[Sophie1805]

Has anyone done an internship abroad, particularly Asia/China?

How did you find it? Did you enjoy it?
Did you stay with a host family? How were they?

I'm currently looking at one in China, to do with International business, when you fly out you get a couple of days to relax before starting a 2-week intensive Mandarin course, and then you start with the internship for 6 weeks to 6 months.
(This option is with 'real gap').

Does anyone have any advice/recommendations for this sort of thing?

Currently it's a back-up idea if I miss my uni offers, I'm sure I'd just want to take a break.

[Setsuna-F-Seiei]

I've been after my year 11 exams for 3 months (i know it isn't an internship but..)

I stayed with my families relatives in Shanghai it was very enjoyable as there was lots to do in Shanghai especially when the 2012 Expo was there. The issue you will definatly have is the Language. Mandarin is very hard to learn & a few people speak English so in the short run you may find it hard to cope in society. Another issue you may face is attention. When i was there many people looked at me because my mandarin wasn't and i spoke English like an English person. You may get the occasional photos with some people but they aren't trying to be racist or anything. Finding foreigners in China is quite rare.

(Original post by Sophie1805)
Currently it's a back-up idea if I miss my uni offers, I'm sure I'd just want to take a break.

Same here, Looking to learn Mandarin advanced. Currently i am fluent in it. Are you Chinese as well or are you Caucasian?

[Mcnubn]

Almost all of the internships I've seen require a bachelors degree atleast (I assume your sig is up to date and your currently doing A2) so that may be quite a stumbling block. However there are some that you can pay for that include intensive mandarin, but the cost is pretty damn high (seen some at around £4000 for 6months or so) but you may be able to get onto one of them without a degree.

The competition for internships in China is pretty tough, and most go to native chinese because its can be pretty difficult to get a long visa for non-chinese, so the companies just go with whats easier.

You can always try to email a few companies that your interested in and see if they offer something. A course mate of mine just got an amazing graduate development program in Shenzhen because he showed interest -.- the company hadn't even started the program and have pulled it forward for him >.<

Just make sure the company can help you get the correct visa (this may also help weed out the scams) as they are clamping down on illegal foreign workers in the major cities at the moment.

Good luuuuuck I'm currently looking too

[Vindobona]

I did an internship abroad in Canada for 6 months. I didn't stay in Asia and I didn't stay with a host family, so all I can say is: go for it.

2 or 3 of my colleagues in the postgrad course I'm currently enrolled in have done internships in China and apparently they really enjoyed it.