Unforgettable Xidatan

YE PeiYu

Never think of to service in a place that quite different from my hometown. In occasion, these words can best describe the reason of my participation. When first heard about this activity from my classmates, I wanted to join it just because I would like to be close with the nature. Until the day of illustrating meeting, after hearing Yongxiang and Yuqiao’s illustration, the restless factors started just around the corner for a challenging people like me. Ideas became action and this was the fate between the co-workers, students, and teachers in Xidatan and me.

Never know that teaching can be such unforgettable and happy can be gained quite easily. In fact, a group of children in such bad living condition was living in efforts. In Xidatan, every thing happened was really experience. For me, it was really a special and unforgettable experience.

First, the distant journey

With the expected but uneasy heart, we got to Taoyuan international airport imaging this journey. Seeing a group of co-workers wearing yellow clothes and carrying big bags, the uneasy in my heart partly released. The group of people helped each other, work together to meet the different challenges and share the children’s little things in the following days.

The moment we got on the airplane, our journey also started. As soon as we got off the airplane, the busy schedule let us run around without stop. Got through customs and then out off, got through customs and caught the train, we had no other idea in mind at that time only afraid of not catching the train. Finally we got on the hard-berth train, settled well in the chaos and washed and dressed within the brighten time. With no lower berth, we shown our compatible part the next morning and successfully mixed with the children, the uncle, and auntie on the train. Accompanied by them, 34 hours passed by quickly. Though time is short, this encounter also commented with pictures and contact methods.

We once thought we were not far away from our destination when arrived at LAN Zhou. However, we had to travel from LAN Zhou train station to Tianzhu and then from Tianzhu to Xidatan middle school. Thought bumps on the way we feasted our eyes on the yaks outside the window eating grasses that only appeared on textbooks and homes on the loess plateau also appeared in front of our eyes. The endless stretches of grassland and the grazed eating yaks were the endless scenery on the way. Through wading and climbing, the car carrying us finally got our finally destination---Xidatan middle school.

Two, happy to meet

The former class’s co-workers and teachers welcomed us. Of course cannot without “wine” and “ha da”. We got off the bus one after another, after toasting to the heaven and earth, the third glass should drunk up. Then teachers put Ha Da on our body to express bless and welcome. Wine was very intense but easy to drink, it was not difficult to drink. Most of us with courage had drunk it up. In the party at night, wine was still an important role as drinking was one of the method for Tibetan to make friends. Whether made friends with him or not are all depend on whether he can drink or not. That night both the guests and hosts were enjoying themselves and many got drunk. Though I do not like drinking at that night, I also got drunk and felt the teachers’ happy welcome atmosphere. I thought may be the following teaching will also be happy like this.

The first time to contact with the children was before the courses. Just arrived at the classroom we can feel their earnest and expected eyes. No need to keep order, no need to yells, they have prepared to listen to us. First meet is always jerky, but after self-introduction, we began to know each other. Hearing their aspiration, I felt a little bad because some children’s biggest goal was to enter a university. Being admitted to university to them is really dream, because it needs a large number of money. Even though they were admitted to enter a university, not each family can afford it. What they can do is only to study hard and realize their dream. The first contact was jerky but happy, what we got all from their positive feedback. We who were a little intense quickly got ease.

Three, teaching VS. learning

At 11 o’clock Sunday evening we got the new schedule, a week’s teaching would formally start. Xinyu , Yijun and I taught history of the whole four class, so we were luck to know all children at eighth grade. Xiyun always can write the course flow clearly while Yijun always can warm the atmosphere at class. Both are essential. I am very happy to be partner of the two co-workers, this kind of teaching experience if quite pleasant. Coordinate and assistant each other as well as be prompted by each other that made the teaching process more smoothly and happily.

Children sat under the stage as usual, staring at us dedicatedly. Only if they knew they will not hesitate to give the answer. Seeing their reaction, I will think whether we can give more to them. As with the teachers’ timely assistance, the history of a place cannot divorce from previous and current, we show the previous situation to them but how about current ones？ We had no experience to give but the experienced class teacher express current situation for us adequately. This let the children who never left the mountains listen with relish and reacted to us privately “after your coming, I think history becomes more interesting than before which is very dull and made me very sleepy.” Hearing the quoted words, we immediately got power to go on teaching.

