Beijing So Far

 So far we have been in Beijing for about a month, which means I am about halfway through my trip and internship. The whole experience is going by way too fast and it is hard to believe that it is half done. So for this blog, I wanted to reflect on my impressions of China and my time here for the first month.

China is a beautiful place with an amazing cultural heritage. It is amazing to me that you can go from the urban city of Beijing with KFCs and a crazy amount of cars to an ancient, historical temple several centuries old on the same street. Or, there are lakes and rivers edged into different places in the city, giving a natural feeling among the urban sprawl. I love how on almost every street you go on in Beijing you can see a nod to China’s historical culture among the urbanization and that they have successfully held on to their traditions for so long. The city is also set up in a very organized way that it is very easy to get around. People are always busy and moving from place to the next. This gives the city a very fast-paced energetic vibe. That is something else that I really like about Beijing.
There is always something to do or see or experience and though it may seem exhausting the energy of the city helps you to keep moving. Overall, I am greatly enjoying my time here and I cannot wait to experience more. From the great food to the beautiful parks and temples, Beijing is definitely gorgeous and fascinating city to stay in for two months.

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Firsts

This week was full of very exciting firsts for me. At my internship this week I had an amazing opportunity to visit the Dutch embassy in Beijing. I work at an NGO and we often cooperate with international embassies when it comes to our events. Most of the embassies are located off of Liangmaqiao street in a very beautiful area. The Dutch embassy is right next to the United Nations in Beijing and that was pretty exciting to walk past as well. There is a river that runs through that area where people swim and relax. There is a little park area where people can eat lunch and play games.

Though I was not allowed to take pictures of the embassy, I did get pictures of the river and park area. Going to the embassy was really exciting for me because I love international politics and I hope to eventually work at an embassy or work with them such as in an NGO. I’ve also never been inside an embassy before, so it was exciting to see one and observe how NGOs interact with embassies.

 

My second first is that I got to see the Great Wall of China for the first time. We went to a less tourist area of the wall called Jinshanling. Though the hike up was difficult the view was amazing. The part we were at was one of the longest stretches of the wall still intact and it is amazing to think of all the craftsmanship that went into building the wall. It was an incredible experience.                                           

 

Overall, this week has been full of amazing experiences and I feel incredibly lucky to have had these opportunities.

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Beautiful China

Already almost time to go home… China really has grown on me these past 3 weeks and although I miss home, a part of me wishes I could stay longer.

 

Life

I feel much more comfortable now. As strange as it sounds, coming back from Guilin (which I’ll talk about later) felt like what I imagined going back to Canada would feel like. I had just started to get used to constantly feeling like a celebrity. If you’re confused, let me explain. Despite China being extremely modern, it seems that many people (especially in rural  areas that we travelled to) are not used to seeing foreigners, and it is very easy to tell. Be warned: people may take pictures. The way I see it, people are just curious (and if you talk to them very nice, albeit shy), and don’t mean it in a negative way. No such thing as bad publicity, right?

Work

I finished up my large project at work, and will be presenting it on Friday (my last day). If you’re interested in buy-side finance: it was an analysis of a company called Himax Technologies, where after doing my analysis I gave a “buy” recommendation supported by a report explaining the business model, growth projections, and the valuation model. My presentation will involve pitching to the analyst team, after which they will take a closer look and decide if they want to move forward.

Travel

Travelling took up the bulk of my time this week. We left for Guilin/Yangshuo on Thursday morning and came back Sunday night. If you’re planning on travelling during your time in China, the high-speed trains are extremely quick and convenient. Took us 3 hours to get to Guilin (~630km), and the scenery along the way was gorgeous. In Guilin we saw the Sun & Moon Pagodas, bargained with merchants in the Night Market, and went to the breath-taking Longsheng Rice Terraces. If you’re in Shenzhen, I would highly recommend visiting this area – you won’t regret it.

