I had the opportunity to volunteer at 365 Sunshine Children’s Health Care Center. It was an amazing opportunity as it helped me realize how blessed I truly am. 365 Sunshine Children’s Health Care Center consisted of many children with physical or mental disabilities. Even though they might have looked different, they were still children. Children who like to laugh, run around with others, and sleep.
I really appreciate my time at this volunteering event because I noticed that these children were so happy with their lives. I would think about any hardship or struggles that I have gone through in my life and it cannot compare to the hardship they had to and still go through today.
The opportunity to study in China is a true blessing. In addition to, being able to help support these little kids in this environment is one as well. Fellow TBC students and I were able to participate in the morning session of role-play and sing along activities. Our goal was to set a good example for the kids so they can stay engaged and maximize their learning experience.
After the morning session, we had some free time to get to know some of the kids on a personal level. I met this 7-year-old girl who knew more Chinese than me! She also knew some English. I was able to help her with her English by reading her a few books. She knew the meaning of each word, but had difficulty with pronouncing the word correctly. Either way she impressed me as a very quick learner.
This was a great opportunity and I hope everyone gets the chance to experience this at least once before they leave China.
By Tyler Cerny, John Carrol University, Fall 2015 Student
This past summer at The Beijing Center (TBC), students from Marquette University took TBC’s Chinese language courses for college credit. TBC’s program offers an intensive, immersive curriculum in the heart of Beijing.
This past summer in China, TBC connected students from Notre Dame School of Manhattan and Xavier High School with some of Beijing’s local elementary students. The young children were shy at first, but they eventually loved interacting with their new American friends.