My name is Nicholas Phillpott, I am nineteen and I’m from Sydney, Australia. I study Communications, majoring in Public Relations and International Relations, at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). I’ve just completed my first of three years, and hope to gain as much external industry practice through internships and volunteering throughout my degree. True to my nature, I have immersed myself into University life, joining club executives and becoming lead organiser of various events and camps in my first year at UTS. I’ve grown up living an hour west of Sydney all my life, so I’ve been quite lucky in the sense that I have the perfect mix of city and country. Having never lived in a CBD before, Shanghai will prove to be a new and interesting living experience.

I’m a motivated person who balances two jobs while studying. I work part-time in a real estate agency, assisting the Sales team with their day-to-day operations. At night, the suit comes off when I hop behind the bar at my local club to mix drinks for the fine locals of Western Sydney. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time at the beach, running, reading, listening to music, or seeing the latest film. I’m a lover of food, friends and good music.

I remember my first encounter with Absolute Internship – I met Thomas Axelsson, the Business Development Manager, at UTS, where he talked about the brilliant opportunities Absolute Internship had to offer, and how much he had grown from his experiences. Whilst I admired, I had never thought I’d be going on one of the internships Thomas had described, let alone months later.

I’m really looking forward to the opportunities this internship will open for me. While having been to Shanghai before, it was only for five days which meant I was rushed around to do tourist-y things, and did not get to fully immerse myself in the culture. Working alongside professionals in my chosen field of Public Relations from another country will allow me to develop both my interpersonal skills and my cultural appreciation, from a business mindset. I cannot fathom how invaluable this internship will be for my future endeavours.

Whilst in China, I am not only looking forward to the daily challenges I face within the internship, but also outside; from finding the best place to get dumplings, to learning more about the history of China, I am extremely excited about living and exploring through the streets of Shanghai for a month. Ideally, the people I meet through the Absolute Internship program will want to come exploring with me. With any adventure, overseas or otherwise, one hopes to push their comfort zone, experience new things, meet fantastic people, and make unforgettable memories. I have no doubt in my mind that Shanghai 2014 will hold all this and more.