The Jiangxi Teaching Volunteer Program is a warm and unique summer cultural exchange initiative launched by Youth Care Club (YCC) under American Chinese Culture and Education Foundation (ACCEF).
The program was first initiated in 2017 by Mr. Yonghuang Zeng, a board member of ACCEF, in collaboration with Mr. Zubin Liao, a dedicated local volunteer and founder of the Zubin Left-Behind Children’s Growth Center in Xiaomi Township, Huichang County, Jiangxi Province. Since its inception, the program has been highly welcomed by local children. Every summer (except for three years during the pandemic), volunteers from the foundation and YCC, including students and parents, travel to Zubin’s center to conduct two weeks of English teaching and cultural exchange activities for local children. Additionally, they visit underprivileged students in need of financial support and seek educational sponsorships for them.
In the summer of 2024, a group of YCC volunteers, ages 9-16, visited Xiaomi, Jiangxi, China, where they taught Chinese students English speaking, reading, and writing. In a total of 10 days, the volunteers commuted to and from the school, presented new topics every day, and learned the culture of Xiaomi. This year, they also incorporated a Lego Robotics course, where they brought LEGO Mindstorms EV3 machines and guided them through the coding process, allowing for creativity to blossom.
Around a month before the volunteers began teaching, they worked together to create slideshows on various topics such as sports, foods, cities, and more. They created lesson plans and strategized on how to effectively teach the children in order to prepare for the trip.
The Zubin Left-Behind Children’s Growth Center provides weekend homework tutoring and extracurricular courses for children whose parents are absent due to work. The arrival of our teaching team not only offers a summer activity option for these children but also greatly enriches their vacation experience. Each year, the volunteer team is composed of students from grades 8–12 from different middle and high schools in San Diego. Before the trip, volunteers prepare lesson plans in both English and Chinese, practice teaching, and organize learning materials and daily homework assignments. Every participant embarks on a meaningful journey, engaging in activities such as interacting with local children, learning about local culture, tasting regional delicacies, participating in farm work, and forming lasting friendships.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program transitioned to online summer classes from 2020 to 2022. However, in July 2023, a team of seven students and six parents resumed in-person volunteer teaching in Xiaomi Township. The following year, in July 2024, ten students and seven parents participated in the program, introducing new experiences such as LEGO robotics courses and pickleball activities for the first time. The excitement among the volunteers was unparalleled, while the rural children, encountering robotics and one of the trendiest sports for the first time, had their eyes lit up with curiosity. The volunteers, in turn, felt the deep connection of love and trust that transcends language through the children’s pure and joyful smiles.
Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to continue our journey to Xiaomi Township. We warmly welcome any interested students to join us in making a difference!
The volunteer students also wrote down their reflections after the trip.
In the summer of 2024, I, along with a group of other volunteers, went to a small rural community in China called Xiaomi to tutor local students in English. The trip was unforgettable; I made new friends, partook in fun activities, and embraced Chinese culture. For that 14-day stay, our group fell into a sort of routine: get up, walk to the school, teach, break for lunch, teach again, rest, dinner, and a nighttime planning session for the next day. But, just because our days were structured didn’t mean we were bored. Our trip was supplemented with enjoyable experiences like hiking, cutting rice, making rice cakes, and many more events that enhanced our understanding of Chinese culture. However, it’s impossible to forget about the most important event of all: the teaching. This was the most enjoyable adventure on the trip, as we taught to, learned from, and bonded with kids whose lives were so drastically different from ours. Overall, it was an extremely magical and educational visit. But, for me, the trip was not without its challenges.
One major hurdle I faced during our stay in Xiaomi was the challenge of not being fluent in Chinese. My Chinese, although conversational, was not nuanced enough to teach a class in foreign language. Needless to say, I was not going to be able to teach well with my Chinese skills alone. So, I pulled out all the stops. I had been tutoring English to students in China through our computers for years prior to the trip and knew how to make my class engaging and effective. I used this skill to the fullest extent possible, leading the class in debates and word games. Throughout the trip, my Chinese also improved in leaps and bounds, enabling me to understand more and more of the native language.So, even though my Chinese language skills might not have been enough to get me through the China trip, I was able to lean on past experience and ultimately be a successful teacher.
In short, throughout our group’s visit to China, I was able to enjoy many fun experiences, improve my Chinese, and take part in an amazing cultural exchange, all while making friends. I had a great time on this trip, and I’m sure future groups will, too.
–Max
This is the start of an essay chronicling the routine everyday life that we, as student teachers in Xiaomi, experienced as part of our 2024 summer trip. In the mornings, we would all wake up, go eat breakfast, walk the mile or so to the school (often in 90+ degree weather), and then teach the kids. After 4-5 hours of education, we’d walk home for some limited leisure and preparations for the next day. This trip certainly wasn’t your average vacation; one might see fit to call it work even. So why would we do this? Why would we willingly endure such discomfort and hardship for virtually no gain besides experience? The answer, of course, is that the experiences that we gained are far more valuable than other superficial vacations. Not only did we get exposure to unique experiences like teaching, traveling to a foreign country like China fosters personal growth and resilience. Navigating unfamiliar environments, adapting to new customs, and overcoming language barriers help build problem-solving skills and self-reliance. As budding adults, it’s our responsibility to learn more about our world in order to understand and empathize with others.
One of the most important experiences that we gained from this was insight into the lives of others in different social and economic situations. As this was a rural area, most students weren’t wealthy; some of our students had to work in the fields after school to help support their families. Recognizing our own privileged station in life was a humbling, yet infinitely valuable reminder and realization.
So to anyone considering it. Let me restate that a summer trip to China is more than just a vacation—it’s an enriching journey that combines cultural immersion, historical exploration, and personal development. The experiences gained from such a trip leave a lasting impact, shaping travelers into more culturally aware, adaptable, and knowledgeable individuals. For anyone seeking adventure, learning, and growth, China is a destination worth exploring.
–Alex