The highlight for me though, was Yangshuo (and getting there). We travelled to Yangshuo via the “Li River Cruise” which may have been the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. My words won’t do it justice, and neither will any pictures. You’ll have to visit and experience the Li River for yourself. Walking along the pier in Yangshuo made me feel like I was in a town from Game of Thrones. Very crowded, merchants everywhere, and languages I couldn’t understand. From there we entered “West Street” which is unlike any street I’ve seen in the western world. Filled with little shops, food stalls, and beautiful little buildings – I thoroughly enjoyed it. My most memorable experience though, was riding the Mopeds. For six hours, they cost us only 50RMB (~$10 for me). I can now say that I have driven in Chinese traffic. Definitely one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. Driving mopeds is one thing, but doing it on roads that have such a gorgeous backdrop is something that I think should be on everyone’s bucket list.

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Must-Sees in Beijing

This past weekend we went to Xidan commercial area, Summer Palace, and Shichahai Lake. The weekday work schedule and exhausting commute has caught up to me and I wanted to keep the weekend trips more chill so that I would have more time to relax. Each place that we went to was unique in its own way, and the Summer Palace and Shichahai were my favorite places we’ve visited so far in Beijing.

This past weekend also served several firsts; the weather hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit, tons of natives in Summer Palace asking Christine to take selfies with them, and a mistake in ordering food led to extremely spicy bowls of noodles that we couldn’t continue eating (spicy in terms of the noodles being made with notorious Beijing peppers). I loved Summer Palace because of how beautiful the entire park was and how well the architecture all came together. I recommend spending time around the lake, which was my favorite spot, and looking out at the bridge, island, and Fragrant Hills that are in the background; that is one view I would never get tired of.

I’ve attached a picture of the bowl of noodles as a warning. Do not ever order this if you ever see it.

Our failed lunch left us staying in the safe lane with fish and chips for dinner at Wangfujing. A late night snack of Hong Kong egg waffles hit the spot, and I definitely recommend trying out ice cream with Hong Kong egg waffles if you ever get the chance! In addition, I wasn’t expecting much of Shichahai (Beihai is makes up one of the lakes there), but while I was strolling among the crowded sidewalks with tour groups, foreigners, and natives, the place still kept its traditional feeling. There were little shops, boutiques, and restaurants selling cute souvenirs, nifty trinkets, and interesting food.

The weather was even hotter on Sunday, past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but the cloudy sky and breeze made it feel a lot cooler. I’ve been on the lookout for shaved ice, or 刨冰,every time we go out during the weekend, but haven’t had any luck so far. Since mangoes are especially juicy and sweet in Asia, most natives recommend mango shaved ice, which has pieces of fruit, ice cream, and various toppings like jellies, red bean, condensed milk, and etc. that mixes together to create a wonderful dessert. The heat and sweat made us settle for a pineapple smoothie and mango smoothie instead. If you walk far out enough along the river, you’ll hit the hutongs (or traditional residential area), which is also a nice place to stroll around if you want to get away from the bars, shops, and restaurants.

Overall, I cannot believe how fast the time is passing. During my morning commute, I take the bus with one or two other interns who are finishing up their one month internship program tomorrow. I can’t believe how fast the time is passing, and I want to size every moment that I have here!

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Bye bye Shenzhen, Hello Beijing!

After another productive week at work and a little drama involving flights, I made it to Beijing on Friday afternoon. I noticed how exciting life in the city was when I first entered one of Beijing’s crowded metro stations. As I walked around the crammed streets of on my way to Tiananmen Square, I sampled some delicious Baozis (stuffed buns) and Danta (Chinese egg tarts). The square comprised of the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the National Museum of China located next to the Forbidden City. The Zijin Cheng (Forbidden city) is a rectangular division of outer and inner courts used for ceremonial and daily affairs by the emperors in the Ming- Qing dynasties. It took me over 3 hours to explore the palace’s three tiers, great halls, ancient architecture and museum. To end the day, I treated myself to a local delicacy, Peking Duck. It consisted of crisp skin and sliced meat served with cucumber, scallion, pancakes and sweet bean sauce.

The next day, I put on my hiking boots, suntan lotion and grabbed my bag of supplies for the journey to Jinshanling, a section of the Great Wall of China. After an hour of climbing to the top, I was met with magnificent views of barrier walls, watchtowers and breath-taking landscapes. Each watchtower had a fascinating inscription describing the historic significance of that part of the wall. During the evening, I strolled along streets full of vendors selling souvenirs and sweets like Tanghulu (candied tomato on the stick).

