Volunteer English Teacher (VET)

The VET exchange is in Yangzhuo, Guizhou province. In exchange for teaching 3-6th graders in village schools, the volunteer is provided with dorm room and meals at a small English college, Owens College. Our English was much appreciated by the college students with whom we ate and lived as well. We were invited to make a presentation to these students in the evening which was well received. We played, chatted, taught and biked with them on the weekends and evenings. We had plenty of time to explore. The Li River is a world class natural site, home of the famous karst mountains.

We taught in a different village each day of the week. They were remote and typically poor. The Chinese English teachers had little spoken English experience, so we were greatly appreciated. My limited Chinese was helpful.

Old Chinese plumbing was, humorously, our only problem.