Short company introduction
Many business and English training centres in China claim to be international schools despite being Chinese owned and managed. They might hire foreign teachers, but everything about their business philosophy is local.IF was formed by four Englishmen. As well as all of the teachers, all of our upper management are from native English speaking countries.This means that when you are in our English classes, you are not just learning from a foreign teacher, you are entering an entirely English environment. In effect, an IF classroom is like a trip to London.
You can find more relevant information about the company and their field of work at their web page: https://www.international-futures.com/
Before leaving, Rafaela made a short interview with us. Here are the highlits of her stay in China and her internship in IF:
IC TEAM: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you come from, what are your interests?
“My name is Rafaela. I come from Lithuania and I´m currently studying at London South Bank University where I am going into my second year. I’m studying Multimedia Journalism there. I like travelling and reading- that’s my favourite hobby. And of course, I really like to spend my time with family and friends.”
IC TEAM: What was the reason you wanted to do the internship? Why did you choose to come to China, and Zhuhai, for that matter?
“I decided to do the internship myself there was no obligation from the university – I wanted to gain some work experience as well as some cultural experience.I watched a presentation at my University about interning in China and I was very interested, it just seemed very exciting and attractive. Also, I think it is great to gain some international work experience, especially in China. “
“I did some research and chose Zhuhai because it´s next to the sea and is said to be one of the most liveable and energetic cities in China.”
IC TEAM: What kind of tasks did you get up to over the course of your internship?
“The company I’m working for are launching a new e-learning English course, so basically I´m creating course material for business as well as for general English. Also, I´m working as a video editor.”
IC TEAM: How do you feel you got on with the locals? Did you make many friends?
“I work with some Chinese people, therefore I had the opportunity to get to know them better, and sometimes we go out together. Also, I just had recently one very funny experience. When I went to Guangzhou I met two Chinese people who wanted to be my friends, they showed me around the city and we went out for dinner. That was really nice.”
IC TEAM: For future interns, what would be your recommendations?
“First of all, I would recommend that they learn some Chinese, at least some basics before you come to China. Of course, you can still survive without the language but it´s very helpful because a lot of Chinese people hardly speak any English.
Also, I would advise them to apply for a multiple entry Visa so you can visit places like Hong Kong or Macau. Domestic flights are quite expensive and it´s really cheap to fly to, for example, the Philippines – but without a multiple entry that isn´t possible. If you are a person who likes to go out and party often then I would advise that you don´t choose a homestay because Chinese families are strict and it would be disrespectful considering how well they take care of you.”
IC TEAM: So what’s next for you?
“I´m going back to London to continue with my studies. I really would like to come back to China though.”
There is always so much more to say about a person’s experience here in China. We are so proud to meet with such extraordinary and positive people! You can see a small video interview with Rafaela below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-xrSiwA368
Are you interested in these kinds of experiences? Do you crave to discover that unknown and beautiful part of the world? Check for more internship options on our page www.internchina.com.
