20 Jul What Life Is In China
Being a confident individual, I was tremendously more excited than nervous for my adventure to Shanghai. After restlessly arriving to the Pudong International airport, our group and I were greeted by a member of the Absolute Internship team. From that moment, I knew that my experience would be extremely well accommodated. After arriving to the hotel, I was thoroughly impressed by the living conditions that we were afforded. I could not be happier to have my own bedroom, bathroom, and balcony, eighteen floors above a beautiful city setting. After a fabulous traditional style Chinese meal with our group, my roommate August and I were so eager to explore Shanghai, that we took a cab to a nearby bar. The taxi experience was as unique as the city. It was my first time interacting with a Chinese-speaking individual, so using hand gestures to describe where we wanted to go was crucial. The following morning at orientation, I got to know the rest of the Absolute Internship team, and gained some basic knowledge about Shanghai and the Chinese culture.
Over the course of the weekend, I experienced what life in Shanghai is like. The metro was everything and more than what it was described to be. Ruthless Chinese individuals packed onto each train car like sardines. A public transportation nightmare, unlike anything I had ever experienced in the United States. After an eventful weekend of sightseeing, exploring the metro, and trying new food, the first day of work arrived. During that first day, the three other interns and I were introduced to a multitude of other employees that worked in our office, some intimidating more than others, but great people nonetheless. The first day was like a rollercoaster ride of excitement, curiosity, and hard work, and the first week has been filled with the same.
Two of our bosses invited us interns out to a local expat bar to become better acquainted with one another over a few drinks. From there, we headed to a happy hour to debrief with the Absolute team and the rest of our group from Butler University. A good drink and a beautiful skyline was a fantastic way to cap off an exhilarating first day at work. My first week in Shanghai has brought enthusiasm to my life unlike ever before, and I simply cannot wait to see what the next month has in store.
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