Volunteering - advice requested!

[Marmite]

Well I did a search on the word "volunteer" and found some discussion about something military. Not quite what I was after, so I've started a whole new thread (at least I think that's what I'm doing...).

Hello, China experts. As you can see, I'm a brand new member... no comments about being yeast-based or easy to spread, please....

I'm in India, coming out to China in Feb and March 06, and I want to pick your brains... I'm a bit "can't teach, won't teach" (gasp! heresy!) - or rather just not massively keen on, or experienced with, kids. I did teach VB to a group of adults which was excellent fun and they all did their homework, too. But they weren't Chinese.

So, I'm looking for Volunteering or some sort of Good Work for a month or so in Feb in China (yes, anywhere in China), where I can learn the lingo a bit and learn about the culture. Prefer pretty to city but at this stage interested in anything. Could be building work or counting pandas... could be teaching, though preferably adults. Doesn't have to be paid...

Know of anything? Or anyone? I had something lined up with a missionary (!) but it seems to have fallen through

Grateful for your expertise,
Marmite

[Mr Nobody]

Welcome and cheers. I promise not to make any jokes about your name, even if it isnt vegemite. First round is one the house


Why not go for a winter camp and work plus get paid? Hard Yakka tho. I didn't want to do it when I found out how hard, but I am a lazy sod.

However, I feel that you should get paid for any work that is your profession, on the grounds that working for free debases the value of your skills, and those of others.

I also don't teach kids, many here don't like it either, so you will feel right at home there. Except with Con. He likes teaching them. No-one knows why, though.

[George61]

Oh Marmite!! The Pommy (inferior) version of Vegemite! Don't volunteer, old son.As Nobody says, it's degrading. Both to yourself and to others who may have to live in your wake. I don't mean real volunteering, like with a proper Volunteer Agency, but amateur volunteering. Don't go to any school and volunteer. Do like Nobody says and get yourself a winter camp. Do the work, get the experience, and get paid. That will give you a proper taste of China life.
I want to get out of here and get back into a Primary situation, because I prefer little kids. College students are m'kaying Prima Donnas. The girls are too sexy, and the boys are too thick. By all means get here and do something. taste the life. It will be waay different to India. Here they never heard of cricket.

[amewupp]

Don't volunteer, old son

Psst, George-Marmite is a girl

Marmite-welcome! Good luck finding volunteer work. Though I agree with Nobody and George, if it's teaching, you should be getting paid for it. Have you looked into various NGO's???...they might have something.

[Marmite]

I would luurrrrve to work with NGOs - that's what I'm doing in India, and kinda where I'm headed generally (research and analysis rather than activism, let's be clear). But as soon as I've mentioned the words act*v*sm or po**ti*s (is that too cryptic? i'm confusing myself), ahem, as soon as I mention these words, everyone gasps as though I've said Voldemort!

Any ideas on NGOs I might contact, amewupp? And these Winter camps you mention, N&G, - could I join just for one month? Speaking no Chinese? And still be of use? Do you have a web address or anything?

I do realise I'm a few months ahead of myself. But us poms don't like leaving these things to chance.... (and I've a friend wanting to come out for two weeks and book her ticket now so I need to move sharpish or i'll be all on my todd for two months!)

Much indebted,
Marmite

[con's fly is open]

If you want a temp gig, you might talk to Raoul by PM. The bastard might try to pay you, though.

I wonder if you could volunteer at a high school. Or just find English Corners- a big city would have quite a few.

[Marmite]

(Just to be clear, it's those words in connection with China that produce the gasp. Here in India they have no effect at all)

[Marmite]

what is PM?

(sorry)

[con's fly is open]

Personal Message. Click on his name whever you may find it, and follow instructions.

Yeah, the Chinese deeply distrust public spiritedness. My old school ran a publicity stunt wherein they dragged Mandi and I to a foster home for disabled kids. We both wanted to do something for them, show up and tutor or whatever, and everyone at the school loved it- until the headmaster bounced it off some authorities. To solve a problem, you have to admit it exists, and if laowai witness it there might be embarrassment.

I'm a tad bitter about this. I'll do some kind of charity one day, but I won't tell the authorities a goddamned thing when I do.

[Ruth]

Welcome Marmite. One thing I've learned while living in China is that you CAN'T plan ahead very well. Drives me crazy. That said, it doesn't mean you shouldn't try to line something up now for Feb.

I've never done winter or summer camps. So I don't really know what I'm talking about. Someone with more experience (please) chime in here and correct me if I'm giving out bogus info. Camps are intensive periods of time when students are given lessons during their school holidays. So it's very possible that you could 'join for one month'. My cousin and his wife, both teachers in Ontario, came to China for July. They taught at a camp for three weeks and played tourist for the other week. If you could find a deal like that for Feb, it might give you a good chance to get the flavour of the country.

[Lotus Eater]

One of my friends here is the Chinese liaison officer for I-to-I a volunteer agency that places people at the Panda Conservation, Terracotta Warriors, Disabled Rehab centres as well as summer schools. HOWEVER, I think you actually have to pay for this as it covers admin stuff, plus accommodation and food during the week.

PM me if you want her contact number.

If you look underneath our icons you will see a little letter thingy - click on that and you should be able to write to me. After than watch the top line when you login, and where it says you have a message, click on that and it will take you to my reply.

