If you’re planning on spending any time in Asia, sooner or later you’re going to need to learn about durian. And let’s just say it’s an acquired taste.

Is honesty really the best policy? Our lovable intern gets a valuable lesson in real life in today’s comic strip.

How long can an intern survive in an office environment without getting personal questions about his relationship status? This kind of talk is the kind of thing you’ll hear in any Chinese office.

Like any worker, there’s a big range of quality of work when it comes to interns. The unexpected challenge as an employer comes when the intern is so hard-working that you have trouble keeping them busy!

There’s quitting time, and then there’s quitting time. So many reasons to work overtime, and so few to actually go home…

Chinese people don’t drink coffee? Chinese people don’t like iced drinks? STEREOTYPES SHATTERED.

Once again… interns don’t get no respect! (Hey folks, we don’t make the rules of society here, we’re just keen observers…)

Interns don’t get no respect! More of a universal law than the whole coffee thing from episode 01, if we do say so ourselves.

Coffee consumption in China is on the rise, so this stereotype is rearing its ugly head in China too. (Potential China interns, you have been warned!)

The commute to and from the office is a big issue for everyone. Many Chinese have staggeringly long daily commutes (in excess of 1 hour each way), but not everyone has that kind of stamina for commuting.

It’s hard to believe that so very recently, we were all wearing face masks almost all the time in Shanghai. For July 2020, we’re mostly at “half mask.”

Moods, mistakes, and misunderstandings… All the kind of vague, emotional stuff that can trip up intermediate learners. Make sure you learn this stuff well, because these are all key elements when reading the mood in the office.

Intellectual property theft is a serious offense in any company. Learn a few useful related words in today’s comic!

Occasional internet problems are a problem for any network. Add in “Chinese characteristics,” and website connections can sometime get confusing.

Work from home is the norm during a pandemic, but all the working from home has also made more and more employers in China open to the idea of working on the weekend from home. What could go wrong??

This exchange may not be the most logical one, and yet to our staff, it does have that ring of authenticity.

Let’s just say that rain and productivity must have some kind of correlation, even if it’s not usually this one!

It's a fact of life in China that employees often don't stick around long, but you're supposed to show some concern for the fates of your fellow co-workers!

Ah, IT departments in companies all over the world are struggling with the issue of employees using weak, easily guessable passwords.

When you think of stinky Chinese food, what do you think of? Stinky tofu, 臭豆腐 (chòu dòufu)? Or maybe durian, 榴莲 (liúlián)? What about 螺蛳粉 (luósi fěn)? That’s the one in today’s strip.