Startup China

I interned with Startup China for 3 months!

I am from Los Angeles, California and had not ever considered interning outside the U.S., but as options were closing down for me, I started searching for internships abroad. That's how I came across Startup China! I started contacting them; they were very helpful and friendly. They helped me arrange my stay in China and gave me one of the best experiences I have ever had!

I ended up choosing China because I find the culture very interesting. Living China you get exposure to a completely different culture and that in itself was very enriching for me. It was even more interesting because I interned in Shanghai, which has people from all over the world, the cultural experience was perfect!

As for the internship itself, I was placed in a Chinese school(That's Mandarin) to do their E-marketing, the staff were very friendly and hard-working and everyone cooperates with each other. I could see teamwork on a daily basis, the working environment was so relaxed and friendly that I didn't even notice the amount of work(and it was a lot of work!) I had done nor the time. But the way they work there is completely different from the American working environment and I loved it! I'm considering moving to China for at least two years for work experience!

If you are looking for an internship in China, do it through Startup China. They really help you out and are there for you through the whole process, before and upon arrival to China. They pick you up at the airport, they help you out with the accommodation, they give you an orientation about the basics of living in China and explain to you how to get around.

I really recommend this program, it is very professional and people are very nice, and you get to make friends from different parts of the world!

I did an internship for 2 months in Shanghai. The company that I interned for was an online e-commerce consultancy firm that specializes in finding American and Western companies from their native countries and bringing them to the Chinese online market.

During my internship I had my own project, along with a colleague, where we created an entire sideline business within the already established company where we tried to connect United States real estate agencies with Chinese investors and high-net worth individuals.

Working with a Chinese team was great. As someone who studies Chinese for a couple years, it was a great experience for me to learn the specific business practices that differ from those in America and it allowed me to broaden my horizons.

I chose an internship with Startup China because, through the research I did before coming to China and setting the entire process up, everything that I read about Startup China and the testimonials that I saw on Startup site made it the clear choice of any of the other potential ways of getting an internship in China.

I think the highlight of my time in China was the facet of my internship of working with my boss because he was so hands-on and I learned so much from him. How comprehensive the entire program was also a huge highlight for me.

I would recommend Startup China to anybody who is trying to get an internship in China because it takes all the hassle out of getting a visa, finding a place to live, and a lot of things that can really deter someone from trying to get an internship in another country.

Coming from a Chinese background(my mother is originally from Sichuan Province) I thought it would be a great idea to go back to my roots and learn about the culture, while at the same time getting a great professional experience. Startup China did a terrific job in pretty much doing everything that was needed to be done for me to have a safe, fun, and rewarding experience during my time in Shanghai.

I ended up applying for and thankfully getting a spot in Startup China's three-month Internship and Intensive Chinese Language Program in Shanghai. Not only was I given the opportunity to intern for a company that I thought was a strong-fit for me, but I also got to develop my limited Chinese speaking and writing skills.

I started with the Intensive Chinese lessons. These were Monday to Friday for 4 hours a day. At first I was really nervous because my Chinese was limited to basic conversation that my mom taught me when I was growing up. Eventually, I became more and more comfortable with the Chinese classes and really improved my the end of the program.

The internship position that the rep from Startup China set me up with was with an UK-based Advertising firm located in Shanghai's Jing'an District. I had such a great work experience because not only were there a lot of hands-on tasks that I never expected an intern would have to do, but I also got any idea of how business is done in Chinese society.

For activities outside the office and the classroom, Startup China organized a whole schedule of fun events that I could experience with my fellow interns. From KTV and traditional calligraphy to countless dinner banquets where we all stuffed our faces, Startup did everything they could to make sure we were having a great time while away from home.

I remember the night I arrived in Shanghai, still a little jet-lagged, I really was questioning my decision in joining this program. I was really nervous about being in a completely foreign place to me, and I was also really worried about my internship because I never had real work experience before. In the end, I am so glad that I joined the program. It truly was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget!

After reading countless newspaper articles about China's transformation into the world's powerhouse country, I knew that it was about time to actually make the trip and experience this incredible change firsthand. The only barrier that came between me and fulfilling this wish was having an organized plan of travel, accommodations, an internship position, and of course the language barrier. Luckily, I was able to find Startup China's website to answer all of these concerns. Within a couple months, I was on a plane descending into Shanghai's Pudong airport getting ready to start a life experience that I would never forget.

As I mentioned, I was looking for an internship during my stay in China because I wanted to have a firsthand encounter with China's emerging markets. Startup found a marketing and PR company for me- exactly what I was looking for.

Without getting in too much detail, the three-months I interned with this company were some of the most stressful and nerve-racking; yet gratifying and thought-provoking months of my life. I will never forget the experiences I had and the skills that I required just from the internship opportunity Startup China was able to find for me.

In terms of the language-barrier that existed, I cannot say that I am a master now or that I have a vocabulary rich enough to read a China newspaper, however, I can confidently say that my Chinese speaking and writing skills improved exponentially. Taking 4 hours of Chinese classes 5 days a week, was a great opportunity to really embrace the culture as I had no real prior knowledge or experience with the language. Being able to tell taxi drivers where to go and waitresses what I wanted to eat during my three-months in Shanghai really made things a lot easier and more convenient.

At the end of the day, I am grateful for the opportunity to live and work in China and I learned a lot about myself professionally as well as the Chinese culture. I will definitely be back in the near-future!

I have been to China a few times and I really liked it. And I would like to stay in China so I thought I would do an internship to see how Business is done in China and get a real feel of what it would be like to live and work here.

I have been doing a three month marketing and business development internship with Startup China, interning at a renewable energy company where they make products which monitor and improve the performance of solar panels.

My duties included market research for the company/s competitors and their future business partners. I also had to develop the market strategy for a new product to be released into overseas markets and presented the company at the Shanghai New Exhibition Center at the PV Solar Show, which is the largest solar power trade show in the world.

The highlight of my time in China was definitely the Solar Trade Expo where I represented my company. I had to meet foreign businessmen, potential business partners; some of whom were CEOs and Company Managers, and I had to explain the company and what we did. I exchanged lots of business cards, made a lot of contacts, and it was very enjoyable.

For anybody coming to China, particularly an intern, I would say come with an open mind. Forget all the preconceived ideas you might have about China, immerse yourself in the culture, try new things, try the food, meet the locals, and just really let yourself get absorbed by it really and that way you will get the best out of your time in China.

I would definitely recommend Startup China because I've had a fantastic internship and I think I've learned a lot. I've had great experience, not only that, but the Startup China team really helped me out. Since the day I got here they were always willing the help. They even helped me set up a bank account in China, helped me with interview preparation for a job I applied for, and they are always there if you need them.

For anybody else thinking of coming to China, I would say to come with an open mind. Forget all the preconceived ideas you might have about China and immerse yourself in the culture, try new things, try the food, meet the locals, and really let yourself get absorbed by it. That way you will get the best out of your time in China.