Volunteers Teaching in Katmandu

By Binju Sitaula

KATHMANDU, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Being far away far from theirs homes, missing family and friends, life becomes melancholy. Plus, it is pitiful to compromise with food and language in foreign land.

Despite these entire intractable situations, young Chinese volunteer teachers are delivering best of their work in southern neighbor Nepal. The 6th batch of the Chinese teachers has one voice, "Our life is not miserable in Nepal."

"Food is little problem for us but we can adjust with some of Nepali choices. Actually, if some Nepali visit China, they will also miss their food," said Huo Jintao, coordinator of volunteer teachers in Nepal. "We are OK with Nepali food MoMo (dumplings)," he told Xinhua on Friday.

These, Chinese volunteer teachers are not only enjoying their task of teaching students in various schools across the country but are also exchanging culture with Nepali students and teachers. Most of them are given Nepali name by their students and Nepali colleagues and can speak survival Nepali language.

"Every time I reach school, my students greet me in a loving way and I forget that I'm alone here in Nepal," said Sun Suxin who is known as Sun Maya amid her Nepali students. She teaches more than 100 students of primary level at Chitwan Boarding School in Chitwan district, some 85 km south of capital Kathmandu. Nevertheless, this is her second year of volunteering. According to her, students outside capital are more excited to have foreigner teacher.

"My school is not so big, it is small with friendly atmosphere. In the beginning it was little problematic that I have to eat my lunch in the school but later, it gave me pleasure to eat lunch together with other Nepali teachers and students," said Sun, adding "we sit together, cook and we exchange food. I teach them how to use chop sticks. I think we have a good beginning," Sun added.

Alike Sun, Li Yanxiao also rejoices teaching Nepali students. Besides teaching Chinese language, Li who has given Nepali name Pawan Kumar K.C. teaches Chinese Kung-fu to his students. " Everyone knows Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, students play Kung-fu with me," Li said.

Though Li is doing his good job, but he finds touch to teach younger students at pre-primary level. "They cannot understand my English and we can hardly communicate," said Li who has given with Nepali name Pawan Kumar K.C. and teaches more than 250 students at Everest English Boarding School in Biratnagar, some 240 km southeast of capital.