Who am I?

My name is Drew and I am from the United Kingdom. I recently graduated from York Law School at the University of York and have been fortunate enough to come to China for an internship at Innopat Intellectual Property Co., Ltd. Intellectual property is an area of law I am greatly interested in and I aim to train to be a Trade Mark Attorney when I am back in the UK.

Work  

While at Innopat I have been working in the International Department with Leo as my supervisor. On my very first day I was given the incredible opportunity to attend the 2019 International Forum on Intellectual Property Innovation and Cooperation in Zhuhai which was a great day to learn about the developments of IP in China and internationally. I have learnt so much during my time here and I look forward to using the knowledge I have gained in the future.

Ping Pong and Badminton

My time at Innopat has not just been filled with work. I have regularly enjoyed playing ping pong on a Wednesday afternoon. I feel I have improved a lot, or Lucy and Xie YongKang 謝永康 have been going easy on me when we play. On Fridays, I really enjoyed playing badminton with everyone and think I have found sport I am quite good at. I feel that me and ZiYing 李梓瑩 are good teammates.

Toaster Masters

I had the chance to attend Zhuhai’s Toaster Masters club a couple of times which let me experience people practising their English and public speaking skills through a variety of speeches. I enjoyed hearing Leo’s speech about a Chinese perspective on tipping as well as a range of other speeches which gave me insight into the opinions people have on money, celebrities and friendships.

Exploring  

When I wasn’t in the office, I had the chance to do a bit of exploring. On two separate weekends I travelled to see Guangzhou and Yangshou. The highlights of these trips were seeing the Guangzhou city skyline at night from the top of Canton Tower and rock climbing at Moon Hill in Yangshou.

Within in Zhuhai I have tried to find the best of what is has to offer. I travelled to see the ‘Lady of Zhuhai’ and Jintai Temple. There is so much more to discover and experience, so I plan to come back in the future.

Food

It would be impossible to write about my experience without mentioning the food. The list of new foods I have discovered is endless and Chinese takeaway will just not be the same when I get back to the UK. Dumplings are a particular favourite of mine, but it is difficult to be decisive about what is the best when this amazing country boasts such a variety of different foods.

On a Wednesday I enjoyed having afternoon tea in the office. I have tasted fruits I did not know existed as well as see seeing some familiar snacks such as egg tarts. I am going to miss my weekly bowl of sweet soup.

A surprising experience was being introduced to 白酒 (Báijiǔ) by Leo at dinner but I actually really enjoy drinking it despite the extremely strong taste. I am not able to say I have drunk anything that strong as part of a dinner before.

My colleagues Xie YongKang 謝永康, ZiYing 李梓瑩, Yi JieYi 葉潔怡and TangHong 湯鴻took me to eat some of the best food I have tasted one of which was a Bull Frog hot pot 牛蛙火鍋 (Niúwā huǒguō). Frog is really eaten in the UK but I feel like we are missing out on something.  Having a big communal dinner with a variety of dishes has been the best way to try the food. I now have so many good memories from going for food with the friends I have made here.

Learning Chinese

One of the most challenging parts of my time in China has been engaging with the language. I was able to speak very little Chinese before I got to China. Having attempted to learn before I found it so interesting to see the difference living and working made to my ability to pick up. My favourite phrases I have heard is 蓬蓽生輝 which translates to ‘Your presence brings light to my humble dwelling’. When I consider the English equivalent of ‘welcome’ it just does not really have the same feel. Although I am far from a reasonable standard, I hope to continue to learn so that on my next visit I am able to speak more. I look forward to finding out more interesting phrases as I continue to learn.

Anniversary Celebration

My final weekend in Zhuhai was an occasion for celebration. The 70th Birthday of People's Republic of China and Innopat's 14th anniversary take place on the same week so I was fortunate enough to join Innopat for their celebration. This was a great day to hang out with my colleagues, play games, taking photos and finishing the day with a BBQ. One of the games was a eating race which I came third in. Maybe I have discovered my secret talent of being able to eat dragon fruit extremely fast. I feel very blessed to have been in China at the time of this celebration and for being included in Innopat's celebration. This was definitely one of my favoruite days out the two months I was in Zhuhai.

Thank You

I would like to thank everyone at Innopat for the amazing two months you have given me. I have enjoyed getting to know everyone and being a part of your community. I look forward to my next visit.