View the original blog post on CRCC Asia's website here.
I’m now being constantly reminded that my time in Sanya is drawing to a close, and I could not be more depressed to leave. I finally know the names of all the waitresses at Dolphin, I can tell them to run very fast in Chinese, and children have finally stopped running away and screaming at the sight of me (maybe because I’m finally getting tan?!). I’m thoroughly enjoying my time here and I’m not at all ready to go.
Besides the usual attempts at learning Chinese, getting lost and taking a motorbike to our evil yoga lessons, working on newsletter design and website projects, spending an absurd amount of time (but not money!) at 88 and Dolphin, getting ripped off by one very crafty tuktuk driver, and sharing food, laundry detergent, stories, and laughs with the other interns, this week included a day of adventures with Dave and a day of un-adventures in the Yanoda rainforest.
On Wednesday, the interns got together for our outdoor trip with Insight Adventure. Dave’s team dominated at kayak polo while Gerhard and Russel won the cutest couple award for their adorable efforts on the tandem waterbike. It was a day of wins for Russel, who also learned to float on his back, swim on his stomach, and pop up on a surfboard. He owned everyone on the rockwall, scurrying up the steepest inclines with the agility and speed of a true Chinese monkey. After a few rounds of archery practice, Dave performed a few songs on his guitar while we enjoyed a delicious barbecue meal to finish out an incredible day.
Dave’s version of outdoor experiences turned out to be far superior to the one that we planned for ourselves on Saturday. We woke up bright and early to catch the bus to Yanoda Rainforest, where we were planning to do some hiking, exploring, and bonding. We ended up doing a lot of bonding, but the rest of the day was a tourist trap that stole all of our time, money, and goodwill. We wore strange sandals made of straw and string, danced Xiao Pinguo with some of the workers, got photographed with parrots and with small children balancing on crocodiles, walked through gardens of poisonous trees, and tried to ignore the relentless greetings of “Yanoda!” echoing throughout the park. The highlight of my day was the tiny and adorable Chinese girl who asked me how I was feeling after I fell in the river. I had been trying to cross a bridge made out of tires that was apparently one of the main attractions of the forest, and couldn't quite keep my balance. Probably the best that could be said of the place was that the buffet lunch was slightly better than the food we had at Nanshan Temple.
When we finally made it back from our agonizing voyage into the forest, I met up with a very smug Gerhard and Adam who had chosen to spend all day on the beach watching the charity surfing competition to benefit the Bright Connection and celebrating Steven’s birthday with gifts of old t-shirts and fishing equipment. After some birthday cake for Steven, watching (and listening to) the glow-in-the dark plane that flies over Dadonghai every night, and reviving Adam from his exhaustion with some pizza, espresso, and swinging table therapy from Marco Polo, the interns were ready to reclaim the weekend. We spent the rest of the evening and the following day relaxing, playing cards, and tanning on the beach where we belong.
How to Have a Successful Internship:
1. Be Open to New Experiences
You’ll probably arrive in Sanya and at your internship placement with at least some vague expectations of what you’ll be doing or what type of projects you will be working on. While it’s important to know what you want to get out of your experience here, it can also be valuable to look out for opportunities to try something new. Since the hospitality industry requires that everyone in the hotel be ready to work in any department that needs extra help, you may be asked to work in a restaurant, with housekeeping, or as a bell boy for a while. Although it may feel unexpected for you, working in these departments for a short time can open your eyes to the way that hotels operate and help you build relationships and skills during your internship.
2. Be Clear with Your Expectations
Think about what type of experiences you would like to have and what skills and knowledge you would like to gain during your time in Sanya, and make sure you communicate these with your supervisors and colleagues. They can’t help you with your goals if you don’t have any or if you don’t tell them what these are.
Equally important is to understand what is expected of you. Try to assimilate into Chinese business culture, be respectful of Chinese customs, and do your best to accomplish whatever tasks are set for you.
Equally important is to understand what is expected of you. Try to assimilate into Chinese business culture, be respectful of Chinese customs, and do your best to accomplish whatever tasks are set for you.
3. Always Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask for help on an assignment or for more information about a topic or process. The internship is about learning. Your colleagues will understand that you are new and hopefully your training process will allow you to develop the skills and knowledge that you are looking for, but if you want extra clarification you will have to ask for it.
4. Stay Positive
Be patient with your colleagues and with yourself. Adjusting to a new environment can be difficult, but it gets easier and easier. You will need to build trust with your supervisors and colleagues for them to give you more advanced tasks, and this takes time. If you remain upbeat, inquisitive, and attempt to reach out to others, they will begin to help you with your goals and facilitate your learning. Greet people in your hotel, by name if at all possible, to show them that you care and that you want to be a part of their community.