3 months in China

Undertaking the China Internship Program and Mandarin was the best choice I have ever made in my life. This wasn't my first time in China, but using the services CRCC Asia provided, created a whole new experience for me.
I selected to do the China Internship Program and Mandarin because I wanted to get the full experience that I could. It was one-month Mandarin classes (which they were hard) and two months interning at Beijing Youth International Culture and Arts Association (BYICAA) as their Marketer. I feel like this was the best choice for me at the time, and I was correct.

To some three months might seem like a long time to be away from home, but that is the last thing you are thinking about when you are on one of these programs. All the students that are on the program are all kept in the same apartment building which creates a fantastic opportunity to catch up with each other. We had all formed a bond together and shared Christmas day with each other and even allowing for a game of cricket on Christmas night in our living rooms. (See photo)

Working for BYICAA was a valuable experience for me. I could use the skills I learnt at university and apply them to a different setting. This being outside of big business which I had done in previous internships in Australia. To this day, my colleges at BYICAA consider me like family, and the feeling is mutual.

The additional activities were a bonus. The business events were a great insight into the vast world of international business. I had the opportunity to talk with people who were conducting operations in China. This was a valuable resource. However, it was not all business, the KTV and dumpling making sessions were also a blast. All at no additional cost to myself.

By the end of the trip, I have experienced a different side to China. My original view was that of a naive tourist, but I feel by the end of the three months I could live there forever. I had the opportunity to make great friends with the 30 other students conducting the same program as me. These students weren't just from Australia, but all over the globe, adding to the international experience.

Undertaking this program will be the best thing you ever do.