Volunteer Teaching to a Host Family in China with CHI

I participated in the World Explorer program this summer through CHI in Beijing, China. I was in Beijing for 33 days and loved every second. I didn't want to leave! My host family was amazing and brought me to the Great Wall of China and the Summer Palace. I also participated in family gatherings and experienced what barbecuing is like in China. I've never eaten so much food at one time!
I met up with two other World Explorers and visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, hutongs, and explored many parts of Eastern Beijing. Getting lost was all part of the plan as we met many amazing Chinese families more than willing to help us find our way and showed us to great places for food and drinks. The one thing I miss the most about Beijing is the subway. I never used public transportation until I arrived in Beijing.
As I am back home in the states, I still stay in contact with my host family through WeChat. If everything pans out, I'll be visiting my host family next summer. I cannot wait!

I went to China with ECVA for a month last summer. I had already been to China twice on high school trips and had taken 6 years of Mandarin classes so I already relatively had a good handle on the language. I still ended up having a lot to learn and managed to improve my language skills in a way I wouldn't have in the classroom.

I lived with a family in Beijing that had a 6 year old boy that was already learning English in school. My lessons with him quickly became very informal (at his parents' request). Most days we would play or go somewhere with his parents and speak as much English as possible.

ECVA also set me up with language classes during the week, which I would suggest. Even though the other students were a lower skill level than me, it was a great way to meet other English speakers. I ended up becoming good friends with my classmates and hanging out with them a lot.

I am an English teacher here in my country. Here I teach English and in my country from the root level of education English is compulsory. So, sometimes we have to face problem in the village area where pronunciation difficulties are the main problem and another one is the lack of practical environment. But we overcome it day by day practice.