Returning to my class, sitting in the back and watching the children have classes silently, watching their active reaction and participation I prayed in heart hoping that our trip this time can really bring them some help. Time was late but not dark still, it was time for evening self-study but light in classroom was not turned up. As the classroom was not as bright as outside so a group of children squatted outside the classroom reading. When I came closer, I found they were reading English, and then I squatted to read with them. A child found me squat here then quickly took a chair for me to sit. Their attentive action made me moved for a long time. After a while, they asked me to read English and they followed me, I agreed. But when found they just memorized to note without method in reading English, I wanted to teach them my method. Huiwen also came to accompany the children and we two gradually taught the children the methods to recite English. Though it only lasted for 2 hours, I hope it can be helpful to the children.

Four, the mountain far away in sight

The mountain besides the school guarded the children and teachers here silently, it appears with different appearance at different time. Just arrived at Xidatan I was deeply attracted by the mountains here, until now I still don’t know the mountain’s name but name seems not that important at all, what is more important is all it brings to peoples here. Because of deeply attracted, I always had idea to climb up the mountain. When talking with the children they agreed to bring us up the mountain. On Tuesday afternoon, we got on the mountain as wished. In the process of climbing, we clearly saw the gap between children and us. Most children can run up the mountain quickly and easily but we need the support of initiate children to get on. In classroom, we are teacher. However, on the mountain, they are our teacher. They always can tell us the gross or flower they readily picked up can eat, hearing their touching songs, the cozy lunch break was spent on mountain. When time was over, they even not willing to go down the mountain.    

However, when we exclaimed the beautiful scenery in front of our eyes, a child said: “why I can’t feel the beauty as you said?” this sentence made me woke up suddenly. The beautiful scenery to us may be not to them. Alternatively, may be because they live under the mountain everyday and unable to feel the beauty of the mountains any more. Maybe the mountain virtually has become a wall which made children here must across the wall to the other side of it and had a different life. Yes, they taught us to put ourselves to another position, not only look at this place from our point of view but try to from their eyes. The trip in mountain was tired physically but filled our soul virtually. 

Five, farewell

A week passed by quickly, there were still many children’s name not remembered for me who hard to remember people’s name, but we also had to say goodbye. We told the children, we do not want physical gift and only want their “smile, songs, dance” as these things worth for recalling for the lifelong time. The last night evening, teachers in class two also came to show us the children’s rehearsal of farewell party the next day. We also follow to dance the “Guozhuang dance” outside, the steps is simple but had is special meaning inside. Although we cannot understand the words at that moment, we also can feel their happiness when dancing. When getting back to the classroom the students told us their feelings one by one, we agreed not to left with tears so we can only keep our tears back. We sent them the most love song of our team “little dream”, telling them “parting is not the end but another beginning”, I know each child has their own dream and hope they can stick to their dream, advance towards to goal. Dream is small but to realize it is right.

The atmosphere in the farewell party is happy. It not means without sadness but we use happy to bless the children and they express thanks to us with happiness, the kindly feeling must have been accepted by each other. With each other’s will advanced to next journey. The real parting is on Sunday, getting on the bus, we saw a group of children following the bus and unwilling to leave. at that moment I couldn’t help but crying. Tears gushed out as if want to release the unbearable parting feeling for these days. The bus moved away, the school and children became smaller and smaller, we really left…

Six, the way home

It is the same rush when going back, but having an experience already, no one feels it hard. Maybe just like what Da Bing said, we are a group of sheep and all our actions follow shepherd’s command. For a team this is a good point. When came across an eight hour late of the train ,we had joke in the duration that we are the team staying in a train for the longest time in history. In this way, the unease and anxiety from the late of train faded out. I do not why but now I am a little impatient to get back home and the feeling become stronger and stronger. Far away from home and having seen the hard living children in Xidatan made me have the strong homesick feeling for the first time. Our schedule did not put off for the late of the train, we still get to Taiwan safely on time. Thanks to Capitan and vice Capitan as well as all co-workers in the 18 class. Because of you, this trip becomes colorful and varied. The feeling of mutual support among us was carried back to Taiwan and it will lead us continue to move forward.