International Work Study

Alma Estrada, a senior accounting student, traveled to China this summer as part of The Walter Schmid Center for International Business’ International Internship Program. She worked for Donar International, a financial services company in Beijing, for two and a half months. The company is engaged in the provision of ATM electronics to the Bank of China. Alma’s responsibilities included teaching employees English and proof reading documents and web-site content. Alma also received Mandarin Chinese language instruction every morning. Other U.S. students engaged in the work/study experience came from Boston University, Elon College and the University of Georgia.

It was an amazing experience, but there was culture shock at first. The food took some getting used to and the language barrier caused some problems initially. But the Chinese people were very friendly and learning some of the language helped me adjust." Alma related her experience of finding herself lost on the subway in Beijing. "I got off and asked a woman I passed on the street if she spoke English. She did and asked where I was going. We got back on the subway and she took me to my destination though she was headed in the opposite direction. When I thanked her, she told me how much she enjoyed the opportunity to speak English."

Alma attended language classes each weekday from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. and worked from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. each afternoon. Her weekends were free and she took the opportunity to travel to the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and Inner Mongolia, among other places. In Inner Mongolia she slept in a round tent referred to as a yert and drank the traditional beverage of tea mixed with goat's milk.

"This was the experience of a lifetime. I would like to return to China to live and work. The Chinese people are hospitable and curious about foreigners. I also made friends with students from France, Holland, Korea, Vietnam, Japan and Russia. My summer in Beijing made me stronger and more independent. I feel that I can do anything now."