The other volunteer at my site, Shawn, and I have decided to open an English Library at our school. We want to offer the students a comfortable and inviting place to study on campus, something they lack. As well, as give them a place to study and improve their English. In China, English is extremely important. The better your English, the better your job. Unfortunately, the school we work at is merely a vocational college, with limited funding for English resources. Our students are very low level and come from difficult backgrounds. Their families are usually farmers or fruit sellers. So, they haven't had access to a top notch education, like those in Bei Jing or Shang Hai do. The English resources at the school and in the area are terrible. They are usually translated wrong, poorly organized, or way to difficult for anyone who is learning a language to understand. So! We decided opening a library would be a great way to kill two birds with on stone. And, to top it off, we want it to be a place for students by the students. We want them to decorate and run the library. This will help them gain work and leadership experience, which will be useful once they graduate.
However, it's been a long process getting this up and running, and we are just beginning. We finally have a room donated to us by the school and we have donated books on the way.
This sign we are holding is the first tangible proof of our progress!! The school has decided to name the library the US- China Friendship Volunteers Work Study Room, and the school donated the plaque above to put outside the library room!! It's very exciting.
