Trip Details

If you love teaching and being with children, experiencing China as a volunteer English community teacher is something you will really enjoy. The recent requirement that every school from primary level upwards must teach English as a core subject is hindered by a shortage of English teachers.
That’s where you come in! You will mainly be teaching conversational English to children from 6 to 18 years old. This role is perfect for those who can speak English fluently and to those that can also contribute their knowledge of life outside China.
You will also be helping to teach basic English exercises, exchange songs, take part in singing with them and playing educational games. You may also lead the children through activities like handicrafts, sports, drawing, coloring, writing and more! By supplementing the teachers and their classroom assistants, you will be ‘bringing English alive’ and help the children enjoy the process of both learning and using English.

Aims & Objectives

  • Improve English language of the Chinese youth by giving them opportunities to converse
  • Provide you with teaching experience, an invaluable life skill!
  • Assist the English teachers and classroom assistants

Trip Itinerary

As a volunteer on this project you could teach a range of subjects, including English, Maths, Science and PE. If you have other interested or specialties then you can also arrange extra-curricular activities. Drama, Art and Music, for example, are very popular with the local children.

Volunteer teachers on this project usually start their time by working alongside the local staff; this helps them to get introduced to the children and culture, whilst also helping you to understand the best ways to communicate with staff and the children you will work with. By assisting in lessons and running fun and interactive tasks – like games and music tasks – you will be able to develop both your confidence and the confidence of the students you will be teaching. In the same way that you will be interested in the local culture, the children will also be keen to learn about you and your life – get ready to ask and answer a lot of questions!

This project is as diverse as it is rewarding. Not only will you gain incredible teaching experience in a beautiful country, but you will have the chance to learn from the other volunteers you work with, and from the local teaching staff too. You will also experience local life, learn some new language, and get the chance to make a big difference in these children’s lives.

Whatever it is that you decide to teach, you can be certain that the impact you have will make a difference to these children for a lifetime.

Monday

  • Breakfast
  • Volunteer on the project for 3 hours
  • Lunch
  • Lesson planning/Volunteering
  • Dinner
  • Free Time

Tuesday

  • Breakfast
  • Volunteer on the project  3-5 hours
  • Lunch
  • Lesson planning/Volunteering
  • Dinner
  • Free Time

Wednesday 

  • Breakfast
  • Volunteer on the project  3-5 hours
  • Lunch
  • Lesson planning/Volunteering
  • Dinner
  • Free Time

Thursday

  • Breakfast
  • Volunteer on the project  3-5 hours
  • Lunch
  • Lesson planning/Volunteering
  • Dinner
  • Free Time

Friday 

  • Breakfast
  • Volunteer on the project  3-5 hours
  • Lunch
  • Lesson planning/Volunteering
  • Dinner
  • Free Time

Evenings: Volunteers are free to sightsee around the local area, do some shopping, and/or plan for the next day.

Weekends – Weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation with other volunteers or you can use this time to travel and explore Guilin and Yangshou with your new friends.

***This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances***

Trip Accommodation

Guilin is a province in southern China known for its dramatic landscape of limestone karst. In the majestic shadow of its mountains, on the edge of an authentic, rustic village lies our centre – a 260 year old building from the Qing dynasty. Its surroundings invite walking and hiking and offer a stunning view of the hills, as well as of locals farmers hard at work!

Accommodation & Food
This accommodation has western style toilets, a bar with a variety of drinks, snacks, and food all set in a unique Chinese atmosphere.

Available Room Types

  • Standard Room 2-8 people per room
  • Private rooms available on request
  • WIFI in public areas

Food Arrangements
We have our in-house chef busy making food everyday for you! Expect typical Chinese food with rice and noodles in Chinese dishes styles. Vegetarian food is also available upon request. Water,Tea and coffee are available throughout the day.

Support
We have fully trained Chinese coordinators at our centre. They are bilingual (Chinese – including local dialect, and English). They too live as part of the family at the Centre and are there to run scheduled activities whilst also assisting those who want explore the area or undertake self-organised activities. They are there 24/7 to deal with any problems participants may have.

Shops
There is a small local shop which sells snacks on site, but to reach ATMs and bigger shops, it is a 30 minute bus journey into town.

Transportation
Our Centre is about 4 kilometres away from Lian Hua town. It is easy to catch a bus into town during the day – or to cycle. Gongcheng is the largest town nearby and is about 20 kilometers away. Once again there are frequent buses or shared taxis. Frequent buses also go from there to Yangshuo, 42 kilometres away.

Money
There are days where you will not have many opportunities to spend your money but food, drinks and snacks can all be purchased cheaply. Around 100 Yuan a week should be more than enough. You will however need much more if you are looking at ‘extras’, such as self-organised trips during the week (e.g. to the street barbecues in Gongcheng). Take note that the nearest ATM that accepts international bank or credit cards is half an hour away by car so if you have such plans, you should get cash out at the airport upon your arrival, or in Yangshuo while you are there.

Sights & Surroundings
There are so many wonderful sights and places to visit in this area. A guide book can tell you everything you could want to know, but here are a few ideas we recommend:

The Li River
This river spans 80km from Guilin to Yangshuo and is decorated with rolling hills, unique cliffs, caves and comfortable boats and should not be missed. Especially popular among Chinese tourists is a spot close to Yangshuo that is portrayed on the 20 Yuan bill.

Yangshuo
A picturesque city famous for its surrounding hills, rivers and bar streets. Lots of activities offered including rafting, biking, rock climbing, a stunning light show on Li River and much more. Make sure to spend at least one of your weekends here.

Seven Star Park
Famed for its rock formations, the park includes many different attractions including the Flower Bridge, Seven-Star Cave, Camel Hill and even a zoo!

Trip Country Info

China

Capital: Beijing
Language: Standard Chinese
Currency: Renminbi (Yuan) (CNY)
Time zone: CST (UTC +8)

China covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometers making it the 2nd largest country by land area. It is not only the country with the largest population in the world but it is also one of the largest economies laying claim to being the world’s largest exporter and 2nd largest importer of goods.

It is a country of incredible cultural history boasting one of the earliest ancient civilisations dating back to around 2800 BC. Its landscape is equally rich in diversity, ranging from its forest steppes, its deserts in the north and subtropical forests in the south to its 14,500km long stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline. All of this makes China an incredible and exciting place to be, both in what it has to offer today and the story of its past.

China has solidified itself as a contender for global recognition and as a tourist hotspot.  We have a number of  travel experiences in China from volunteering & gap year travel  to Tours and Paid Teaching.

With an assortment of climates and social structures, it is near impossible to experience all of China in a gap year trip. You can invest yourself and discover a whole new culture and still miss out on a dozen other cultures within arm’s reach while travelling in China, and these programs are dedicated to helping you help others while experiencing the different wonders of the country. Combine adventuring through nature with helping those less fortunate, and you have got yourself a stellar journey ahead of you. If you are looking for a gap year holiday in China, conservation work, an exciting road trip in China,  volunteer work with Pandas, teaching or other work & travel in China have a look at our latest experiences below or contact us for more information.

Please Note TRU are not currently able to accept any volunteers in China due to the current Covid-19 pandemic. We will be sure to update you when it is safe to travel and restrictions ease in China.

Participant Criteria & Requirements

Standard Requirements

No requirements have been provided.

Additional Requirements

No requirements have been provided.

What's included

  • 24/7 support in case of emergencies
  • Accommodation
  • Airport Pick up
  • English speaking coordinator
  • Meals
  • Orientation

What's not included

  • Airport drop off
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Vaccination
  • Visa