22 Aug Work AND Travel
A full time internship does not mean having to work all summer long. In fact, traveling can be done and should be done.
Traveling in China was full of fun and some of my favorite experiences abroad. What surprised me was how easy it was to get around in China given the affordable prices and various transportation methods.
While working in Shanghai, I had the opportunity to make weekend trips to Hangzhou, Suzhou and Beijing.
All in China, but all very different from each other and unique in their way. Going to different cities also prevented me from only having a Shanghai-perception of China.
Beijing: All the prominent images and videos I had ever seen of China could be found in this one city. The capital. Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City. All in Beijing and all must see attractions plus innumerous others. With a change of location also came a change in accents, cuisine and less English.
Hangzhou: Goodbye to English. Smaller than Shanghai, less populated, less international, but very worthy of sight seeing. Options to eat at traditional Chinese restaurants seemed endless and it is only an hour away from Mogan mountains, an unforgettable sight once on the mountain.
Suzhou: again, the food was worth remembering and there are so many small shops. Suzhou was memorable as there was an outdoor market with foods I wouldn’t typically find in the US (crickets, stinky tofu, scorpions, silk worms etc.) Trying insects was a must and I could finally scratch it off my bucket list. It’s all part of the experience.
These were weekend trips I got to experience, but Shanghai was massive and always a lot to do that it also needs weekends to fully explore. If I could go to China again, I would choose Shanghai again for its diverse cuisine, districts, nightlife, tourist attractions and just the feeling of being in a very, very busy city.
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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