As I mentioned in my previous blog, the language barrier has been one of the most challenging aspects of my internship. It is not just that I do not speak Chinese, it is that I do not speak German, or Spanish, or Italian. However, me being the only native English speaker has also proven to be the very best part of my internship.
Other people at my company speak English as well, but it was not their first language. This has made me not only a valuable asset, but a necessity to the company. Every blog article or press release that is written for the company is written in English. Most of the projects they work on are written in English. And many emails sent out to potential clients need to be written in English. My ability to speak and communicate in English has given me ample projects to work on and the ability to help out at the British Embassy Project this week.
The design team has been working countless hours the past few weeks completing booklets and design structures for the ‘Best of British Healthcare expertise’ convention. My company constantly is working with various Embassy projects, and leaving a good impression is vital for another promised design opportunity.
Starting on Friday I was running around with the project officer, Tim, to make sure all the posters were flawless and the designs were correct. On Sunday I helped set up for the event. On Monday and Tuesday, instead of going to our usual office, I was at the Beijing International Hotel Convention Center. I arrived early Monday morning where I saw all the posters, designs, and hard work displayed. Immediately, I was helping set up and talk to the British Embassy to make sure everything was running smoothly. Cecilia depended on me because no one else could communicate with the Embassy as well as I could.
While I loved the change of pace and experiencing something new, what was most enjoyable was being able to simply talk to the various people there. While most people were from England or Ireland, the convention was filled with doctors and researchers from all over the world. Each person I talked to had an interesting story and I could talk to them about anything from the projects I was currently working on, to travel, to the the classes I was taking at home. I was surprised that I was able to connect and communicate with so many doctors when I was only a 19 year old Marketing intern. I was able to realize how important not only the major of Marketing is, but how important it is to market yourself.
I talked to one specific doctor who told me about how his job is trying to calculate the exact amount of radiation to give to treat Cancer patients. Too little will not kill the bad cells, but too much will kill the healthy tissue. It is important to find the perfect balance and the perfect ratio depends on each patient. Although I will never be able to understand how to calculate this ratio with a marketing background he told me he would never be able to promote different medicines and practices without Marketing. He told me about the huge opportunities of marketing in medicine, especially in e-commerce. He said doctors are trying to push for having online check ups and online prescriptions so that doctors can spend more face-to-face time with patients in desperate need. However, since this is a relatively new idea and concept, it will be hard to make it successful without the help of Marketing.
After talking to him for two days about Marketing, medicine, travel, and general stories we became very close. He offered me a job opportunity to work in their marketing department in London the following summer. With a Marketing background, and by being able to convey how valuable my skill set is, I know I will be able to work for any type of company whether is be strictly a Marketing firm, a retail company, or even a hospital.
Being at the embassy project for three days made me also value change. As much as I love going to the office everyday and seeing my coworkers, it is draining being stuck in a confined room for nine hours a day. Being at the British Embassy was such a refreshing new experience. Even the food I was served there was different. They made small bite sized desserts everyday that were a new flavor and unlike anything I have had before. My favorite was a green-tea flavored dessert that came in an edible cup. I was so happy to be able to try something so unique and new.
Whatever I end up doing in the future, I hope it incorporates change. I want to be able to work at the office some days, but be able to travel to new cities on others. Above all, I want to be surrounded by unique people. I talked to about 50 different people at the embassy, all of which taught me something new about their job experience or life in general. There is so much to learn just by talking to people and listening. Working at 5 Star Plus has given me a taste of what I do and do not want in a company. I am not sure if I will end up doing in the future or where I will end up, but whatever the future entails, I hope it is filled with excitement and variety.
What I learned this week: The best part about Marketing is learning how to market yourself.
UF in Beijing Internship: Chinese Commerce & Culture 