The next day I headed to the Summer Palace. I saw landscapes covered in Chinese horticulture, lakes, gardens, rocks, pavilions and long corridors. I spent an afternoon sitting by a lake watching black swans and lily pods. Shopping in the HongQiao Pearl market was a delight with all the inexpensive jewellery, pearls, electronics, silk products and traditional Chinese art. I went to the Beijing national stadium (the bird’s nest) and the aquatics centre (the water cube) to get both a day and night view. At night I was invited by beta alumni to dine at the Red Bowl, one of the finest hotpot restaurants in Beijing. Afterwards we went on a ride to experience the bar street and high end night life of central Beijing!

On the final day I headed to the lively Panjiayuan, an antique market with stalls selling arts, crafts, antiques, stones and jewellery. The market had lots of precious antiques and rare items that could be bagged for cheap prices with some hard bargaining. I decided to end my trip on a spiritual note by visiting the Temple of Heaven. The grand architectural style was a good representation of the profound history, culture and philosophy of China. It was comprised of many breath taking areas such as the Imperial Vault of Heaven, a rose garden, the Palace of Worship and the Danbi bridge.

These are some of the highlights of my trip to the Peking city. Bye-Bye Beijing.

 

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Successful second week…

After a long weekend visiting Guangzhou, climbing Wutong Mountain and celebrating Dragon Boat Festival, I returned to my placement at the Chiropractic clinic to learn about alternative medicinal techniques! The First Chiropractic Spinal Wellness Centre is located in the Nanshan district and is an American style chiropractic centre, practicing various services like soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation therapy, sport injury therapy, exercise therapy and lifestyle counselling. After a week of working here I have already explored these practices in-depth and shadowed staff to enhance my knowledge about techniques and interaction methods. Working at an international clinic I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with patients from all the over the world. From the information and knowledge I have acquired I have already created a monthly newsletter to be distributed to the patients and interested public through WeChat and other sources.

After a long week at work from 9:00-18:00 everyday, the weekend finally arrived and we hired a private car to visit the Xichong Beach located within Dapeng National Park. To its north is Mount Qiniangshan, the second largest mountain in the city which contributed to the beautiful seaside scenic views. Xichong on the east coastline of Shenzhen, was one of the most beautiful beaches I have visited with clear sky, greenery around the blue sea and white sand with breath-taking views of the mountain. After a day of sunbathing, swimming, sand castles and lots of fun, I had my first experience of Chinese KTV with co-workers. KTVs are karaoke bars with private rooms for about 6-10 people with a big screen, speakers, microphones, food and drinks. The price was very decent when shared amongst everyone and it runs past midnight. I strongly recommend it to everyone because I had a great experience singing my heart out to both English and Chinese songs. The rooms were decorated in a very royal Chinese style and the atmosphere gets heated up very quickly with everyone enjoying the drinks and the variety of song choice provided.

One of the advantages of doing the program through CRCC Asia is the different cultural programs they offer each week. Last Sunday we had a community outreach event with the kids of Springfield Studio on an outdoor art project held in Lianhua Mountain. It was very exciting to work with the kids and talk to their parents and teachers about the education in China and extracurricular activities they undertake. We introduced each other, played games, created paintings on wood and had lots of fun. To end my eventful week, I visited the Dafen oil painting village which offers a wide range of affordable replicas of traditional Chinese and modern paintings. Strolling along the streets I had the chance to see artists at work, shopped for art materials and got paintings framed.

So that’s the wrap up of my successful second week in Shenzhen. I have a very exiting trip planned for next weekend. Stay tuned for more details about my experiences!

