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During that first week of summer, the heat seemed unbearable. The kind that sinks beneath the trees and rises from the pavements, from which there is no escape under a perpetually cloudy sky. At work we were set to cleaning a large rug. The orphanage centre didn't have a hoover, so we were scooping dust with a dustpan and brush. Of all the cleaning jobs I had to do, that was probably the worse (and that includes Chinese toilets). As I stopped to give my aching arms a rest, my heart sinking because I realised I was only halfway through, I noticed one of my co-volunteers had disappeared. I was lucky enough to work with two people, a mother and a daughter. I asked was told that there was a commotion downstairs: one of the special needs kids was being sent home. You have to understand that the people I worked with were good people, they were giving and cared for every disabled child there. However, the children who still had families were required to pay a small monthly contribution.
The child in question was one we'd nicknamed 'Little Fatty', his plump face giggled when we swung him around, and he'd often slip his hand into yours as you climbed a flight of stairs. He had been in this care centre for over a year.
His parents were no longer able to pay the school fee. The father had little income and even less training or education, and his mother was blind. Their son was crying and refusing to leave the Special Needs Centre.
I worked with a wonderful woman who exemplified all the kindness and spirit the Chinese are so often capable of, and went down to see if she could help. She ended up paying for the little boy to stay another month, and paid for medical examinations which would ultimately grant him help from the government. To top it all off, she bought enough chicken for the whole orphanage, and we had it with rice and vegetables that very lunchtime.
I was fortunate enough to witness other scenes disproving all our theories on humanity's ultimate selfishness and greed, but this was the first and of which I keep a fond memory.
The orphanage cut up a watermelon that afternoon, which we ate whilst caring for the kids, who gleefully let the juice dribble down their chins.

First of all, I applied for my program about 4-5 weeks before I started so it was a rather spontaneous decision. I'm glad I had prepared myself for this adventure by learning some basic mandarin Chinese and talking to some Chinese acquaintances so I could build up some general knowledge about Chinese culture.
I would suggest everyone to learn some of the language at home, otherwise it might seem to be an unsurmountable barrier which I wasn't prepared for at all- most people in Xi'an, where I spent four weeks volunteering at a special needs care centre, do not speak English.
This is what I was told by the driver who picked me up at the airport after I had arrived in Xi'an, after I had not found my baggage in the baggage claim area, as it was late and I had tried to talk to the staff at the airport. The only thing I had asked for was to step outside for 5 minutes to find the person who would pick me up and I realised very late that nobody understood what I was deperately trying to tell them. So by talking to them in Chinese I finally managed to get out of the airport.
When I arrived at the volunteer house I met David, our host, who was very nice and welcoming, he also helped me with my baggage so I eventually got it in the evening the day I arrived.
The next day, my program started and we (we were two volunteers working at our placement) were picked up at the house by our shuttle bus. The commuting time took about 45 minutes to one hour each day in the morning and in the afternoon.
I'm not sure about my expectations, I hope I didn't have any because everything would have been different than expected anyway but as soon as I arrived and met the special needs children for the first time I have to admit I was shocked.
Shocked about the overall conditions. I used to work at a special needs school near where I live, in a rural part of Germany, so I thought I would be prepared for a special needs school in China as well.
In fact I suddenly felt so bad and priviliged when I noticed the bad hygienic conditions, it seemed like there were no rules, some of the kids were peeing anywhere they wanted and nobody really cared. Everywhere around me there were special needs- but the care was missing most of the time. I can't blame the teachers- they probably didn't have much training before they started their job so they just learned based on their own experiences.
I stopped comparing the place to the school I had worked at because I didn't see it as a school, more like a waiting room. At first I waited for the teachers to tell me what to do, but they didn't. That's what I was used to, orders, but here there were none so my project partner and I tried some small activities like drawing and playing ball with some of the children. When we were doing these things everybody seemed to become more active and happier and these were the only times I didn't feel useless. As long as we weren't just sitting around waiting for the day to end I really enjoyed working and playing with the kids as they are very lovely. There's a big difference in what they're capable of, some of them didn't seem to interact at all and it was difficult to draw their attention, sometimes very frustrating.
In general, I found it frustrating to see the problems at the placement and not actually being able to help, the only thing we could really do was talking and playing with the children, some of them were able to remember English vocabulary so we also tried to teach them some.
I wish I could say it was a rewarding experience but I personally had a hard time getting along with the placement, especially with the missing structures etc.
It was hard to communicate with the people I was with because... of course they didn't speak any English.
Nevertheless, I am very happy I went there. I liked most of the kids very much and it was sad when one told me she'd miss me when I'm back home, three kids even said they love me, something I had experienced at my "old" school before- you should be prepared the children are craving for body contact. Sometimes sitting next to each other closely is enough, sometimes they need hugs.
Something I liked about the placement was that they're trying to help the children through music. They were listening to music every day and even had musical instruments which is a big plus. Some of them enjoyed dancing and singing very much, others just watched but I'm sure this concept is a good start.
I was very happy about my accomodation at the volunteer house and the overall support from David and his assistants. They showed us around and we had a really great time with them. Exploring the city by night, watching the fountain show near the famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda, going to a karaoke bar are only some of the things we did together.
The City of Xi'an is definitely worth a visit, you'll love the atmosphere and all the sights, the city wall and the muslim quarter were my favourite places.

