
5/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Jamie Scott

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What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The traffic!
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Mariah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Legal Internship in Ho Chi Minh City

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If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would have stayed longer to make the most out of the program!

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program for various reasons. When deciding where I wanted to travel, I wanted to find a place that could feel like home. Yes, going out of your comfort zone can be a good thing, but I wanted to live somewhere where I felt like I could be myself. Manchester was that place for me.

Another reason for choosing this program was that I felt like it was the perfect mixture of independent traveling and organized by the provider. Being able to have real-life experience in the field of my choosing was the best scenario that I could have asked for.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Like I said before, the way that this program was set up was the most ideal situation for me. It was very personalized to me and I got exactly the experience that I set out to get.

My university assisted me at the beginning and helped me understand what the future steps were going to be. From there, CRCC Asia contacted me and asked questions about the type of internship I wanted during my stay in Manchester. Once that was out of the way, they set up interviews with various nonprofit organizations for me and I got to decide where I wanted to work. The whole process really couldn't have been easier.

From there, things were fairly independent. I had to mail some paperwork, get a work visa myself and set up flights. At the end of the day, I felt like the balance was good between the both of us.

Knowing that I had CRCC Asia in my corner really put me at ease.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Advice that I would give someone going on the program is:

1. Take everything as it comes. In the beginning, before leaving, things are going to be stressful. Keep in the back of your mind that everything is going to work out and that the people at CRCC Asia or really any provider are there to help and support you. Even when you are settled in your flat with your roommates, your provider is there to make you as comfortable as they can. Knowing that I was their priority really set me at ease and allowed me to enjoy my time.

2. Take time for yourself! This can be a huge transition for most people and getting adjusted can take a while. One thing that helped me was walking around the city and the area where my flat was. Finding a local pub, restaurant, or a coffee shop that felt comfortable and like a safe place really helped me ease my mind. Feeling comfortable and confident in your surroundings helps dramatically.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Your average day can look different than others and that is okay. For me, my day consisted of:

1. Walking to the train station and going to work.

2. Work and my lunch break of wandering the city of Stockport.

3. Returning from work and going to a local pub to unwind.

4. Returning to my flat and making dinner or going out with friends.

Each week was different. As CRCC Asia was able to set up some fun things for us to do, each weekend looked different. While the workdays where relatively the same, the weekends were the best time to wander around the city you are living in or surrounding cities.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear is that I either wouldn't like working at a nonprofit or that I would hate the city. I overcame these fears by really diving in headfirst. I wanted to learn everything that I could. While educating myself, I realized that at the end of the day, the only that that could stop me from having the best time that I can is myself. Having a good attitude about the experience changes everything.

What's your favorite memory?

There were so many amazing moments. One of my favorite shows is called "Love Island." It is a reality show where singles go into a villa to find love. One of my goals was to meet some past cast members; fortunately for me, I was able to complete that goal!

Another favorite memory was getting my tattoo. I fell in love with Manchester way more than I thought I would. That city is apart of me and a place that I hope to move to someday. A major symbol of Manchester is the worker bee. After the bombings at the Ariana Grande concert, this symbol took over the city and showcased work ethic and community. I loved it so much that I got a tattoo of it and I will cherish it forever.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Kevin Kikuchi

Job Title
General Manager - Osaka
Kevin was born and raised in London and after graduating from university has worked for major Japanese trading companies in London. With Japanese background on his father's side, he has always had a deep affinity with the country and his love for the culture, warm-hearted environment and great cuisine found in Osaka has led him to move there in 2017. Since then, he has had experience in managing an IT start-up and setting up the CRCC Asia Osaka office from scratch.
Kevin Kikuchi

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory was trekking in Kyrgyzstan when I was still in my teens. I had already experienced traveled to numerous countries, but mainly in Europe. Experiencing a completely different culture was eye-opening and for the first time, allowed me to understand that people can connect even with a language barrier through our community service work there.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

This company is run by highly motivated staff from various backgrounds so every day is a new lesson on new cultures. It has provided me with new perspectives that have pushed my creativity, an attribute that is heavily required for my position.

The company has also allowed me to network with various companies and organizations in Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, improving my understanding of business and economy within West Japan.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of our alumni was hired by their host company and is now doing programming work for them remotely. As they saw huge potential in him, they gave him a senior position as 'Chief Data Scientist' role to show their commitment and faith towards him. Should he choose to, he will be able to return to Osaka to work for this company after his graduation.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would definitely be interested in having an internship in Seoul (South Korea). I happen to be half South Korean, but surprisingly, I never visited the country, so there would be no better opportunity than participating in an internship program in Seoul! I have seen the successes they have had in their city and I would never say no to having Korean food every day!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I knew from the moment I had attended the first interview that the staff at CRCC Asia are passionate to help people. This unanimous goal fosters an environment where we are motivated to provide the best programs to our participants.

I was extremely proud to have had such high satisfaction scores from our interns after our very first internship program. Furthermore, CRCC Asia's activities have attracted the interest of government organizations and huge accelerators in Osaka thanks to all the positive reactions we got from our host companies who took in these interns.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I believe having a group of people with similar goals and passions is key to success for any company. Sharing your successes with people with similar values can be rewarding and when in a difficult situation it is easy to lose sight of goals, but having someone next to you with similar ambitions can spur you on.