Komal Vadday, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

 

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Sight-seeing in Beijing

This past weekend was filled with sightseeing since there isn’t much time to travel except during the weekends, so I try to utilize the free time we have. On Friday night after work, I met up with a fellow intern at Wangfujing to explore the snack street packed with skewers of scorpions, spiders, starfish, etc. that fill up tourists’ blogs when you search up the keywords ‘Wanfujing’. We stayed in the safe lane and tried out corn on the cob, Beijing style crepes/Chinese pancakes 煎饼, Taiwanese strawberry bubble tea 台湾泡泡茶 (not the milk tea with tapioca pearls kind but literal bubbles flowing from the bottom up), mango smoothie 芒果雪冰, and baozi 包子(or Chinese buns with varying fillings). Apparently the Wangfujing snack street starts at higher prices than other night markets and also targets foreigners since there were plenty of tourists walking around. After eating our fill, we walked around Wangfujing with both older, traditional shops that have been around for a century, and newer, foreign brands like Zara, H&M, and Forever 21. After ending our night with some green tea ice cream, we headed back and had an early night in preparation of more exploring on Saturday.

 

I almost regretted visiting Tiananmen on Saturday because of the scorching hot sun and resulting weather that almost hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but the emptiness of the square and view made up for the sweat. Since we needed somewhere to cool down and find a place to eat, the Indigo Shopping Mall at exit C of Jiangtai station turned out to be a perfect getaway. Our diverse dinner of McDonald’s and Chinese black bean sauce noodles, or 炸酱面, turned out to be perfect as the salty and sweet balanced each other out.

Lastly, Sunday was the big day for our group who went to the Great Wall (Jinshanling section, not the typical Badaling section where tour groups go). The two hour bus ride each way paid off because the wall was empty and the view was great. By the way, make sure to eat before you go and to stock up on water and snacks for the trip because there aren’t any restaurants, and the little shops only sell overpriced water, chips, and hats. I believe we hiked a total of 2,200 meters of the actual wall, which took less than 3 hours, and rested until 3pm when the bus took us back to Wanjing West Station in Beijing. The Great Wall is an amazing feat of architecture, and I definitely recommend going to the Jinshangling section if you want to avoid the crowds and don’t mind the two hour bus trip there and back. This past weekend was jam-packed with sightseeing and now it’s time to get back into the weekday routine at the office.

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Dragon Boat Festival Weekend

After 2 weeks of arriving in Beijing, it’s been vital to me to establish a routine in this new environment. It’s pretty exhausting getting up around 7am and arriving back home around 7pm during the weekdays, but I try to exercise at nights or on the weekends to relieve stress. Work has been getting more busy, and I’ve joined a team of two other lawyers in my firm that handles litigations. So far, I’ve attended meetings to other law firms with my team in order to make a game plan about our next step. My work mainly consists of translating the English documents to Chinese, helping research Chinese environmental laws and regulations, and proofreading the firm’s monthly newsletters. Aside from work, I’ve been trying to squeeze everything I can see into these 2 months.

It was nice that last weekend we got 3 days off for the Dragon Boat Festival, and my friends and I took advantage by making day trips to the Temple of Heaven, Pearl Market, and Olympic Park. The Temple of Heaven was a lot larger than what I expected, and on the day we went, there were clear blue skies which surprised us all. I loved how there was nature and a campground in the Temple of Heaven park; it was so nice to be able to find a getaway in the bustling city of Beijing.

Next, we went to the Pearl Market, and I wasn’t particularly looking to buy anything, but the experience was quite eye-opening. Since my purse strap had broken off the previous day, I went to the second floor (each floor is divided up into different categories) just to browse through the purses. My friend and I were looking at the purses at the first shop, when the shopkeeper asked me to quote a price, and she started punching numbers into her calculator. I wasn’t expecting to make a purchase at the first shop, but the shopkeeper blocked the exit with her body, and I ended up buying a small crossbody for 120rmb. Although I paid less than 10% of her initial cost, I don’t think it was an extremely good bargain since the shopkeeper wouldn’t sell it to you unless they were making a profit. It was an interesting experience as most shopkeepers speak English, and all the shoppers are foreigners. I probably wouldn’t make another trip to the Pearl Market, but it’s definitely worth trying out bargaining if you’ve never done so before.

Thanks for tuning into my second blog post, time sure is flying here in Beijing.

