Internship Introduction Week

Chengdu - China

Only 600€ per week!

Begin your internship experience with a week of cultural training, learning and sightseeing!

This week is designed to prepare you for a longer placement as an intern in China’s Internship Program. You’ll get to know China and some of its cultural aspects first hand, with the goal of becoming familiar with Chinese customs, happenings and history before you interact with the other professionals on your placement.

Culture
Learning
Leisure
Community Engagement
Physical Demand

MODULO DI RICHIESTA PARTICIPAZIONE







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Program Description

This program is the first step towards your successful stay. It is mandatory for all those who wish to join China’s Internship program (booked separately)

Whilst it has the longest written history in the world, and despite its staggering economic performance and entry onto the world stage, as heralded by the Beijing Olympics, China remains an enigma to many.

Of all Asian countries, it is perhaps the least understood. This program takes you beyond the headlines that appear in the Western press, away from politics, away from the big cities and the normal tourist attractions.

You will learn how to make dumplings, taste oil tea, and learn the rudiments of the language, practice calligraphy, as well as some of the rituals. Through a range of activities: learning sessions, visits, sightseeing and hands-on practical cooking/craft sessions, you will gain a deeper appreciation for what China gave, and continues to give, to the world.

But we also focus on developing a practical understanding of everyday China, beyond its cultural roots. It is the ideal start point for anyone visiting China.

There is only one rule: if you want to know anything – ask!

Aims & Objectives

  • Give you a real insight into authentic Chinese culture
  • Help you learn phrases to help you understand the people you will be engaging with
  • Prepare you with the cultural training necessary for your internship

Schedule

Monday

Morning

General introduction: We kick things off with a meeting where we introduce staff and colleagues, explaining program descriptions, basic do’s and don’ts and discuss some general rules. We’ll also look at signing any required agreements and registrations.

Afternoon

City tour: We will show you around your new neighborhood…supermarket, good restaurants, the metro route, shopping malls, cafés and more!

Night

We will have a welcome party for all of our interns to get together and enjoy. A good time for you to make new friends and share useful tips and experiences.

Tuesday

Morning

Chinese lessons: Our coordinator will teach you some basic “survival” Chinese words and phrases that you can use on a daily basis. Time to take notes!

Afternoon

Sightseeing time! We’ll visit People’s park, Tianfu Square, and Kuan-Zhai Alley, places that are a must-go when you come to Chengdu. You can try some local snacks and get a feeling of Chinese life.

Night

Embrace the new food culture! We will take you to the famous Hot Pot where you can try the most authentic hot pot meals while our coordinator explains the unique food culture in Chengdu, a huge part of the people’s daily life here.

Wednesday

Morning

After two days in China, you will definitely discover some differences to your own culture, maybe and some things that you don’t understand. Today we’ll give you a general lesson about the cultural differences and the reason behind it to help you understand the culture better.

Also we will find time to to explore and try out some Chinese traditional art forms, such as calligraphy and color painting!

Afternoon

More Chinese language lessons: Today we will teach you some basic Chinese phrases often used in the office, sure to help you adapt to your internship more easily. You’ll also be introduced to your Chinese learning partner (usually a University student), who is their to help you with your language difficulties throughout your whole internship.

Night

Time to relax with a Chinese game night! We will teach you some popular Chinese games, like Mahjong and Chinese Poker…local favourites!

Thursday

Morning

Training course: An introduction and some team building games surrounding Chinese Courtesy, which will come in handy for your upcoming internship where you will have a lot of Chinese Colleges and also helpful if you want to make more local friends.

Afternoon

Sightseeing: After two days of training and learning. We will take you to relax at the Eastern Music Park, a creative art zone. Here is where you can visit some art galleries, bookstores and a really nice cafe.

Night

Karaoke Night! We will take you to the most popular hang out place in China—Karaoke aka KTV!

Friday

Morning

Our coordinator will take you to the company where you’ll be having your internship for you to meet your new company. You will meet the company representative that’s assigned for you. They will help to settle you in, handle your further introductions and arrange your work schedule.

Afternoon

After you visit your placement, we will get together to share your thoughts with the group on how and to others how you see China before and after you come, and your expectations on this internship experience.

And after the presentation, we will go to the local market to prepare for a homemade Barbecue.

Night

Enjoy a delicious barbecue we’ll cook together and let’s watch a cozy home movie afterwards!

***This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.***

   Note:   This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Participant Criteria & Requirements

Standard Requirements

Minimum age:

Maximum age:

Minimum English level: Basic

CRB required: No

Passport copy required: No

Resume copy required: No

Required qualification: None

Additional Requirements

You must meet the requirements for the Internship Program in China (see separately).

Additional Equipment

  • Good shoes for the mountain walks

Location

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province of China and also one among the three most populous cities in Western China. Chengdu is one of the most important economic, financial, commercial, cultural, transportation and communication centers in Western China.

Chengdu also had the reputation of being ranked among one of the most livable cities in China, with bustling streets, new magnificent buildings, historical towns, beautiful monasteries.

About the Accommodation

Your room will be in a hostel located in the center of Chengdu city. It features colourful accommodation and offers a tour desk, a garden, a shared lounge, a bar and a restaurant.

There is also a desk, electric kettle, hairdryer and the bathroom comes with free toiletries and slippers.

   Note:   Limited Comfort Rooms available. Please contact us to confirm availability

Food Arrangements

Your meals will typically be Chinese dishes common of the local area, comprising mainly rice, noodles and vegetables with some meat.

Facilities

Transportation

The accommodation is just a 10-minute walk away from airport shuttle bus station and only a 5-minute walk from Huaxiba Subway Station (line 1).

Shops

The hostel is located in the city and so all amenities are located within walking distance. Shops are open from 10:00 to 22:00 in Chengdu city, Monday to Sunday.

