I’m half-way through my internship and loving life in Shenzhen. The internship is still going well and I have learnt a great deal about the product development process from manufacturing, to export, to selling the products in stores in Asia. My company has been amazing to and I have just returned from a business trip to what I consider my second home, Hong Kong.

 On Wednesday, I made the journey to Hong Kong to meet with some potential clients and carry out market research. It took the early morning ferry from Shekou to Central, a truly mesmerizing experience. Along the way, you encounter beautiful islands and magnificent cargoships carrying containers from all over the world. All in all, the first day in Hong Kong was a fun and productive day. I visited some supermarkets to study the types of products they were selling. I also got the chance to interact with different managers and contacts involved in the coffee business which was enjoyable.

Apart from business, during the visits to the supermarkets, I stumbled across a number of exhibitions and I managed to take a few photos. Most notably, a One Piece (Japanese anime) exhibition at Times Square and a Wallace and Gromit exhibition in Elements, Kowloon. I stayed in hotel called ‘Apple Hotel’ very close to Times Square. It was essentially an upmarket version of a Chungking mansions room, a bed, tiny ensuite and a walk way, all I needed after a long day of working hard in Hong Kong.

Early Thursday morning I went to the flying pan, a famous all day breakfast café in Soho. Great portions, tasty American and British style breakfasts and friendly staff. After this, I carried out some more market research, sorted out a new visa for China and got the final ferry back to Shenzhen.

Since my first week in Shenzhen, I’ve been exploring as many different varieties of local cuisine as I can. On Saturday, I had a business lunch with some Chinese contacts. It was cheap, yet delicious food consisting of fresh fish, rice and vegetables. It wasn’t a typical Chinese lunch with bai jiu (白酒) and noise, but it was a pleasant atmosphere. I am a big admirer of the way Chinese people do business. In particular, there is a great deal of respect and genuine interest to not just do business, but get to know you as a person.

I will have to go back to Hong Kong for some follow up meetings, and I am sure I will have more tales to tell you from Shenzhen, so watch this space!