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Holidays in China

This week was the Dragon Boat Festival in China, which is a major holiday here. My coworker told me the story, but all I remember is that this poet in a smaller country wrote something about freeing his people and then ran to China to hide where assassins from the smaller country found him and he drowned in a river. However, he was so loved that people threw sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat that instead of his body. Today, people eat sticky rice and have dragon boat races for the holiday. I may have gotten some of that wrong, but either way we had a long weekend on our first week of interning.

Though I am really enjoying my internship so far, it was nice to have an
extra day off and enjoy some sticky rice (Which is actually very good.) We did not see any dragon boat races, but some other interns and I explored some sights in the city. At the Temple of Heaven there is a place where you see nine layers of this giant concrete hill symbolizing the nine layers of heaven and the middle is rumored to be the center of the universe. All the tourists pushed their way to forward, saying that they were the center of the universe.

After my internship I like to walk around the Hutong in Beijing, which is where my internship is and see the different streets. People are very friendly there and it is nice to see this side of Beijing. There is also a river nearby where people fish and play games. It is very relaxing to sit and people watch It was nice to get a taste of Chinese culture during the holiday and to start getting settled into my internship.

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First Impressions of Beijing

After a seven-hour flight delay and an entire day of hanging out in airport I have arrived in Beijing, with my first week being a whirlwind to say the least. After being immersed into Chinese culture I finally feel that I am getting used to it here. The energy and fast paced environment of Beijing make it an exciting place to be. It mixes together both a modern urban city with China’s cultural heritage creating a thriving mixture of different ways of life. It feels like there is everything in Beijing.

 

My favorite area in Beijing so far is the area right behind where we are staying in the 798 district, the art district. It is full of (usually)free Chinese art galleries and hipster type shops that make it fun to walk around and explore. I find myself wandering around at the art when I have nothing else to do or am too tired to explore the rest of Beijing. What I also like about China is how willing the locals are to help foreigners. Whenever my fellow interns and I are struggle to find where to go or to order at a restaurant or to ask a question people are generally patient and usually someone is willing to translate if they know English.

My internship will be in the hutongs of Beijing or the more traditional area. I am excited that I get to see this part of Beijing almost every day because it feels more of what I expected Beijing to be like because the area is not as influenced by Western culture. I love to people-watch during lunch and see the locals working and going about their day. My overall first impression of the city of Beijing is that it beautifully shows the rich culture and heritage of China while also showing modernization. As I acclimate to Chinese culture and lifestyle I am excited to learn more about the city the country and the people.

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Quest of Burgers

This month is the Beijing Burger Cup and I’ve been on the hunt for the best burger in town. I’ve made it my personal mission and have put my waistline on the line to provide the people with what they need: information. I could realistically never try every burger in Beijing (seriously, there’s too many to get to) but I’ve visited many places that have been recommended to me. All around town, restaurants have had good deals to lure in people to try their burgers. As a proud red-blooded American, I can say what is and isn’t a good burger. Some burgers I’ve had here are not good, but some are actually better than some burgers I’ve had in America (not all of them, of course.)

My awards are as follows: First place is a tie between Slowboat Brewery and Plan B. I couldn’t make a solid decision either way, but trust me both have very good burgers. There is no second place, because if you’re not first, you’re last.

At Slowboat I had their Fryburger. It’s a juicy burger on a soft bun with cheese and a fry. Very good meat, which is not easy to come by in Beijing burgers. At Plan B I had the Sumo Burger, a burger with sliced cucumbers, wasabi, and spicy mayo. It’s a burger flavor I’ve never had before, but I can tell you that I happily inhaled it. I do have to say that Slowboat’s fries are far better, although neither had the soggy, floppy fries that I found at places like Ahava.

I suggest when you get here to try a lot of different food, because Beijing is a real melting pot of cuisines. You can find everything from American, French, Israeli, Iranian, Pub Style food, Street food, etc. I believe that food is one of the simplest but most revealing way to travel the world.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures this week. Sorry. I tried to make space on my phone and had a lapse in judgement and just deleted everything!

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The Long Haul

I’m not even half way through but it feels like I’ve been here for months. Only fond memories of the west like clean streets exist. I’ve been on a quest to find the best burger in Beijing, but I’ve got high standards. So far, I’ve found Slowboat Brewery to be the best burger in town. However, this Saturday is the Burger Cup right across from the accommodation.

