Greetings from Shanghai! After a 12 plus hour journey from Hawaii and a pit stop in Korea, I can officially say I have arrived! It is surreal to think I will be spending the next two months here in the city! I have heard so many great things about Shanghai from family members who have spent time in this very cosmopolitan and developed city. I have never been to China before nor do I speak the language. This alone was a big step outside of my comfort zone, but I knew doing this internship abroad was a rare opportunity that I could not turn down.
This summer, I will be interning at Sodamedia, a digital marketing agency that produces amazing and innovative mobile applications, print campaigns, and websites. Ted Sanders, a UPS alum who graduated in ’97 started Sodamedia and works with companies in the US and in Asia. Sodamedia holds three offices in New York City, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. They are currently wrapping up a project with Fresh (a higher end beauty supply company) and have created their website and print campaign for entering China. Since my first day on Monday, I have been learning about what they do as an agency, reading articles about daily innovations in marketing and technology, and have started working on a powerpoint portfolio displaying their past and current projects. They emphasize not only the importance of gaining the work experience, but also enjoying what the city has to offer. During my spare time, I have been working on getting settled into the apartment and enjoying the sights and cuisines of Shanghai.
My first impression of Shanghai was the pure grandeur and size of the city! Everything appeared even bigger here from the airport, buildings, and department stores and people here are always on the move! Shanghai reminds me a lot of NYC. The first day of being here, a fellow UPS student and intern at Sodamedia, Chris Ammons, gave me a tour of the area. Being the only two interns at Sodamedia this summer, we have found comfort in knowing someone from the states and having someone to hangout with. We saw parts of French Concession, an area with beautiful architecture and an abundance of restaurants and shops. I got a sense of the complete contrast between the old and new parts of the city from the architecture. As a side note, if you are ever in Shanghai, BEWARE of cars, bicyclists, and mopeds, there is no such rule of pedestrian right of way when crossing the street! The first day of being here, Chris and I were close to being mowed over by a large cement truck turning the corner! To avoid this problem, I highly suggest taking the metro. The metro system is a life saver, it is a great way to explore the city and is affordable, quick, and pretty clean!
French Concessions
French Concessions
I am such a foodie, meaning I will be posting a lot of food pictures in the future! The food in Shanghai is amazing! There are so many options here that I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I hope to try as many different restaurants and food items! Since I have been here for a little over a week, I will continue to update you on my experiences both at Sodamedia and being here in Shanghai. All I can say is I <3 Shanghai!
Cheers, Shelby
Street Food, known as Dan Bing (egg pancake, a yummy option for breakfast!)