02 Sep Back in America and I Miss Shanghai
It’s been almost a month since I’ve been back in America and there hasn’t been a day that I have not missed Shanghai and everyone I met this summer. I’ve had plenty of chances to share my experience with my friends and family and it is almost impossible to describe what living and working in a city like Shanghai has been. I haven’t really had a moment to relax since getting home and packing up for my third year of classes and even starting up my Junior year this past week and finally getting to write out this final blog feels really great.
I still look back at pictures from July and even keep up with fellow interns knowing if I am ever in Australia, Spain, Italy, or England I could call them up for a get together and things wouldn’t be any different. It’s weird to think that because of Absolute, I was able to meet people from all over the world and make all these connections and networking opportunities.
If I had to give any advice to someone who wants to go abroad and get an international internship, I would say to take every opportunity they are given. I’ve had fellow students and professors ask me how I was able to get an internship abroad and what it was like because it really is not common for students to have an opportunity like this. I’ve even had people ask me what the program Absolute is like because after hearing about the trips, work, and people I worked with they want to have that experience with a program like this. Getting to work in the real world and especially in a city where the culture is so extremely different really puts a perspective on how different college is from being a grown up with a job. Being a part of the Absolute program really taught me how to act professionally, work in different environments, and even open up and meet people different from me and my usual group of friends.
Absolute gave so many opportunities whether it was seeing the city of Nanjing where a fellow high school student would later win Gold in the Youth Olympics this year or meeting entrepreneurs in Shanghai who explained how important networking is and made one my classes this semester about careers and networking that much more relatable. Because of this Shanghai internship experience I feel like I know what I want to do with a marketing degree and I never would have figured it out without Absolute and the people who helped get me to Shanghai.
It’s hard to not stop talking about it and share every story and memory I made that month. Sharing stories of Sherpa’s delivery, dumplings late at night, terrifying taxi rides, and all the nights out with interns makes for a strong reminder of all I achieved in one month and everything I can accomplish after having this under my belt of experiences. I can’t thank Absolute and my family and friends enough for helping with this trip and I only hope I can spend many more months exploring and working abroad just like I got to do in Shanghai.
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