By Tony Mangia
I spent two weeks teaching English at the Aurore Kindergarten school for the International Volunteer HQ program in an outer part of Xian, China and can tell you it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

It wasn’t the first time I had gone overseas to volunteer, so I did know that it’s a great way to get acclimated with a new country and its culture before, as I did, traveling around some more on my own.

The IVHQ project leader in China is named David Zou. He was always available to answer questions of mine before the trip and, when I arrived in Xi’an, was a gracious host and guide. He immediately gave all of the new volunteers a rundown of the city, the program, and our teaching assignments before taking us to a restaurant to get acquainted. Later during my stay, David even helped me with my personal travel plans and hotel accommodations.

And David’s mom is a great cook. Dumpling night was not to be missed.

On teaching days, once you get used to the commuting (mine was a 45-minute ride on a crowded bus and a 20 minute walk to the school) I’d look forward to each and every day. I worked with Cindy, my Chinese teaching host, and usually taught English to three or four different classes (usually 20 children each) a day. Cindy and all of the other teachers were friendly and made the experience a fun experience.

The children (ages ranged from 4-6 years old) are a delight and the 4-year-olds aren’t shy about poking, hugging and, in my case as a man, plucking the hairs off my arms and legs. It’s usually about curiosity but sometimes they just want to be noticed.

The 4-year-olds’ attention span is really short so word games and a little song-and-dance (you don’t have to be good. I’m not) will keep them watching you. The children love to sing and it helps them remember words and phrases. And, if you voice is as bad as mine, it will get a good laugh from the class.

The 5 and 6 year-olds are not as messy and will pay attention more— although playful punches and making faces will be directed at you. The high-five as a reward always worked and I introduced the ‘fist-bump’ which caught on quickly and became a big hit.

The teaching staff is great and really want you to succeed. They care about the kids. They won’t ask you to do much so volunteer to help out with moving things, cleaning or whatever you feel comfortable assisting them with. The staff will appreciate it and it will help fill up your time during the day.

The lunches are standard Chinese fare, but are very good. Bring extra water. The two-hour nap time for the kids gives you an opportunity to explore the surrounding area so bring a camera. Most of the locals don’t mind have their photo taken and I found an rustic old temple about a mile away.

I filled my weekends with a bike ride on the City Wall in Xi’an, a trip to see the Terracotta Warriors (a 2-hour bus ride) and saw a wonderful Chinese opera. The city is filled with cool areas to just wander and taste and I wish I had more time to explore.

By the time my two weeks ended, I felt as if I lived in Xian and gotten to know the children. Later, back at home, I still look back at the experience with a smile and glad I took photos.

I can’t recommend the IVHQ volunteer program enough.

By Tony Mangia
I spent two weeks teaching English at the Aurore Kindergarten school for the International Volunteer HQ program in an outer part of Xian, China and can tell you it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

It wasn’t the first time I had gone overseas to volunteer, so I did know that it’s a great way to get acclimated with a new country and its culture before, as I did, traveling around some more on my own.

