Sinicized over the Summer of 2005
By Will Radke

Guangzhou My first day at Deloitte Touch, Guangzhou branch.  June 2005

    Sinicization, the process of becoming Chinese, has happened to the many cultures that have crossed China’s fluid borders.  Not one to discount history, I became, to a degree, sinicized over the summer of 2005 while in the People’s Republic of China.  The primary purpose of my trip centered around my two month internship for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CPA, an international accounting firm, at their Guangzhou branch. 

  My internship complemented my participation in the Lilly Internship Program at Austin College.  My working environment allowed me to experience a different aspect of Chinese culture, one the tourist rarely encounters.  The collectivist (vs. individualist) notions that tend to be the hallmarks of Asian societies played an important role in my sinicization.  I became an integral part of a team that functioned much as organs in a human body.

     In the office, tea breaks replaced coffee breaks while English and Chinese merged to work collectively.  My typical working hours could range from 8:30 in the morning to sometimes 9:00 or 10:00 that night.  Weekends always provided other opportunities to work.  The hours I put in never seemed arduous or taxing.  My working environment and colleagues provided a stimulating two months.  The spirit and demeanor of my colleagues humbled me — it was truly an honor to work with them.

     The majority of my time in China was limited to Guangzhou (a city of 15 million people), as my work dictated, but I had the opportunity to travel.  I visited Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Hong Kong.  Each city provided a different vantage point from the complexities of a modern city to the quiet solitude of coastal towns on the South China Sea.  As capitalist notions creep in, the landscape of China slowly molds to form its own identity.  Traveling China is comparable to traveling the entire United States — almost impossible given the geographic area and multitude of cultures.  It could take more than a lifetime to thoroughly travel Asia (and North America, for that matter). 

     Once the culture shock began to settle down, I soaked up as much of Chinese society as I could.  Many adjectives describe my experience but they fail to encompass the venerable Chinese culture.  This trip only solidifies my commitment to studying the vast theme that is Asia.  I came back with more questions than answers and I am only excited to further my study of Asia.  I hope you will join me.

Guangzhou The building immediately behind me on the left of
the photo is where I worked.  China’s constantly changing skyline
 continues to evolve; its “communist” style buildings make way
for the modern skyscraper.  Also note the soccer game below.  
June 2005

     I am currently pursuing my degree at Austin College in International Economics and Finance with a minor in Asian Studies.  While Asian Studies is not currently a major selection, except by petition, I hope the class selection will only widen and deepen in the coming years to provide more classroom and Jan-Term exposure to the history, literatures, languages, cultures, economics, and politics of Asia.  The current faculty at Austin College already provides a wide array of courses, backgrounds, and invaluable expertise.