Business Internships Abroad in China Provide Opportunities to Learn the Culture and Practice Mandarin
Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) December 30, 2016 -- In a global economy, it is becoming more and more important for people to have exposure to the diverse cultures around them. Westen Weiss, a young man from New York, recently returned home after an international internship in business in China through CrossContinental.org. He is a third-year student at the University of Pittsburgh studying Mandarin Chinese, statistics, and economics. He wants to improve his Mandarin fluency while gaining Chinese business experience at the same time. His 5-week international internship offered him plenty of opportunities to do both.
- Chinese Business Internship
Considering his skill set and preferences, CrossContinental customized an intern abroad program for Westen and arranged a local host family for him, as well as, a work project at a Chinese investment firm. He reported to have learned a lot about Chinese business culture and practices which will give him a tremendous advantage as he moves towards his career in international business.
In the attached video (https://youtu.be/iM4vYQhxIIc), he talks about this international internship experience at the investment firm in China. During this interview in China, Westen commented, "It's been really great so far, I've learned a lot. I’ve been able to practice my Chinese a ton. Everyone at the company has been super welcoming and warm. I’ve been able to learn a lot about Chinese business culture and [Chinese] culture in general. It has been a huge advantage to me."
According to a recent study from the U.K. based Centre for Economics and Business Research, by 2031 China will become the largest economy in the world with a GDP of $35.26 trillion. Being familiar with the Chinese customs and business practices will provide a big advantage in the international business sector. Considering China’s importance in the global economy, International internships in China help improve one’s resume and increase their chance of getting an ideal job.
- Host Family, Friendship, and Networking
According to Westen, his local host family has also been very warm and welcoming. He said, “On the weekends, they always take me places. They have been helpful in every possible aspect.”
Speaking of friendships and networking opportunities during the internship program in China, he said, “Like I said, the people here are really warm and welcoming. I’ve had no problem at all. Meeting a bunch of new friends through the company and my host family, getting out and talking to people, it’s been really fun. I’ve been able to practice my Chinese a ton.”
- Internship Location in China
Weston’s program was situated in the mountain city of Chengde. It was big enough to have modern conveniences, yet small enough to have little Western influences and provide a true Chinese cultural immersion experience. It is also only a short 2 hour bus ride from Beijing, so it is very convenient to get to. Westen reports that it has been really cool to get a more genuine grasp of China.
Westen said, “Chengde as a whole has been a really cool city. There’s not a lot of western influences here, so it’s really cool to kind of get a more genuine grasp of China through living here.”
- Practicing Mandarin in China
Unlike many other towns in China, where locals talk in their regional dialects, Chengde is an especially great place to practice Mandarin due to the fact that the people there speak official Mandarin only, and therefore have no accent when they speak. Learning a language with native speakers makes one a more fluent and natural speaker and can be an invaluable supplement to the language classes one takes at school. Although Westen had studied Mandarin in school and lived in Shanghai for 3 years, he still improved his Mandarin through his intern abroad program with CrossContinental. He reported to have been able to practice his Mandarin a ton during this international internship program.
Access valuable resources or plan a life-changing trip at https://www.CrossContinental.org. See more programs and information in the attached video (https://youtu.be/4YgkrLF3FZE).
About CrossContinental.org:
Cross-Continental Solutions provides affordable yet flexible international learning programs, including volunteer abroad, intern abroad, cultural immersion, language study, and gap year programs. A large variety of work placement options are available such as: Teaching, Healthcare, Community Development, Business Coaching, HIV work, Care-giving, Orphanage Work, Journalism, Photography, Wildlife, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Microfinance, Tourism, Marketing, and more. Programs are available at many locations around the world, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By living and working side by side with locals, participants gain an exceptional cross-cultural experience and the opportunity to truly make a difference. For more details, visit CrossContinental.org.
Jian Leslie, Cross-Continental Solutions Inc., http://www.crosscontinental.org, +1 604-700-6096, [email protected]
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