In Focus - Issue 27 (Fall 2015)

CSIC Internship Find out more… Check out our facebook page ‘School of Engineering, HKUST’ for updates Contact Program O ce (sengmsc@ust.hk) for chatting with former CSIC interns on Wechat Consult Program Manager ( ) What you will need in preparation for this internship? Any advice from previous interns at CSIC? “Most students found that Spanish was quite an important language to learn prior to the internship. It may come in useful when talking to the landlord, your neighbours, or when ordering food. (Restaurants don’t have menus in English.) Certainly, this is more important outside of the two big cities, Madrid and Barcelona.” -Anand Sreeram “Some preparation in cooking for oneself is advised as the Spanish tend to dine outside less o en. Study Spanish food names is most important and practise cooking.” -Chunxu Wang “Make sure to nd accommodation with functioning air-conditioning. Summer months in Spain regularly reach the degree range. Ensure travel plans are aligned with the weather also; parts of Spain or Europe may be less pleasant in the summer weather.” -Weiyan Jiang “Contact the supervisor early to gain a better idea of what is expected. Consult alumni who took the CSIC internship and seek advice on work and travel plans.” -Tongyu Liu “You can nd anything in Madrid. Just make sure to pack your spirit of adventure and curiosity!” -Yizhi Jiang Why did you participate in this internship? “I wanted the opportunity to experience living and studying overseas while working in the most advanced lab in Spain.” -Weiyan Jiang What did this learning experience teach you? “Universally, the Spanish people work extremely hard and are passionate about their research. They work with quite high e ciency and are happy.” -Weiyan Jiang “During my work with researchers coming from across the world, the internationalized environment enabled me to be a better person. For example, I learned to communicate with others better and struck a healthier balance between work and life.” -Weiyan Jiang What were some unforgettable experiences? “I took the opportunity to travel around Europe during my internship. I nally managed to achieve my dream of travelling to Paris!” -Chunxu Wang “This experience taught me the beauty of Spanish culture; I went to the lab by bus like any o ce worker, went to the bar at the weekend, and watched a game of Real Madrid. I went to the basketball arena to watch a Paul Gasol game, drank co ee with researchers every workday, and heard plenty of Spanish jokes.” -Xufei Zheng “The internship in Spain allowed me to sample the delights of Spanish cuisine and wines across the country. For example, I tried paella, gazpacho, and tortilla espanola. I even found the time to travel to di erent European countries!” -Run Tian “I enjoyed life there. I visited the museums, saw a flamenco show, and tried di erent food. Summer there has hours of daylight; I have plenty of time to see what I want.” -Run Tian Culture Suggestions

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