Free trip to China for adventurous students and teachers

If English is your native language, and you have at least one year of teaching experience, you are invited to apply to teach English in Shenzhen, China from July 10 to August 8 at a summer camp run by the U.S.-China International Exchange Centre (USCIEC).

"It’s a wonderful opportunity to travel and teach in a foreign country," said Tom Lewis, principal of Malaspina International High School, who is recruiting teachers for the USCIEC.

Last summer, seven students from Malaspina University-College’s Education, Tourism and Recreation, and Global Studies programs took part in the program. This year, Lewis is looking for 15 participants.

"It's an unforgetable experience," said Malaspina Education student Grant Sandeman-Allen, who taught in China last summer.

"I always wanted to put my teaching skills to practise in a foreign country," said Sandeman-Allen, who graduates from Malaspina in December 2006. "This was a great opportunity to combine teaching with travel. It gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of another culture."

The U.S. China International Exchange Centre covers airfare and accommodation costs for participants, and provides some spending money. Sandeman-Allen and other participants lived with host families and taught English five days a week to students ranging in age from 11 to 15.

"We taught in the morning, then had a three hour break, and then in the afternoon, we taught sports and games, like football, soccer, ultimate frisbee and basketball, or watched English movies with the students," said Sandeman-Allen. "During our breaks, we toured the neighbourhood or the city. Shenzhen (Shen-Jen) is a clean, modern city with a population of seven million. We found places where we could get a 90 minute foot massage for $5, or silk for $3 per metre."

Canadian teachers were treated almost like celebrities by the Chinese media, he added. "A local television station filmed our sports day activities and classroom activity, and a local newspaper also did a write-up about the summer camp," he said.

Sandeman-Allen said the Canadian teachers visited the nearby city of Guangzhou (Gwang - jo) and toured an ancient temple. "We flew inland to a very scenic place called Guilin, known for its beautiful scenery and thousands of small, rounded mountains," added Sandeman-Allen.

"The overnight trip included a boat trip on the Li River. "It was fascinating to see rural China," he added. "People went about their daily lives herding water buffalo, taking farm produce down the river in bamboo boats, walking down the trails along the riverbank, and feeding ducks, to name just a few of the sights."

The group also spent five days in Beijing and visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, several parks and the drum tower, valley of the 13 Ming Tombs, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace.

"The whole trip was fantastic, but the highlight was The Great Wall," said Sandeman-Allen. "Pictures alone just don’t do it justice. The mere size and sight of the Wall weaving around the rugged terrain is overwhelming."

Flexibility and a sense of adventure are prime requirements for program participants, said Lewis. Participants must be native English speakers, and have at least one year of teaching experiences at home or abroad, be comfortable speaking in front of groups, be enthusiastic about teaching and have strong organizational skills, he added.

"It’s a wonderful opportunity to teach English to Chinese students and participate in the daily life of a country, which is undergoing the transition from a traditional agricultural society to an industrialized modern country with one of the fastest growing economies in the world," said Lewis.

Despite its geopolitical importance and imposing size, China remains an enigma to many westerners, he added. As part of the huge task of modernization and adjustment, 450 million Chinese are currently studying English. This has brought about a pressing demand for native English speakers to teach not only English, but also more technical courses such as business, economics and law.

"If you are flexible and enjoy adventure you could help fill that demand," he said. The deadline for applications for this summer's trip to China is May 30. For more information on how to apply, contact Lewis at lewist@viu.ca or 250-416-9035.