INTERNS IN ASIA: January 2012

Monday 30 January 2012

Chinese New Year in Zhuhai!

Spring Festival (also known round the world as Chinese New Year) came this year on the 21st of January, and everything goes a bit mental. In the weeks leading up to the festival, most factories close so that their employees can go back to their home-town to spend New Years with their family.

Apparently Chinese New Year (CNY) is the largest human migration in the world, this year according to state television over 600 million people travel back to their home towns. I unfortunately was not one of them. It seems that if you have not decided on where you are going to spend CNY before Christmas, you are destined to spend it in your city, which will turn into a ghost town; exhibit A:

The main road in Jida, Zhuhai- Chinese New Year

This photo was taken on the day before CNY, and it got worse, it seemed in Zhuhai there was no people, but somehow thousands of fireworks. I can honestly say I think I have shell shock from the amount of times I jumped out of my skin to the sounds of explosions by my head!

On the plus side, we do get a week off work, however it is a week off work wondering from closed shops if you are not smart enough to buy food before the 21st:

No food for interns at CNY!

Twice I tried to get to Hong Kong, and twice I failed. The first time pretty much all ferry tickets were booked up, and the second I got to the desk to buy a ticket to watch them sell out in front of me!

Still, it is a very interesting time of year- everyone seems to be even more happier than they usually are, and if you are lucky enough to have a Chinese girlfriend you get a Hong Bao!!

Check out some of these posts on Chinese New Year on our blogs:

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Hong Kong Jockey Club - Horse Racing Day!

Just 2 weekends ago, the ODM team arrived in Hong Kong office and we had a little outing. After working hard on blogs, we traveled down to the Hong Kong Jockey Club at Happy Valley for some betting for the night!

The Hong Kong Jockey Club...

It may just be another form of "old man" gambling and throwing your money away, but its the excitement and thrill once you start placing your bet! You could feel your heart racing with the footsteps of the horses, and the crowd goes crazy when the horses are 400m away the finishing line. It's pretty much the time where you determine if you are going to win some money home!

View the horses before each race...

At the end of the day, almost everyone lost! Thanks to Conor we ended the night with a satisfying meal over at the Hong Kong Football Club. Join us and be part of TheODMGroup for such experience and excitement now!

For more Hong Kong related posts...

Friday 13 January 2012

An interns first Chinese Wedding!

This week I went to my very first Chinese wedding, on a Monday night, not your normal western day to get married, but there was a lot different about this wedding.

Here's a picture of the happy couple:

Chinese Wedding- the Happy Couple!

Although from this picture it looks almost like a western wedding reception, this is the actual wedding. In my opinion better than western ones, as you get to sit down eating and drinking while all the romantic (boring/depressing) bits are ongoing.

One of the high points of my night was the food, and especially the Zombie Pig:

Zombie Pig

Contrary to what the devil pumba looks like, it may have been the best pork in my life! In addition to this we had lobster, oysters and some other strange looking snail like things:

Chinese wedding food!

Overall I had an absolute blinder (cocky for good), and well worth the Hong Bao to the married couple!!

Monday 9 January 2012

Internet shopping in China

China has a very large internet shopping culture. This is generally in relation to the increase of tourists in underground markets, resulting in rocketing prices for locals on historically cheap or fake goods.

This underground economy has resurfaced in the form of two very large internet shopping sites. The latter especially, you will often find goods sold directly from small factories to the end consumer, slashing the prices!

www.Amazon.cn

Amazon is a internationally recognised brand. This is one of the more reliable and safer option for buying electronic goods in China.

N.B Amazon China does not sell games consoles- a little strange when they have the computers and other mod cons. If you are looking for games consoles- go to Hong Kong- one of the cheapest places in the world to buy electronics.

Amazon.cn- An Intern in China's Shopping dream!

Taobao

This is the Ebay of the Chinese world- you can practically find anything on here- however it could be a little tricky without a good knowledge and understanding of written Chinese. The best way to get around this is by either using Google Translate, take up some Chinese lessons, or use a phrase book to help you type in search terms!

Be careful of prices that seem really low- more than likely these will fake or will not work once you get them.

Taobao- Ebay for Interns in China!

The great thing about these two websites is that on both of them you can pay on delivery. It is well known that internet banking is very hard on Chinese internet so this can make things very simple for any new-comers to China!!

See our related blogs:

VPN's
KTV's

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Lin Heung Tea House - Extraordinary Cultural Shock/Experience

Dim Sum has got to be on the "To do List" when it comes to Hong Kong. Lin Heung Tea House was indeed something different. It is known as one of the traditional chinese restaurants that actually serves Push Cart Dim Sum. If you're expecting to walk into this 2 storey restaurant waiting for seats to be assigned to you, you will never be able to get one!

Lin Heung Tea House

Keeping their eyes opened to fight for their seats!

Some tips for you when you are heading to Lin Heung.
1) "Fight" for your seats and grab any before its taken by others
2) "Fight" for your dim sum once you see the Push Cart Ladies
3) Be fast on your feet!!!

Look out for these push cart ladies!

Look at the crowd fighting for their Dim Sum..

Indeed a cultural shock to see locals and tourists fighting for their Dim Sum who are just going with the flow! In fact I saw an English updating his facebook status with "Amazing Dim Sum Experience"

Check out related posts below!

Chinese food- the strange and the wonderful

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from everyone at Interns in Asia!! We hope that we can bring you some great posts this year, and some vital information for your own intern-ships in Asia! Remember we are always on the lookout for fresh talent at The ODM Group so why not apply?

While in Guangzhou on business I came across this 'interesting' dish:

Food you thought you wouldn't like- Interns in Asia

I know what you are thinking, and yes that is a chickens head.

Surprisingly, once I got over the sight and tried some of the dish, it was actually very good!! At the end of the day, this is no different to what you would find in a chicken nugget- actually a lot better than the intestines, feet and beaks!

We will continue to add to this post, so that you can see some of the culinary delights around Asia!