When thinking about China, most of the people will probably first think about cities like Beijing or Shanghai. But Chengdu is still surprisingly unknown – and that without good reason. In this article, I will tell you, why you should do your paid internship in Chengdu.

 

  1. Chengdu become a more and more important place for business

QQ截图20160325141556When you are deciding to do your paid internship in Chengdu, you will also have the unique opportunity to experience one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Chengdu is western Chinas hub for commerce, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, logistics and services and attracts more and more foreign and local companies for investment. The US-based think tank Milken Institute even pointed out Chengdu as Chinas city with the most successful economy for factors like job growth, foreign investment and high-value-added industries. These are incredible conditions to gain some valuable experiences and offer you the best opportunities to boost your career.

  1. There are a lot of beautiful places to travel around Chengdu

DSC_8195You like to travel, are interesting historical and cultural sights or just enjoy unique and beautiful landscapes? Then Chengdu is exactly the right place for you. Chengdu is located in the middle of the Sichuan province, which have a lot of nice places to go. Make a trip to Leshan to see the biggest Buddha statue in the world, climb the beautiful mountain of Emei and observe some real wild monkeys or take a trip to the amazing unique landscapes of Jiuzhaigou or Huanglong. No matter what you prefer, Sichuan holds for every kind of traveller something interesting.

  1. The living costs in Chengdu are much lower than in cities like Shanghai or Beijing

DSC_7132Almost every intern and student is familiar with this problem. Although getting a small allowance during your internship, you still won’t be the richest person on the world. That is a good reason to consider doing your internship in Chengdu. The living costs in Chengdu are much lower than in other cities in China. Spending up to 1000 € per month just for sustaining your living in Shanghai? That won’t happen to you, when you are coming to Chengdu. Here you can take a taxi with a starting price of just 8 Kuai for the first two kilometres and 1 Kuai for every further kilometre. Having tea in the teahouse is just 10 Kuai for the whole day. You also can already get a good and rich meal in the restaurant for just 10 to 15 Kuai.

  1. Chengdu is green

DSCN0923 (1)The life in Chengdu is a lot more relaxed than in cities like Beijing or Shanghai. There are a lot of opportunities to relax after a busy week while doing your internship in Chengdu. Just take a walk in one of the several parks and along the several lakes and rivers or grab a book to spend the hole Sunday with a nice cup of tea in one of the several teahouses inside the parks and along the rivers and lakes. The Asian Development Bank even rated Chengdu with its green districts 2014 as the most liveable city in China. The evaluation based on indexes related to environmental management like air pollution, water quality, ecology and waste management.

5. Chengdu is the right place for food lovers

QQ截图20160325141405Chengdu is known in the world for its unique Sichuan cuisine. When you like to eat spicy food, you are exactly at the right place. But also for people, who don’t like spicy food, Chengdu has a lot of food to taste. There are several restaurants in the city – from several small restaurants at every corner with good home-style Sichuan food to restaurants with specialities from regions all over Chinas and even a lot of Western restaurants. When you are getting hungry while doing a walk through the streets, try some fresh made street food from one of the mobile booths you can find everywhere.

  1. Chengdu has a lively nightlife

chengdu-06Chengdu has a lot of places to relax and to have fun during the evenings and the weekends. Enjoy some nice food or enjoy your beer after a hard working day in one of the several local restaurants and bars. Chengdus clubs offers a wide range of localities and music styles like rock, popular music, latin, R&B, rock or techno.

 

Do you want to read more about the live in Chengdu? Then read the article of one of our interns about the life in Chengdu: https://www.paidinternshipsinchina.com/fast-paced-city-slow-paced-life