My China GCELE trip was in many ways a great opportunity for me. I was really excited to meet the people that I had work with such as, Fu Hui Foundation volunteers, Centennial College students and most importantly the children. Upon our arrival we were warmly welcomed and immediately felt the friendly atmosphere of the people and the surroundings as well. Our journey into the mountains on the long, narrow, winding dirt roads was a little rough but the view was amazing. As we continue our journey we saw people sitting in small groups on the roadside while little children wandered around hopelessly.
Besides, China have a very rich culture from the food to the dance and not to mention their traditional dressing. I am grateful that I was given the chance to explore, learn and work with the children from the different schools that we visited. I must say, these children are very appreciative for the education that they are given for it is a privilege to be educated in China. To add, We had a great time in and out of the classroom everyday we learned something new whether a song, dance or even a Chinese word.
In addition to our inspiring trip, We hiked further into the mountains for about 1hour 40minutes for the home visit. There we saw where some of the children were living before they got sponsored by Fuhui foundation. This was the hardest hiked I’ve ever been on, but I would not trade it for nothing! In the mountains was where I got my first culture shock. Everyone was in tears when we saw the living conditions. When we got into the house the little girl guardian wasn’t at home. At that moment we saw the disappointment and hurt in her face because she had not seen them in a longtime. She then told us she don’t like talking about her family because it make her sad.
As a global citizen I was pleased to make a difference in the lives of the children in the Fu Hui Education Foundations all girls program. These children truly appreciate what we had done for them as they thank us for the knowledge and inspiration we offered. I believe that I have empowered the mind set of those children so that they can look at life from a better and brighter perspective. However, we couldn’t have done such wonderful work without our supportive staff. We had built such strong bonds with the children we interact with in the schools. It was difficult to say good bye. Even though we are far away those children will always be in my heart.
Nadesia Prussia
THE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE BLOG 