Unforgettable memories with great people – Goodbye Hong Kong!
Next week will conclude my short but worthwhile journey in Hong Kong. I was able to experience the real business world through my job, but I learned beyond academic and professional skills by talking to various people both inside and outside work. It actually made me realize how a single interaction could bring a significant impact on somebody.
Meeting new people and engaging in a conversation were not hard at all as people have been very friendly and approachable since the first day. They were willing to teach and show me around different places to help me explore real Hong Kong culture. My company doesn’t have after-work activities, so people usually have lunch together on a daily basi
s. Also, it is not really common to invite people home in Hong Kong as they normally live in small houses with limited space. Plus, there are so many places to go out and try, so they prefer to go out than stay inside. What I also noticed was that family gathering is highly valued in Hong Kong that people would mostly spend time with family on weekends.
The most significant experience from this internship is absolutely working with people from different backgrounds and exchanging cultural values. I was also able to talk about their general perceptions on the current affairs and future of Hong Kong in depth as there was a constant number of protests during my internship period. It was also a chance for me to observe different working and management styles based on cultural differences.
It provided the best on-site observation of my academic interests in business analytics and supply chain management as well as my personal interests in international affairs. I will definitely recall every moment I spent here in a reminiscent frame of mind after my return.
Hi Sangyu! It is good hear that you’re experiencing how the things you learned apply in real world. My internship taught me the same since I had never done an internship before. It is true that people might not invite you to their houses since most of them live in small spaces. But I’m pretty sure that you made lasting relationships with people in Hong Kong!
Sang,
From your post, it seems you have had a truly remarkable experience. I can not imagine arriving to a new location and dealing with a huge on-going protest. I wonder if/how the protests impacted your perception on Hong Kong culture. I would also love to hear what supply chain management lessons you learned in Hong Kong. I am also a supply chain major with an internship with 3M Australia. I am sure there are differences in how Australian companies and Asian companies operate their supply chain and I would love to explore the nuances.
Hello Sangyu! That is amazing to hear that you were able to explore so much and really enjoy the city to the full extent. You never know when there will be that one person you stumble upon that will change your whole experience there. I also love how much people value relationships outside of work even though you don’t get too much time during the workday to develop relationships.
Hey Sangyu! It looks like you had a meaningful internship experience! I have been hearing a lot about the protests in Hong Kong, and it must have been interesting to physically experience that. In Singapore, it is similar for coworkers to go out rather than go to each others homes. My friends at PwC usually go out for drinks and food every Friday with their team. I also agree with how a single interaction with someone can make a huge difference. The first coworker at FedEx I befriended provided me life lessons that I will never forget!
Hey Sang,
Thanks for this detailed analysis of your internship in Hong Kong! This was much different from my experience, namely because there is not much public discussion on social issues in Singapore. Maybe I will visit Hong Kong one day as an expat!
Sang,
Its always a great thing in an internship when the people are friendly and willing to help out. It can help you to learn so much more just from talking and interacting with them. Its cool that you guys had lunches with each other often, since at my internship although people were very open and friendly I often just went out to lunch with the other interns. Your internship in Hong Kong was definitely at a very interesting time, since there were so many political demonstrations going on. Hope you had a great time!
I still remembered you brought a lot of materials back after the first meeting with you manager. I was glad to know that you found it related to the major after you studied on this materials. The protests and typhoon came with some troubles, but now I feel like they are experience that I may never forget. Anyway, enjoy the rest of holiday and see you in College Park!