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Stories from China
Volunteer and English teacher stories
Real experiences from New Zealanders in China: volunteers on our three-month cultural exchange and, soon, English teachers in paid roles. Classrooms, culture, friendships and everything in between, in their own words.
Latest stories
Shared with permission. Teacher stories will appear here as our first teachers settle in.
Volunteer story
Five hours to learn an ancient ritual: Nuo dance in Jiangxi
Volunteers Rona and Nikora had five hours to learn Nuo, one of China’s oldest ritual dances, and found strong parallels with Māori performance.
Volunteer story
Sharing mana through movement: kapa haka and performing arts in China
Volunteer Manaia brought kapa haka into her classroom in China and learned about Chinese performing arts in return, a true two-way cultural exchange.
Volunteer story
Hastings volunteers welcomed in Mianyang, Sichuan
The first volunteer cohort in Sichuan was formally welcomed at the Sichuan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Mianyang, with support from Hastings District Council.
Volunteer story
Exploring Fairy Lake: nature, myth and discovery in Xinyu
Volunteers Tia and Summer explored Fairy Lake in Xinyu, Jiangxi, discovering its natural beauty, its legends and the parallels with stories from home.
Volunteer story
Claudette’s life in Jingdezhen, China’s capital of ceramics
Volunteer Claudette was hosted in Jingdezhen, a city that has made porcelain for over a thousand years, alongside students and artists from around the world.
Volunteer story
Discovering China’s natural side as a volunteer in Jiangxi
Volunteering in China doesn’t mean living in a polluted megacity. In Jiangxi, volunteers find mountains, rivers and UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites.
Volunteer story
Running beyond expectations: volunteers take on the Xinyu Marathon
A group of volunteers in Jiangxi ran the Xinyu Marathon, cheered on by locals. It became a story of community, nature and personal achievement.
Volunteer story
Volunteers take the stage at the Fuzhou International Cultural Festival
New Zealand volunteers performed at the Fuzhou International Cultural Festival in Jiangxi, representing New Zealand culture and connecting with the local community.
Volunteer story
From classroom curiosity to China’s clean energy future
Two New Zealand volunteers in Xinyu visited a battery materials maker and an electric vehicle plant, then turned what they saw into lessons for their students.
Volunteer story
Seeing sustainability in action: energy, innovation and community resilience in Jiangxi
Volunteers Stacee and Denoaid saw clean energy in everyday life in Jiangxi and drew links to solar and micro-grid projects in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Volunteer story
Rongoā Māori meets Traditional Chinese Medicine
Volunteers hosted at Traditional Chinese Medicine colleges in China found strong echoes of rongoā Māori, sparking real cultural dialogue with students and teachers.
Volunteer story
Walking in the footsteps of Rewi Alley: a New Zealand story in Gansu
Volunteers visiting Gansu discovered the legacy of Rewi Alley and the Shandan Bailie School, a New Zealand story that still shapes people-to-people ties with China.
Volunteer story
Rangi discovers Wushu in Jiangxi
During her three-month placement in Jiangxi, volunteer Rangi trained in Wushu with local students and found it was about discipline, balance and respect.
Volunteer story
Preparing for China: what to expect from pre-departure training
What volunteers can expect from pre-departure training before teaching in China: Chinese culture, classroom skills, cultural exchange and practical preparation.
Volunteer story
Finding confidence through culture: Tamati’s journey from Kawerau to China
For Tamati from Kawerau, volunteering in China was his first time overseas. Sharing his Māori culture with students built his confidence and opened new doors.
Volunteer story
Isla: sharing Māori culture and discovering China
Volunteer Isla shared her Māori culture openly during her placement in China and found familiar values in her host community, from respect for elders to family.
Volunteer story
How Sammy brought netball to her host school in China
Volunteer Sammy introduced netball to students at her host school in China. Informal sessions grew into a regular club and a way to connect across languages.
Volunteer story
What makes a good volunteer? Lessons from the classroom in Nanchang
Volunteers Kimberley and Greig share what worked in their Nanchang classrooms: conversation, games, humour and confidence. No teaching degree required.