China – Community Aid and Teaching in Fengyan

Fengyan is a small but well preserved village in Guangxi province in the South of China (42kms from Yangshuo and 104 kms from the city of Guilin). It typifies the traditional rural way of life in China and is where we base our volunteer projects. The people there are hard working – it is not unusual for the farmers to go to their fields at 6.30 a.m. and not return until 7.00 p.m. as they seek to provide food and money for their families. Because of the rural location of the project, volunteers will be picked up from the airport and transported to a nearby bus station, where you will get to your project site by bus and then high-speed train.

Volunteers will work in one of the following placements:

Teaching English to Kids: Teach conversational English at the village primary schools. Teaching is usually 1-3 hours per day, five days a week, although you will need to add in time for planning your lessons. Essential teaching skills and how to prepare for your lessons are covered in your first week – in particular how to cope when you have few teaching resources! Anything you can bring from your home country to assist your teaching will be of great benefit. During the summer months (typically mid July-September) you can take part in a children’s English Summer Camp where the local rural family children learn and practice their English.

Helping out at a Kindergarten: You will work with young children where the emphasis is more on fun and amusement than on a formal syllabus. You will teach for about 5 to 10 hours a week. The kindergarten is at Lian Hua, close to the centre at Fengyan. The children are about 4-5 years old and right at the start of their school careers. They are mainly from poor villages in and around the area – they will be very excited to see you. You will be one of the first westerners they have ever met!

Holidays:
The school break in runs from January 31 – March 1 and July 15- September 1. You may still enroll in the educational programs during this time, but please note that activities will be different and may range from assisting in summer camps to renovation and beautification projects.

Volunteer work also does not take place during national holidays, but you are always welcome to join in the local celebration. Please note these consecutive holidays, which may impact short-term placements, before registering:

• May 1 – 3, 2020
• June 25 – 27, 2020
• October 1 – 8, 2020

Internet: Internet is available at the training center.

Laundry: Washing machines are available for participants to use for free.

  Accommodations: Accommodations in Fengyan will be at a volunteer center with shared rooms (for 2-8 people each), hot water, showers and western toilets.

Food: During your stay you will be provided with 3 Chinese meals a day. This will be mainly rice and vegetable dishes, however please note that most dishes will contain some meat.

Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:

• Minimum age of 17
• Police clearance
• Basic level of English
• Travel visa
• Immunizations (please consult your doctor)

Culture Week (Highly Recommended):
This week you will learn about Chinese culture, language and customs. You will take part in some of the ancient Chinese crafts (such as calligraphy and paper crafting), tour local sites, take in the magnificent scenery and learn some basic Chinese.

Chinese Language Classes: If you are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, consider enrolling in complementary language lessons! The classes meet once a day for an hour after your volunteering hours. To add this option to your project, simply update your operations manager after applying to the project and we will arrange this for you at no additional cost to you.