Event Intern: Fabienne’s China Amazement| 4 min read

I have been in Beijing for just over a month now, working as an Intern for a sports and events company and I love it. I just can’t get enough of it, whether it’s the Temples I visit, (which I might add, all look surprisingly similar) or the countless trips to local markets to bargain down to silly prices. There is always something new to explore which leaves my camera full of photos bursting with colour.

I came to Beijing as part of my Gap Year and having never been to Asia, this was a huge step. Looking back now I wish I had opted for a 6 months internship, or even longer. I feel that 3 months is nowhere near enough time to fit everything in, it is just like an extra-long holiday. Of course you miss your friends and family back home but you are kept so busy out here, meeting new people and visiting new places, that you don’t realise how long it has been since you last spoke to them. Plus a Skype hug is always there if you need it.

Living with a Chinese family here has its perks; the language lessons during dinner and the weird and wonderful selections of food they make me try. They are sure to tell me after the meal that I have eaten pig ears and lambs tongue. Some are more obvious, for instance, I wasn’t expecting a chicken head in the soup; that one caught me off guard! Don’t get me wrong though, most of the food is awesome.

I am based close to 三里屯, a popular area for the expat community which is full of western food places and I have treated myself to the odd meal that I could eat with a knife and fork instead of chopsticks.
The people here are lovely, I feel safer here than I have in other cities because the locals are so welcoming and happy to have you around.

After a while you learn to smile at the mannerisms of the locals and, oh my, I could write a lot more about this but to cut it short there are some cultural and etiquette-related differences that really take some adjusting to! I can’t say some examples of differences in behaviour are not amusing because in some cases it really is; it can be rather awkward but only because we are not used to it.

Smile and they will either look confused or smile back, it is different where ever you go. I like that though, the uncertainty. Even with the buses, I have no idea where they go so you just jump on them hoping they end up going the right way and the worst that can happen is you get a cab if you go wrong. Only at times like these do I make sure I’m carrying my OS map.

I know I have been here a short time compared to most but I came at the right time. The highlight of my time here so far has to be Chinese New Year which began on the 9th of February. It was absolutely insane! A group of friends found a reggae bar overlooking HouHai Lake. At ten minutes to midnight, there were hundreds of people gathering outside as fireworks were being set off and firecrackers lit. Midnight was one of the most deafening, mesmerizing  few minutes I believe I have ever encountered. You couldn’t hear yourself think but everywhere you looked there was a firework exploding, the whole sky was alight. It is one of the few experiences that should be near, if not at the top of your ‘bucket list’.