[Marmite]

Thanks for all this! Have sent off some emails to NGOs, retrieved contact numbers and generally been helped greatly by your replies.

Having said that, if you know of any contact emails or websites for the winter camp thing, that would be good. Doing a Google doesn't help greatly (and this computer just asks me 20 times if I want to install the Chinese Language pack, which I don't have. Microsoft...)

Ta

[woza17]

This is truly amazing, I have just been contemplating about winter camps. When I first came to China 4 years ago I taught in a small city in Hubei and loved it I have been back to visit. Anyway my friend went back there to teach and spoke to the principal, top guy, I told her to tell
him I would be interested in doing a Winter camp there just to catch up with friends and give the students an opportunity to have a FT for a while. He asked me to send a proposal of my ideas. If my proposal is accepted maybe you may be interested in joining me. I am doing this not to make a profit but I do expect my costs to be covered and a bit of spending money but because I love the people there.
I have done 4 summer camps and 2 winter camps and can show you the ropes.
Cheers woza

[Lotus Eater]

Woz - quit working and come travelling with me!!! I plan on seeing the Ice Festival at Ha'erbin in winter.

[Marmite]

Hey there! If your proposal gets accepted, look me up! When woudl it be (roughly)?

And what sort of ages would the students be?

Excellent. I have a few possibles now - all of which are probably better than the missionary thing anyway! Lotus: when is the winter festival? Maybe the kids at the winter camp could come too... )

[Marmite]

OK I just wrote a smiley with a colon, an o and a bracket, and it made a surprised face. It was meant to be a smiley smilie. Just so you know! : o )

[Lotus Eater]

The Ha'erbin thing lasts for about a month I think. 'Tis slightly cold, winter woolies generally recommended (-20 I've been told) - you may not convince the kids they want to come to that. But it is supposed to be beautiful, so I want to head there sometime during the Spring Festival break. Which ffrom my reckoning is around 20th January for 3-4 weeks.

[Ruth]

Definitely take your woolies to Harbin in Feb. We went in 2004. I wore 5 layers on my legs and ended up buying boots there because the boots I took with me weren't warm enough. The camera batteries went on strike because of the cold. I kept the camera inside my jacket, next to my body, to warm it up between shots. Admission was 80 RMB per person. That might be a little pricey for students. DON'T pay for a translator to take you around the park. We were majorly ripped off. "That's a tiger." "That's a dragon." The only thing I learned was that one of the buildings was a replica of some general's house. Like I cared.

We went in the early afternoon one day and the evening the next day. Daytime was warmer and hardly any people were there. Good chance to check out the sculptures at our leisure and get good pictures. However, you must go in the evening, too. The lights are spectacular. If you only want to go once, I suggest arriving about 3 and staying through - if you are warm enough.

[Ruth]

This is a picture of Lei Shan. He's got a down vest under that pullover. It was mid-day and decidedly warmer than when we went out in the evening.


Can you see my red nose? Mid-day and I'm bundled; it was necessary. I call this picture the Chinese Mt. Rushmore. There were 5 heads in the sculpture.


Night scene. I climbed 105 ice steps to get to the top of the dam replica to take this picture. Can you find Lei Shan? I missed him waving because the camera was acting up due to the cold.
m'kay it. I've tried many times to resize the picture. It is postage stamp size in photobucket and still huge on here. You guys don't get to see the picture from the top of the dam unless I can figure out what else to do.
Okay, another picture from the top of the dam. The picture with Lei Shan in it just isn't cooperating. I swear I'm doing the same thing with each picture.


Another night scene. This is one end of the dragon sculpture. You can see the river behind the dragon and the city in the background. The Ice and Snow Festival was actually across the river from the city-proper. About a 40 RMB taxi ride.

[Lotus Eater]

Thanks Ruth - you've made me very keen to go. I might buy another set of thermals!

[con's fly is open]

What Lotus said. Purdy!

[Ruth]

No joke, Lotus. Two sets of long johns, a pair of sweat pants, lined nylon windbreaker pants and the blue jeans. I lived in northern Ontario where we wore ski pants for warmth in the winter. If I'd had them in Harbin I would have had them on. I wore a scarf wrapped around my head and face under the hood of my winter jacket.

It was fabulous. We arrived in China in mid-Nov and took the trip to Harbin - by ourselves - in late January, so it was really the first thing we did here, other than arriving and getting settled. There was a kind of bob sled run down the side of a hill. I really wanted to try it, except they gave thin plastic sleds to ride on, it looked very bumpy, I bruise easily and they were charging 10 kuai for the privilege. Lots of other stuff to spend money on once you get inside: dog sled ride, sleds on ice, bumper cars on ice, carnival games, a camel (real) ride, horse drawn cart rides, your picture holding an arctic fox (they were beautiful but we didn't cough up the money).

[George61]

nice pics....but too bloody cold for me!!

[Ruth]

Wimp. All you have to do is put on lots of clothes. Air so cold it freezes your lungs is cleansing.

[George61]

OK I just wrote a smiley with a colon, an o and a bracket, and it made a surprised face. It was meant to be a smiley smilie. Just so you know! : o )

Clever little Vegemite, aren't you??

Ruth, I know "wear more clothes" but I would like to be able to walk, and/or get up if I fell down.