Money

If heading to the Panda reserve, remember Chengdu might be your last chance to withdraw money, as the nearest ATM that accepts international bank or credit cards is an hour away by car from the Panda Base.

Activities & Events

No scheduled activities outside the program.

Sights & Surroundings

Like any major city, Chengdu has a lot to offer in terms of things to do and see. Although a guidebook can tell you everything you would need to know, here are a few ideas we recommend:

Jinli Street

This is a commercial pedestrian street described as being representative of the city. Here you will find plenty of shops and street food

Wuhou Temple

Located near to Jinli street, this temple complex provides the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle found so close.

Mount Qingcheng

One of the most famous Taoist mountains in China at the top of which you will find Laojun Pavilion.

Bullet Train

Keep in mind that with the new High Speed Train service operating between Chengdu and Guilin, you can now make the trip that was once a 24hr journey in just 8 hours! China’s newest high speed trains, also known as bullet or fast trains, can reach 300 km/h (186 mph), or a top speed of 350 km/h (217 mph). That means you have many new options, for combining programs in a variety of locations. The route, along this super fast and technologically-advanced train, couples a comfortable ride adventure with breathtaking scenery, in a way that should not be missed. So… All aboard!

Transportation

From this location we provide free transport to your next program at the following location(s):

  • Panda Reserve
  • West Sichuan
  • Ya'an

Quick Facts

Name: People’s Republic of China

Population: 1.37 billion

Capital: Beijing

Language: Standard Chinese

Currency: Renminbi (Yuan) (CNY)

Time zone: CST (UTC +8)

Country Information

China covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometers making it the 2nd largest country by land area. It is not only the country with the largest population in the world but it is also one of the largest economies laying claim to being the world’s largest exporter and 2nd largest importer of goods.

It is a country of incredible cultural history boasting one of the earliest ancient civilisations dating back to around 2800 BC. Its landscape is equally rich in diversity, ranging from its forest steppes, its deserts in the north and subtropical forests in the south to its 14,500km long stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline. All of this makes China an incredible and exciting place to be, both in what it has to offer today and the story of its past.

Climate

Due to the vast expanse of land that China covers both in terms of longitude and latitude, the climate varies greatly from place to place. Generally, the climate pattern in China is characterised by dry seasons and wet monsoons. The rainy seasons mainly span from May to september but this pattern is less consistent in the some areas such as the dry northwest.

The difference in season causes a pronounced disparity in temperatures between winter and summer. Whilst the summer offers warm temperatures almost everywhere, the winter can cause temperatures to drop significantly, especially in the northern areas of China.

The Monsoon

The southern provinces start to experience the monsoons first, starting in April and May. The winds start to blow north in June meaning that northern provinces receive the rains around July and August, and the rains start to come to an end in September and are generally completely over in October. The northwest of China is the only area that avoids the monsoon climate.

Culture

China is one of four great ancient civilizations with 3,600 years of written history, and its culture both past and present is incredibly profound. Whilst Chinese cultural identity has many common, unifying elements, it is a country that represents 56 ethnic minority groups, the largest of which is the Han Chinese (900 million people), with other groups including the Tibetans, Mongols, Naxi etc. The significance of this is that each group to an extent creates their own culture and so within the vast expanse of China, depending on where you are, cultural variety is plentiful and there to be explored!

The country is currently ruled by The Chinese Communist Party. It is officially atheist, but is slowly and surely becoming more tolerant towards the practice of religion. The five official religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism. Due to the fact that it is only in recent years that tolerance of religion has made any progress, the practice of other religions is not formally recognised, although are often tolerated especially in the case of ancient Chinese beliefs. Currently about a quarter of the population practice Taoism, Confucianism and other traditional religions.

Gastronomy

There are 8 different styles of traditional Chinese cuisine, and traditional food can be found everywhere in China. Other styles adopted into Chinese cuisine and that might be found in China include Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian and American cuisine.

The staple foods used in Chinese cooking include exactly what you would expect: rice, noodles, and vegetables with sauces and seasonings.

The attitude regarding food in China is generally “waste not, want not” meaning that it not just uses a wide variety of both plants and animals, but every part of these plants and animals are used in some way. For westerners this might mean that there are a few things on the menu that you may not be used to and might want to avoid.

Due to the scale of the country, it isn't surprising that each area of China has a unique style of cooking and the ingredients very much depend on the natural agricultural produce of the specific region. For example the south of China uses far more rice than the north, where wheat is its main ingredient, a reason why noodles and dumplings are much more common. Southern food is also typically more spicy than that of the north.

Common Chinese dishes include: Sweet and Sour Pork, Gong Bao Chicken, Ma Po Tofu, Wontons, Dumplings, Chow Mein, Peking Roasted Duck and Spring Rolls

Transportation

Like its economy, China’s transportation network has rapidly expanded over recent years and now houses the longest road network in the world as well as the busiest train network

Air

Although the most expensive means of transportation, it is by far the most convenient and can save a lot of time travelling the longer distances across China.

The main ports of air travel are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong although all major cities within the country host domestic flights.

Rail

This is the primary mode of transportation in China and most major cities have their own metro systems. As well as its standard vast rail network, China boasts over 7000 km of high-speed rail.

Bus

For local travel, buses are a very affordable way of getting around and a good alternative mode of transport where metro is not available.

Taxi

Taxis are generally cheap and easy to find. Meters are generally used in towns and cities. If your driver does not want to use a meter, common for longer trips out of town, be sure to negotiate a price before the journey.

Other Alternatives

Motor pedicabs, pedicabs and motorbikes can all be found in China and are a cheap way of getting around. We recommend you set a price before using this form of transport.

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