Jean Paul Arzeno Rojas ’20 and Helena Togias ’19 interned in Shanghai, China during the fall 2018 semester. They both studied at East China Normal University, through CIEE, which is a renowned public university in China that prepares students to become teachers.
Rojas is an international business major who studied language and culture while in China. Through the program, he learned important Chinese business traditions and obtained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. During his semester abroad, Rojas interned at AnyHelper, a Shanghai-based company that helps foreigners and expats. For example, they provide information on getting a business visa, finding partners to do business with and they answer general questions such as “where I can find western food.”
Togias is a double major in economics and finance from West New York, N.J. In China, she studied international business and was a marketing and sales intern at Jonas Emil Coffee where she created ads and managed their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
What influenced your decision to go to China?
JR: I think China is very unique in its culture and traditions; a visit provides a new perspective on how people live their lives and how broad different cultures can be. Also, China is the second biggest economy in the world and I think learning their language and understanding how they do business can be beneficial for business majors. China has one of the most difficult languages in the world and I saw it as an attractive challenge to learn the language and immerse myself with the local people. Lastly, the program gave me the opportunity to have a business internship in China, which I thought was going to be a great experience to learn more about how Chinese do business.
HT: I have always been interested in China because my grandfather is Chinese and I went to Chinese school for four years, so I wanted to work on learning the language and expose myself to the culture. Also, I have never been to Asia so I wanted to experience something different.
What have you learned and what do you hope to learn?
JR: I have learned the importance of social networking and how a potential partner can be met at any time or place. In China, building a strong relationship is more important than doing business. It’s important not to rush or skip the small things when bonding with future partners such as having a meal together, inviting them to social activities and giving them presents. It’s crucial to understand that there won’t be business talk in the first few encounters with your potential partners. This is called “guanxi” and is an important part of doing business in China and is unlike U.S. traditions.
HT: I have learned many marketing and sales tactics. Even though it is not my field I believe you can’t go wrong with sales and marketing experience because it can be applied to many aspects in business. I learned how the Chinese do business and the importance of “mianzi,” which means you should show respect at all times and think of what you are going to do or say so that the other person doesn’t feel embarrassed or belittled.
How has another culture influenced how you think and how you will approach your future?
JR: Coming here has given me the opportunity to understand and appreciate the difference of cultures. How similarities and differences between cultures can teach you to understand the background of others. Experiencing a new culture has intrigued me to want to know more about different world cultures and their backgrounds.
HT: Coming from a diverse background, I have always been exposed to many cultures. However, living in China for the past few months has influenced me in many ways from the classroom to the streets. Things in China are done really different and some things may seem “weird,” but for them it is normal. Living here has showed me how to respect all the similarities, differences and other observations. Also, something I will take with me is to not be afraid to take the job that no one wants because you never know where you can end up. Start from the bottom and work your way up. China has really been eye opening for me and traveling in general makes you see the world a different way. I will approach my future with what the world has taught me.
For more information about study abroad opportunities, contact Scott Keller (skeller1@saintpeters.edu), director of the Center for Global Learning, or visit saintpeters.edu/global-learning.
