Au Wai-yan, a final year student in the Bachelor of Education (Languages) programme, participated in a practical training course on the mainland. She spent seven-weeks at the Shanghai Toys Import & Export Company as a shipping clerk. Unable to speak Shanghainese, the hardest part was to win the trust of her co-workers in an environment that was unfamiliar both linguistically and culturally. "The first couple of days at work were really difficult. I wasn't given any assignments. All I could do was sit in the office quietly. I was very uncomfortable, and thought my co-workers weren't very welcoming."

Making the best of the situation, she overcame the obstacles by taking the initiative and being open and friendly. She paid close attention to what was going on around her, asking her colleagues about work processes and procedures. She also did her best to converse in simple Shanghainese. "Taking the initiative and being friendly was certainly an excellent remedy. Under their friendly guidance, I successfully learned how to handle the shipping list. Even now, I haven't forgotten the wonderful feeling of accomplishment when the merchandise successfully arrived at its destination!"