As my first flight from Hanover to Frankfurt was canceled, I didn’t leave for the Middle Kingdom until a day later than planned. When I finally arrived, I was initially disillusioned: not a single person spoke English, neither the cab driver nor the hotel staff. And everything was completely different to what I was used to at home or in other Western countries. A trip to China is not comparable to a summer vacation in Spain or backpacking in Australia, it is simply a trip to a completely foreign culture with an unfamiliar way of life.

And so the first questions arise: Where can I find something to eat and how do I even find out which dishes are hidden behind the Chinese characters on the menu? How do I find my way to the nearest supermarket when nobody speaks English and navigation services are not available? In fact, it’s all just a matter of getting used to it and after a while you really enjoy discovering new things and growing in situations where you are unsure.

The Novi Footwear International Co. Ltd. office is located on the outskirts of Dongguan in a state-of-the-art business park and was opened at the end of last year. Compared to the old office, it has the advantage of being closer to the workshops where the sample production of the shoes takes place. This proximity to factories and suppliers is particularly important in the volatile fashion industry, as product lifecycles are short and development is progressing at a correspondingly rapid pace.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity not only to get to know almost every department in the company, but also to accompany outsourced processes. In the first week, I was taken to various material suppliers, where I got to know the culture as well as the business over lunch. I also visited the workshops with colleagues, as well as sole and last factories, which helped me to gain a better overview of the topic of “shoe manufacturing”.

… was the materials market in Guangzhou, which is open almost all year round. The five multi-storey buildings there stock every material imaginable, from leather and textiles to synthetics. Some floors even consist solely of stores for decorations, heels and shoelaces. It was incredibly inspiring for me to see the different patterns, colors and shapes and then imagine them on our finished shoes. Another particularly positive experience was working with the product managers from Germany, who travel to China every two weeks or so to work on the collection for the next season. Here I was given the opportunity to bring the designers’ drafts to life by selecting materials and colors for prototypes myself.

But I was also well looked after outside of working hours, as many colleagues quickly included me in their leisure activities. They took me to birthdays, invited me to dinner or took me for a stroll through the park on Sundays. In fact, I didn’t just meet Asians in China, but also quite a few Spaniards and Italians, as the Wortmann subsidiary Novi is very multinational. Although Dongguan doesn’t exactly impress with its external beauty, there are places where you can spend good evenings – for example Bar Street, where western restaurants and pubs line up side by side. On quieter days, I liked to bring a bit of everyday life back into my life by going to the gym, just like I do in Germany.

After my first three weeks in China, I was off to the next country: Cambodia! In just under two and a half weeks there, I got to know several of our factories and even made my own pair of shoes – which initially looked easier than it actually was. My hotel there was in the center of the capital Phnom Penh, so I was taken to the factory outside the city every morning by a driver. After the manual work, which should not be underestimated, I usually enjoyed the sun or did some sport. I also met super nice people in Cambodia straight away, who made my little trip an unforgettable experience.

I was able to use one weekend to take the night bus to Siem Reap. I rented a hostel there and visited the temples around Angkor Wat, the national symbol of Cambodia, at sunrise. For a moment, I felt like I was back in my backpacking days after leaving school and realized: I have definitely fallen in love with this country!

Alongside all the enthusiasm and positive moments, I unfortunately also had some negative experiences. Shortly before Cambodia, for example, I had my first setback: food poisoning – my very first. As a result, I didn’t really know how to deal with it at first and went to work because I didn’t want to miss out on anything. However, anyone who has ever had something similar knows that it’s not that easy. So I spent the afternoon at the doctor’s and the next two days flat in bed. Fortunately, I was fit again just in time for my departure to Phnom Penh.

Another, sometimes unpleasant, experience was when men tried to make contact. As stupid as it may sound, many Asians have never seen a European before and are very interested in striking up a conversation, especially with women. Even though many of them are quite persistent, I would like to emphasize that I never felt insecure or needed help to escape a situation.

In my case, the costs for the visa, flight and hotel were covered by Wortmann KG. I had breakfast at the hotel and for lunch I could order something from an Italian or Indian restaurant at the company every day, so I only had to cater for myself in the evening. I also received my salary as usual and was supported by PROMOS in the form of a one-off payment of 600 euros (1×400, 1×200 euros). I was very happy about this and can recommend anyone who wants to spend their stay abroad in China to apply for PROMOS. Food and conventional clothing in particular are sometimes more expensive in China than in Germany. You often have to dig deeper into your pockets, especially for European food.