Stay abroad in Shenzhen...From a small town to 18,000,000 inhabitants in just 40 years

My home for three months

40 years ago, Shenzhen was just a small fishing village near Hong Kong. Today it is one of the largest cities in China and is considered the country's trade gateway. Shenzhen has become one of China's wealthiest and wealthiest cities and is currently a leading global technology hub - often referred to as China's "Silicon Valley". The city is therefore of particular importance for Rutronik. At the beginning of 2024 I was able to complete a three-month internship at the location there, and here you can get a few impressions of my time there.

Life in Shenzhen

Recognized as a creative city by UNESCO, the modern skyline of the city is simply breathtaking. Skyscrapers rise into the sky and the architecture is an impressive interplay of glass, steel and concrete. Despite the high population density, there are many large parks between all the skyscrapers where you can unwind after work. Overall, the city appears extremely orderly, clean and well structured - unimaginable for us Germans. The trains on the well-developed subway system are always on time.

The biggest highlight of my time there was definitely the nice people and, above all, the colleagues who quickly helped me get over the culture shock and showed me the most beautiful corners of the city. Since the residents have moved from different parts of China, you will also encounter a wide variety of cultures and culinary experiences. Which brings us to my second highlight: the super delicious food. Nowhere else have I seen so many restaurants lined up next to each other. Most of the time there are just small kitchens with a few tables, but the food that is prepared there is unique! It gets even better: The colleagues on site were eager to show me the dishes from their home region, which meant that I sometimes tried one or two delicacies that probably wouldn't have convinced me purely visually.

Working in China

In the world of work, the hierarchy in China is much more pronounced than in Germany. Decisions are often made from the top down, and respect for superiors is very important. In return, the bosses also look after the employees very well, encourage them or even invite them to dinner. Teamwork is very important in China, but the way people work together is also different. While in Germany there is often open discussion and a search for consensus, discussions in China are often less direct and more concerned with harmony. There is a strong emphasis on collective success and team spirit. Finally, attitudes towards punctuality and time management also vary. While punctuality is considered a virtue in Germany, it seems to be more flexible in China. Meetings don't always start on time, and more emphasis is placed on adapting to the situation, so that a few tasks are sometimes done at the same time.

After the work assignment, I had the chance to travel to China for two weeks and the places I got to explore were truly breathtaking. In the pictures you can see a few of my favorite places. Guilin with the limestone cliffs in lush greenery, the “Avatar Mountains” in Zhangjiajie and other breathtaking places. I am very grateful to Rutronik for these experiences. I can only recommend that anyone who has the opportunity to get to know another culture over a longer period of time should get involved. You surprisingly learn a lot about yourself and your own culture.