19 Feb Ready to immerse myself in the culture
Hi my name is Sarra and I live in Sydney, Australia. I study the Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology Sydney.
I am travelling to Shanghai for my internship this summer and am very excited. I have never travelled to Asia and I expect it will be a great cultural experience. I hope to see traditional aspects of China and I believe I will be in Shanghai for Chinese New Year. This is probably the event I am most excited for. I look forward to seeing how the people of the city celebrate this major cultural event. In Sydney, there are Chinese New Year festivals and parades but I expect to see the most extravagant celebrations in the heart of China. I expect to see a lot of things that are typically associated with the Chinese New Year such as red envelopes. Sydney is in fact extremely multicultural and I events on the Chinese calendar are celebrated every year along with western ones, however, I think there will be a huge difference in the way celebrations are conducted in Australia compared to China.
I think there will be subtle cultural differences between China and Australia. As of now, I am not aware of specific social behaviors that I should either avoid or embrace so I think it will be interesting to learn and practice throughout the month. I think it will be great to see the hustle and bustle of city life in Shanghai, especially during peak hours and in the business centers. I feel that the difference in population between Sydney and shanghai will make the city even more exciting. I have experienced the large populations in Indian cities but I think Shanghai will offer a completely original experience in comparison. I really expect there to be an obvious dichotomy in the city. I think it will be similar to Singapore in that there will be more “flashy” parts, perhaps in the business districts, and other areas where the standard of living is low.
I think that the language barrier will be a challenge for me. In general, I don’t think I’m very good at picking up new languages so this is something I definitely hope to overcome. I don’t think there is any better way to learn a language than to submerge yourself in it though so I am looking forward to gaining some knowledge of one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Still thinking about the culture of Shanghai, I think it will offer a completely original culinary experience. I would really like to find street markets where I can buy food. I expect that I will fall in love with dishes that expose me to flavors I would normally not be exposed to. I expect restaurants to serve great food and offer a completely different dining experience than Sydney does. Just thinking about food preparation, I think I could find a great Teppanyaki restaurant in Shanghai.
Thinking about my internship, I’m not quite sure what to expect. The description of my role details what I will be doing broadly but I am unsure as to what the day-to-day schedule will be. I will be working in a wealth management firm with a fund manager, which is ideal for me because I personally want to work in the wealth management sector of finance. I expect the work will be a mixture of learning opportunities, tasks relating to portfolio management and possibly administration work as well. I am hoping to learn as much as possible about not only wealth management, but the business industry in Shanghai as well.
Mica Pauline Tiu is a Content Writer working with Absolute Internship, which offers internships, remote projects, immersion programs, and faculty-led experiences for students and graduates across the world. Passionate about student success and global education, she has collaborated with the team for four years on blog articles and alumni stories. Her background spans PR and digital strategy, with experience producing lifestyle features, press releases, corporate documents, and pieces on beauty, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Outside of work, she co-runs an independent animal welfare project, leading its creative and marketing efforts, and organizes cat-centric community events that support rescuers, creatives, and small businesses.
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