Country Background

The world’s third largest country; home to one of the earliest civilizations; this is China. Diverse in every aspect, China is an exciting place for volunteers. Ancient religion and philosophy, polished martial arts, majestic architecture and exquisite cuisine are just a few of China’s many cultural gems. The landscape changes dramatically from craggy mountains to ethereal plains, from winding rivers to wide beaches. Such ancient treasures as The Great Wall and the Forbidden City co-exist with the cutting edge skyscrapers and MagLev trains of Beijing and Shanghai. A sleeping dragon that has now risen from its slumber, China has experienced enormous growth since the People’s Republic of China was formed just over half a century ago. The once closed-off Middle Kingdom is now opening its doors to the world, presenting a golden opportunity for volunteers to make a tangible difference in this emerging society. Policies of reform and openness have spurred even more rapid advancement during recent decades, bringing the population through continuous cultural and industrial transformations. As China experiences this period of change, volunteers are welcomed and greatly appreciated.

Programs in China offer volunteers the chance to immerse themselves in a rich culture that begs you to walk through China’s tranquil gardens, explore her majestic architecture, see the legendary Silk Road, and discover all China’s ancient wonders. The more spiritually inclined can learn about Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, so deeply ingrained in the culture of the people. Travelers can make their way up the Yangtze River, winding their way through the immortal, misty gorges and perhaps visit a Shaolin Monastery where monks display incredible feats of martial arts, made possible by their deep philosophical conviction to their life-long training. All can enjoy the abounding nightlife, replete with karaoke clubs, colorful operas and acrobatic dance performances. This is an opportunity to experience first hand, the culture that has seeped into so many facets of global life, be it cuisine, fashion, philosophy or art.

Volunteer Projects in China

Teaching English Yantai, China

Starting at $500

Additional Activities

We are convinced that you will enjoy a rewarding time in Yantai, benefiting a great deal from cultural classes catering to your individual needs. The following activities are available in Yantai and our staff can make arrangements for you to experience these during your stay.

Martial Arts (also known as kung-fu) is an integral part of Chinese traditional culture. It is a sport which utilizes both brawn and brain. The theory of Wushu is based upon classical Chinese philosophy, while the skills of Wushu consist of various forms of fighting: fist fights, weapon fights, and other fighting routines, including such offence and defence acts as kicking, hitting, throwing, holding, chopping and thrusting.

Taiji quan is one part of the Wushu, the word Taiji first appeared in Book of Changes of the Zhou Dynasty. Taiji means supremacy, absoluteness, extremity and uniqueness. Taiji Quan takes its for the implication of superiority.According to the research of Wushu historian Tang Hao,Taiji Quan was first exercised and practised among the Chen family members at the Chenjia Valley which is located in Wenxian County in Henan Province. Chen combined his knowledge of ancient psychological exercises; the positive and negative philosophy describe in the Book of Changes and Chinese medical theory of passages and channels of blood, air flow and energy inside the human body with the exercises and practices of Wushu, then to create the Taiji boxing.

Changquan (long-style boxing) is another kind of Wushu, the main characteristics of which are expansiveness and gracefulness in posture and agility and speed in movement. Long-style boxers move fast, jump high and combine hardness and softness, fast and slow moves, motion and stillness. Their movements are rhythmic. Their generation of energy is powerful and the origin and outlet of the energy are clear. Chang Quan is more suitable to youngsters who can enhance strength, speed, agility, elasticity and endurance through exercise and practice. It helps develop the physique and teaches techniques and skills in offence and defence. Teach Travel China Ltd. can provide professional teachers to teach Taiji quan and Changquan for volunteer teachers.

Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, with Mandarin being most common within this. It is a tonal language but given in context you should be able to say a word and the meaning will be picked up by locals even if you have spoken it in the wrong tone. Chinese is written in characters that represent a concept rather than a sound as in English. Traditional Chinese symbols may appear strange to the western eye, but can easily be recognized with practice. Alone among modern languages, Chinese integrates both meaning and pronunciation information in its characters. Until the twentieth century, China had one of the highest literacy rates in the world and more than half of the world's literature was written in Chinese characters. Due to the central role of calligraphy in Chinese art and the vitality of Chinese civilization, Chinese characters have held a similarly pre-eminent position in the world's art. Teach Travel China Ltd. can provide some professional teachers for those volunteer teachers who want to learn Chinese who will help them to understand and remember Chinese characters and help volunteers to achieve at least a basic grasp of spoken Mandarin.

Chinese Chess and Chinese Mahjong:

Chinese Chess is an extremely popular game in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is currently played by millions of people (or tens of millions) in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong and other Asian countries. Xiangqi has remained in its present form for centuries. Chinese Mahjong is another popular game in China, the game is played by four people at the same time. We can provide teachers to instruct you how to play Chinese Chess and Chinese Mahjong.

Travel or Tour

In the past 20 years of opening up and reform, China has changed tremendously, and opportunities for Westerners to travel within the Middle Kingdom have greatly increased. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing offers a precious opportunity for tourism development in China but of course it is the ancient and world famous sites such as the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army and the Dafo Buddha to name but a few that attract so many visitors to China every year. Travelling in China is far easier than most expect it to be and internal travel networks, and especially the train network, are extensive and reliable. Almost all our volunteers travel in China after their teaching placements are over and have had a great time enjoying the sites and the very different but fascinating Chinese culture.