Experience:
Organisation:
Name: Chris
Hometown: London
Destination: Beijing, China
Project type: Media/Journalism
Organisation: Sunrise International
What were your impressions of your destination?
I was a tired, worn-out hack when I left England to work on a magazine in Beijing as a features writer. By the time I returned to the UK I was a re-energised, positive journalist who loved their job once more. As the political, educational, and cultural centre of the People's Republic of China it is a place I could quite easily have stayed and lived in. The city has been an integral part of China's history for centuries so there is scarcely a major building of any age in Beijing that doesn't have at least some national historical significance. Throw into the mix the shopping, nightclubs, bars and restaurants which a modern day building boom has brought and you have one of the world's greatest cities to explore and work in.
Was the work interesting and challenging?
I worked on a magazine called The World of Chinese, which is designed for people who wished to learn more about the Chinese culture, business and travelling in the country. This was perfect for someone who knew little about these things because it meant that I learnt about the country I was living in as I worked in it! As well as working on features such as the growing Chinese film industry and the development of teh Chinese electric car I was able to get to grips with Beijing and what it is like to be Chinese thanks to the other staff in the office. They were amazing. Every lunch time they took me to a restaurant so I could try different types of Chinese cuisine and we spent many enjoyable moments sampling some of the more unusual, some of the more famous, and some of the more down-right weird types of Beijing's dishes. We taught each other new words and at the end of every day they ensured that I could navigate around the city and get to where I wanted to go that evening by writing down on pieces of paper the words that I would need.
What was your accommodation like? Did you feel comfortable and welcome at all times?
It was a central hostel with shared toilet, clean and tidy.
Were you happy with the organisation and the staff that were responsible for you during your stay?
Yes, the staff from Sunrise helped me to book a budget flight to Beijing, even when I changed it in the last minute, they helped me to get the tax refund and arranged the next flight. When I landed at the airport full of anticipation I was picked up at the airport by the Sunrise representative and then taken to my accommodation. On my first day of work the representative from Sunrise met me at my hostel to show me to the office. I had a gathering party with other tourists in their office during my stay, it was a good experience to join in.
Do you feel that you got value for money on the project?
Yes.
Would you recommend the project to others?
Yes
