GoChinaAbroad Learn Chinese with Homestay program ( Volunteer )

My volunteer program with GoAbroadChina in Beijing lasted a month, during this Christmas season, Beijing is full of wonder and beauty. Even though you will have to walk in the freezing cold (in fact the temperature dropped to -13 degrees, it was the coldest day in China ever.) Seeing the positive side of our shaking hands (when having to get pictures of the magnificent architecture of the traditional temples for example is that when climbing the Great Wall I could not have imagined myself going up to the top during summer!

I chose to work in a school for my volunteer program as I am comfortable and unwind around children (I have six younger sisters and brothers). I thought that it would definitely boost my Mandarin, as there certainly will not be the option to communicate in any other language with children from three to seven years old! Teaching them was a delight. They were attentive and eager to learn. Even the younger ones who were at first afraid of me would sit on my lap while watching a movie by the end!

Yes, indeed be prepared for them to point at you, scream, and laugh I should have recorded a video of this little boy not older than 3 who every time I spoke would burst out laughing like I was the funniest attraction in the world, I laughed back as you can’t get mad or offended at children. However, what I found more difficult was how adults would turn back to stare at me in the subway or even on the roads I just felt like saying ‘what is your problem??’ to turn around or even glare at them but you should understand that foreigners (and particularly me as I have blond hair and blue eyes) are something new to them and we are seen as objects of fascination not as people. This would be the advice I would give: smile or ignore.

I would definitely recommend ‘GoAbroadChina’ without hesitation whatever your age (I am sixteen) they give you just the correct balance between freedom and their fun organized events. You can always get in touch with any of them if you require help which is very reassuring, they are fantastic people that if you get to know them around a good Chinese dinner (little advice for vegetarians china is not the best place, the menus are in Chinese and they are no ticks or anything of the sort to tell you the vegetarian options which are in most restaurants not even available as chinese love eating pigs and the meat there is particularly cheap however just tell the ‘fu wu yuan’ the waitress ‘wo chi su’ which means that you are a vegetarian and they will help you to choose) you will learn so much about culture, gain experience, listen to their stories and from the ones the other students taking part in the program will share with with you on their country (Morocco, Tunisia are two places which never really tempted me to go visit before however I am planning to go to Casablanca and in the north of Morocco now that they I have been invited there and heard so much about it which made me so curious to go see for myself.) Making friends is one of the other main highlights of this company the range of people just never ends, so different but in a way so similar it is difficult to explain so just go and have one of the best trips of your life and get unforgettable memories. GoAbroadChina is my family to treasure.