On 1 June 2023, 19 students from IFTM Volunteer Circle, led by lecturer Hilda Fok, set off for Congjiang in China’s Guizhou for a nine-day teaching and cultural exchange trip at the Congjiang No.2 Middle School.
Upon arrival, they were immediately greeted by the assistant headmaster and English teachers.
Throughout the trip, teaching was one of the main responsibilities of the IFTM student volunteers. IFTM volunteers were divided into groups, and each group was paired up with a local teacher to teach English to students in grades 7 and 8. Both local teachers and Macao volunteers described the experience as an eye-opening one, because they get to share their culture and life experiences.
It only took a brief period for the IFTM students to build a strong bond with the local students. The secondary school students were fascinated by Macao and its culture. The student volunteers shared their views on the importance of learning English, and how they got adapted to an English learning environment. They also discussed food, sports, leisure activities, living standards and education in Macao. Hilda supported the volunteers by observing classes and giving practical feedback to each group of students after their classes.
On 5 June, the IFTM volunteers attended the morning assembly of the school while the national flag was raised and the national anthem was sung. The entire school of over 1400 students, teachers, and the headmistress attended the assembly.
On the occasion, on behalf of IFTM, the Volunteer Circle donated two boxes of English books and learning materials to the school. Alex Chen, the head of the IFTM Volunteer Circle, gave a speech, and so did the school’s headmistress.
The school set that week as a “Special English Learning Week”, during which all students were encouraged to acquire more language skills. All the books are now displayed in their school library, and many of the local teachers expressed their gratitude.
The IFTM students also visited the Miao minority village on 3 June. The students found it inspiring to see how the locals worship the natural environment. The villagers have their own outfits: men grow long ponytails, while women wear colourful stockings.
The students also found it fascinating to know that this village is the last in China where men can legally carry guns. The students also watched performances by the local villagers.
The last teaching day was 8 June, which was an eventful day. In the morning, Hilda delivered English lessons using only English, while the local English teachers observed. In the afternoon, the IFTM volunteers organised two rounds of English competitions for the Grades 7 and 8 students to play against each other.
Many prizes, including IFTM souvenirs and gifts sponsored by the IFTM Alumni Association, were distributed to the local students. By the end of the trip, many of the local students had shown enthusiasm in learning English. Also, they were sad to see their Macao “teachers” leave and hoped that the volunteers would return in the near future.
The IFTM students believe that this trip has given them new perspectives about life and happiness. Many of them made friends with the Congjiang students. This experience has also provided the IFTM students an environment to grow in confidence, especially in public speaking. They also hoped that this trip will persist so that this programme can continue each year.
“This trip has enabled me to become brave and not to be afraid to speak in public. We only had limited time, so we strived to maximise our impact,” Luna Li, IFTM Retail management student and member of the Volunteer Circle.
“The experience allowed me to witness the impact of volunteering on both the local community and on myself.It has inspired me to seek more opportunities to make a difference through volunteering and to continue building bridges between cultures,” Ryan Wang, IFTM Hotel Management student and member of the Volunteer Circle.