One of my expat friends is leaving tomorrow and I feel slightly jealous but I also feel like I have to endure the hardships of China to earn my return to the states. Besides people, I miss swimming the most, in a pond in the middle of nature. I know that once I get there at the end of June it’ll be a whole new perspective on it. I’ll appreciate and revel in the moment much more.
At times I’ve forgotten that I’m at the other side of the world, but I’ve also not forgotten that I’ll never fully integrate into this society. Given my complexion, I can never fully become a local. I find the life of an expat to be lonely yet rather freeing. This is, in my mind, what distinguishes people that can survive in China, and those that cannot.

My suggestion is that before you come to understand that it will take some time to get used to as it is very different from Western culture. Being in China has given me a better understanding of our cultural differences, as well as an appreciation for the people, friends, and environment I have at home.  

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Back to the West

Writing this as I wait to board my flight home to Canada. One month has flown by.

 

Life  Travel

 This week was different for me as I left Shenzhen early to spend four days in Hong Kong. Life and travel have merged together, so I’ll treat them as one category. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hong Kong – I knew it would be different from Mainland China but I couldn’t gauge how different. Having now been here almost a week, the answer is: very different.

If you read my last post, you’ll remember me speaking about feeling like a Celebrity in Mainland China. And so when I was leaving Shenzhen, passing through Chinese customs, everything was normal – I felt right at home. When I got to Hong Kong and got on the metro, something was different. Nobody was looking at me anymore. As you can imagine, I was shocked – was it my hair? My untrimmed beard? It didn’t take long to realize why I had been stripped of my celebrity status – Hong Kong is incredibly diverse. In my view, if Aliens were to land in Hong Kong, they would get the most accurate, proportionate representation of the Earth’s human population. What’s really interesting is that unlike many other diverse cities where people tend to adopt a homogenized identity, people in Hong Kong  seem to keep their personal identity intact, which to me enhances the city’s collective identity. In contrast to Shenzhen, coming to Hong Kong felt like I was back in the Western world. There is still a distinct Chinese culture, but to me it felt closer to Manhattan than Shenzhen (which is right across the bay). So for anyone visiting China, I’d say visit the mainland first before going to Hong Kong – it’ll give you a deeper understanding of China.

Hong Kong is easily one of the most picturesque cities on earth. The unique blend of natural landscape and human structures create unparalleled Instagram opportunities. And the best place to see it all is Victoria Peak. I saw it at sunset and stuck around to see it at night, and it was gorgeous. Some advice: don’t go to “the peak” where everyone crowds together to see the view. There are several semi-hidden spots that you can easily reach that offer arguably better views, without all the people.

If you’re into museums at all, Hong Kong has a bunch of them. I recommend going to the Hong Kong Museum of History. Learning about the evolution of the city gave me a much deeper appreciation of it, for only 10 HKD. Generally speaking there is a lot to do in the city, and for anyone interning in Shenzhen it is definitely something you need to do.

 

Work

On my last day of work I pitched my stock pick. There were some inherent difficulties present as some of the Analysts don’t speak English fluently, but that didn’t stop anyone from asking tough questions. It was a great experience – I gained valuable feedback on where my analysis could’ve been better, along with a generally positive reception of my investment thesis. The month I spent at OHIM was great, but if I could do it again I’d stay a bit longer.

This is my final blog post. As I said in my first post, this entire experience has been an experiment and in summation, a successful one. I have learned so much about myself, and have gained priceless exposure to the Chinese market. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and won’t be surprised if I find myself in China sometime soon.

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Taking on Beijing as an Asian American

It’s been four full days since my arrival in Beijing, and I’ve got to say that I’m enjoying every single second of it so far. I’m from Cupertino, California, and go to Penn State for college, but I flew in from Taiwan (I was there for vacation since May) and have never really lived in China for over two weeks. I’ve gone on tour groups with my parents while visiting before, and speak fluent Mandarin from conversing with my parents and going to Saturday Chinese school growing up (I’m first generation Asian American), but living here has been a different, but a better experience than the ones I’ve had so far of mainland China.