The IVHQ project leader in China is named David Zou. He was always available to answer questions of mine before the trip and, when I arrived in Xi’an, was a gracious host and guide. He immediately gave all of the new volunteers a rundown of the city, the program, and our teaching assignments before taking us to a restaurant to get acquainted. Later during my stay, David even helped me with my personal travel plans and hotel accommodations.

And David’s mom is a great cook. Dumpling night was not to be missed.

On teaching days, once you get used to the commuting (mine was a 45-minute ride on a crowded bus and a 20 minute walk to the school) I’d look forward to each and every day. I worked with Cindy, my Chinese teaching host, and usually taught English to three or four different classes (usually 20 children each) a day. Cindy and all of the other teachers were friendly and made the experience a fun experience.

The children (ages ranged from 4-6 years old) are a delight and the 4-year-olds aren’t shy about poking, hugging and, in my case as a man, plucking the hairs off my arms and legs. It’s usually about curiosity but sometimes they just want to be noticed.

The 4-year-olds’ attention span is really short so word games and a little song-and-dance (you don’t have to be good. I’m not) will keep them watching you. The children love to sing and it helps them remember words and phrases. And, if you voice is as bad as mine, it will get a good laugh from the class.

The 5 and 6 year-olds are not as messy and will pay attention more— although playful punches and making faces will be directed at you. The high-five as a reward always worked and I introduced the ‘fist-bump’ which caught on quickly and became a big hit.

The teaching staff is great and really want you to succeed. They care about the kids. They won’t ask you to do much so volunteer to help out with moving things, cleaning or whatever you feel comfortable assisting them with. The staff will appreciate it and it will help fill up your time during the day.

The lunches are standard Chinese fare, but are very good. Bring extra water. The two-hour nap time for the kids gives you an opportunity to explore the surrounding area so bring a camera. Most of the locals don’t mind have their photo taken and I found an rustic old temple about a mile away.

I filled my weekends with a bike ride on the City Wall in Xi’an, a trip to see the Terracotta Warriors (a 2-hour bus ride) and saw a wonderful Chinese opera with some of the other volunteers. The city is filled with cool areas to just wander and taste and I wish I had more time to explore.

By the time my two weeks ended, I felt as if I lived in Xian and gotten to know the children. Later, back at home, I still look back at the experience with a smile and glad I took photos.

I can’t recommend the IVHQ volunteer program enough.

I went to Weinan - a city in the suburb of Xi'an - last summer for a whole month in order to teach english to local kids. I really had lots of fun in many aspects.

Firstly, I have been very welcome as soon as I arrived in Xi'an by David and other volunteers from all around the world. This made my integration in a country that was totally new for me way easier.

Then, I really enjoyed the project I was assigned to. I went an hour away from Xi'an with 3 other volunteers in order to teach around 40 local kids, aged between 6 and 14. More precisely, I was responsible of a class of around 20 people with a Canadian volunteer as well as a local teaching assistant who could give us precious help! The classes were really fun and students were (most of the time!) in very high spirits! We were free to design our own courses, and tried to make it as interactive as possible. I also keep a vivid memory of after-class activities, as some kids were always up for a football or basketball game! Some of them have also helped me learn some Chinese during my month there!

Finally, I also had a blast during weekends, as I went back to Xi'an twice to visit the city and also went to see the Terracotta Warriors. I haven't had time to do everything I wished, as I heard we could also do some great hiking... I believe that may be for another time !

To sum up, I would recommend this program to anybody willing to live a thrilling adventure, and share knowledge with adorable and really motivated kids who will make sure you will have a great stay.

I spent a whole month in China and had a great time. Although there were a few unexpected things (which I have already informed IVHQ about) any issues were easily sorted out! I gained a lot of knowledge from my trip that I continue to apply in my day to day life! This program has given me the opportunity to make a difference, meet new people, learn a new language, and utilize my skills on an international level!

While I was in China it rained almost the whole time, which was apparently, for October, not normal. We still managed to have fun though! The worst part was that it often took a lot longer for things to dry out!!!

I really enjoyed having the freedom to explore during our downtime while still having structured parts to my day.

IVHQ has some things to work out with the Host Organization in China but overall the experience was very positive! I would definitely do a trip via IVHQ again!!!