My last week in Hong Kong was the quickest of the eight that I spent there, arriving at Glasgow Airport yesterday (Sunday), I really couldn’t believe that I was home and just how quickly the entire experience passed by.  Having said that, I managed to fit in a lot in the eight very quick weeks that I was there.  I visited some incredible places, with spectacular views.  I worked with a fantastic group of people who were incredibly friendly and welcoming.  My last week was filled with long farewell business lunches and several nights out, including a team trip to the bowling on Friday, my last night in Hong Kong.  Whilst working at Citi I also met colleagues who were over from other Asia Pacific countries and in my final week, I’ve now got some contacts in Japan, Singapore, Australia, the Philippines , New York and, of course, Hong Kong – hopefully I chance to get to visit them all at some point in the future!  I also received extremely valuable feedback and advice from several of my colleagues, advice that I’m certain will come in handy when applying for graduate jobs in the coming months.  The experience itself, as I’m sure all Saltire interns will agree, is much more than just an internship – it’s a chance to immerse yourself in a totally different culture, make fantastic friends and grow so much both personally and professionally.  And it’s the personal development aspect which is particularly hard to properly articulate!  I’ve had a fantastic journey so far and I’m looking forward to giving something back through supporting the Saltire Foundation’s recruitment drive for 2012.

To anyone thinking of applying for 2012, I cannot recommend the experience highly enough – it really is so much more than just an excellent asset on your CV.

Thank you Saltire Foundation for an incredible, unforgettable eight weeks!

David