Our internship accommodations are spacious and amazing!

I’m hoping to become a forensic psychologist, and am currently interning at Jin Rui Law Firm since it’s beneficial to have a strong foundation in law. Here are some of my tips to tackling China as an American, or more specifically, as an Asian American:

First, the customs that are considered polite and rude in the America are different in China. I struggled with this the very first time traveling to Guangzhou; at the airport my mom and I were trying to figure out how to turn on the water faucet, and a lady behind us said “我来” or “I’ll do it”, and instead of helping us turn on the faucet like I thought she would, she pushed past us and used the sink herself. This time around, although things like that do happen, whether it’s in the restroom, restaurant, or subway, I’ve realized that there are simply too many people in China, so everyone is left to fend for themselves.

Second, the food in Beijing is more westernized, and a lot of it is what you’ve seen at Panda Express (minus the orange chicken and Beijing beef; I’m not very sure where or how those two dishes were created). Beijing is well known for the noodles (Northerners eat more noodles and Southerners eat more rice) and dumplings, so definitely try those out. There aren’t many exotic dishes you may find, but beware that Chinese people like to eat 臭豆腐 or stinky tofu as a side for meals, so if you’re ordering food at a restaurant and they serve tofu, they will most likely ask if you would like to add it on.

Lastly, be careful when crossing the road. Driving in China is a free-for-all, therefore pedestrians don’t have the right of way. Don’t listen to music when crossing, and try to follow locals as they cross. People walk whether it’s a red or green light, and there will probably be a lane of traffic that is turning at any given moment.

The view of Beijing

 

Overall, it’s been a wonderful start to the program, and I love how welcoming and accepting my colleagues and supervisor have been to me. I didn’t expect Beijing to be so big, so my commute to work takes about an hour and a half, but when I arrive, everyone tries to get to know me and show me around the area. I’m looking forward to settling into my company more and exploring different parts of Beijing more. That’s all for now, thank you for reading my first blog post!

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The wait is over…

After many months of excitement and preparation, I have finally arrived in Shenzhen for my Internship Program with First Chiropractic. Shenzhen, being one of the wealthiest cities and the first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), is home to a lot of young expats, giving the city an international, cosmopolitan vibe. It is an extremely modern city established about 30 years ago with a very fast pace of life compared to back home. During my first weekend I had the opportunity to taste a range of traditional Chinese dishes like the Gong Bao chicken (spicy chicken with peanuts) and Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), while brushing up on my chopstick skills with the other interns.

Having a day off on Monday, I decided to kick off my adventure on a spiritual note by visiting the famous Hong Fa temple Hong Fa is built over a series of terraces with a scripture repository resting at the highest level. I took the chance to learn about the core values and beliefs of Buddhism and tasted simple vegetarian food.

After the first two days of introducing and establishing objectives at work, the long public holiday weekend of Dragon Boat festival arrived. The Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat festival) commemorates the life and death of famous Chinese scholar and poet Qu Yuan. Occurring on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, it is celebrated as ‘Poets Day’. During this festival the Chinese families traditionally throw bamboo leaves filled with cooked rice into water and eat tzung tzu (rice dumplings). We took the weekend to hike up Mount Wutong with an altitude of 943m. It took us around 3 hours to reach the summit where we were rewarded with extraordinary views.

Despite being absolutely exhausted from the hike I decided to travel to Guangzhou, the largest city in south central China, for the long weekend. Here I visited Shamian Island, the temple of six banyan trees (Liu Rong temple), Yuexiu park, Guangdong folk arts museum and Guangzhou zoo to see the pandas. The Yuexiu park is a good afternoon hike and contains the Five Ram Statue, the symbol of the city. Shamian Island reminded me of home with its European style buildings and atmosphere. Shamian Island also appears to be a popular choice for wedding photography as we saw many couples posing in beautiful outfits. The highlight of the trip was the canton tower which had a spectacular view of the Pearl river and Guangzhou city at night.

That’s a wrap up of my first week here in Shenzhen and I hope to have a great time travelling, learning and enjoying the rest of my time here.

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