Best way to volunteer in China?

Best way to volunteer in China?
Feb 13, 2009 01:46
LEOF Points: Join Date: Feb 13, 2009 Status: offline	Hi everyone/Dajia hao! I came across this wonderful site in pursuit of some knowledge regarding short term volunteering in China. I've done a considerable amount of research online regarding "volunteer vacations" in Xi'an, Sichuan, Hangzhou, etc. and they all seem to run in the range of $1000-3500 for a 2-4 week program. I've also spoken to some friends who have volunteered overseas, and a few of them have highly recommended simply flying to the region of interest and asking the locals for any such volunteer opportunities. A friend of mine from Sichuan stated with some confidence that this was a definite possibility. If it helps at all with the recommendation, I'm traveling to China for several reasons. Firstly, I'm currently a mandarin learning student and want to further my studies of the language and culture. Second, I was in Shanghai during the Sichuan Earthquake last year and (although a year late), I would like to contribute to the efforts currently ongoing in the area. Thirdly, I have always lived a comfortable peaceful life and would like to become more worldly and mature through this experience. So, this leaves me with a few nagging questions: Which option would you recommend? A: sign up for a volunteer vacation that arranges accommodations and the volunteering program itself? (~$1500 cost) B: Fly to Sichuan/Hangzhou/Xi'an and personally search for volunteering opportunities. If I were to go with option B, what kind of opportunities would be available? Helping out at an orphanage? Teaching English at a school? Are the volunteer vacations as genuine as they sound? or are they mostly catered toward the "fun" aspect of it over the "helping" aspect? Thanks for any insight you can offer guys!

Feb 13, 2009 01:46

LEOF
Points:
Join Date: Feb 13, 2009
Status: offline

Hi everyone/Dajia hao!

I came across this wonderful site in pursuit of some knowledge regarding short term volunteering in China. I've done a considerable amount of research online regarding "volunteer vacations" in Xi'an, Sichuan, Hangzhou, etc. and they all seem to run in the range of $1000-3500 for a 2-4 week program.
I've also spoken to some friends who have volunteered overseas, and a few of them have highly recommended simply flying to the region of interest and asking the locals for any such volunteer opportunities. A friend of mine from Sichuan stated with some confidence that this was a definite possibility.

If it helps at all with the recommendation, I'm traveling to China for several reasons. Firstly, I'm currently a mandarin learning student and want to further my studies of the language and culture. Second, I was in Shanghai during the Sichuan Earthquake last year and (although a year late), I would like to contribute to the efforts currently ongoing in the area. Thirdly, I have always lived a comfortable peaceful life and would like to become more worldly and mature through this experience.

So, this leaves me with a few nagging questions:

Which option would you recommend?
A: sign up for a volunteer vacation that arranges accommodations and the volunteering program itself? (~$1500 cost)
B: Fly to Sichuan/Hangzhou/Xi'an and personally search for volunteering opportunities.

If I were to go with option B, what kind of opportunities would be available? Helping out at an orphanage? Teaching English at a school?

Are the volunteer vacations as genuine as they sound? or are they mostly catered toward the "fun" aspect of it over the "helping" aspect?

Thanks for any insight you can offer guys!

Feb 14, 2009 09:22	#1
ELLYSE Points: Join Date: Oct 30, 2005 Status: Offline	Just don't be taken for free labour.

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