LCWC organized Service Learning Trip to Fujian
During the past Christmas holiday, a group of eleven UM students and Resident Fellow Dr. Caixia Chu conducted a ten-day service-learning trip to Bizhou village, Fujian province, where they had a very special Christmas.
The event mainly consisted of a two-day winter camp and a one-week voluntary teaching. The winter camp was held in the form of carefully designed activities such as creative clay workshop, domino competition while the courses included but not limited to dancing, basketball, foreign culture, visual arts, health and diet, creativity and imagination, the areas which the local education dosen’t cover. These activities and courses aims at inspiring local students’ imagination, creativity and improve their confidence. In addition, LCWC students also contributed to the planning of local traditional festival celebration, namely the“Lantern of Song Dynasty Festival”which is held every year in the village on the second day of February in lunar calendar.
Although Bizhou Elementary School has been equipped with a brand-new teaching building and high-standard infrastructure under the government’s financial support, students are particularly in lack of liberal art education courses such as arts and physical education, which we mainly aimed at. Through the winter camp and courses, local students’ teamwork ability, creativity as well as imagination were greatly improved. Besides that, they also learned practical skills and knowledge such as basic basketball techniques and fundamental physical health tips. They learnt how people in different countries greeted each other and how Christmas culture was originated, etc.
While providing voluntary service for the local students, voluntary teaching simultaneously benefited students from UM a lot. Their communication skills, leadership, organizing skills, teamwork and spirit of service were improved. Student Jack Fong felt he actually grew up tremendously through this experience. He now knew how to put himself into others’ shoes and care for the rest of the team. No doubt that our volunteers built up deep friendship with the local children and would keep in touch with each other in the future.
Text: Pi Kexi Finace Year 2 |