Community Day: Post #5 - Random photos of kids and feedback
Kids lining up.
I love this photo of one of my colleagues helping a student with her neck scarf. It's just very lovely.
Boys on the playground
Girls on the playground
The fifth graders on the bus on the way to McDonalds. They're singing.
Cool kids.
The Canadian says that this child looks like Keanu Reeves' love child :)
This photo is just so incredibly vivid :)
Some group shots :)
The children waving farewell before they boarded their bus to head back to their school.
Feedback from Colleagues
It was a hugely rewarding day and the feedback from my colleagues was just amazing ... I was exhausting to arrange the event, but the fact that so many people participated and so many people had such a gorgeous time made it all worthwhile ...
Also, so many of my colleagues were so selfless with their time. Some people made sure every single essay received comments, people helped arrange the buses, the aquarium tickets, ordering food at McDonalds was a Herculean effort and my colleagues made sure the kids got served food first. There were the late night envelope-stuffers, the girl who wrote the names on certificates by hand ... it was just incredibly, incredibly touching and it felt like everyone in the office got into the spirit of the day, even the people who couldn't make it on the day because they participated by voting and studying the drawings.
***
"Absolutely one of the 'top 3 best days' I've ever had since I started working here. Educational and relaxing! Heart-warming ... and GREAT fun!"
***
"... We really had a great time! I sit near a lovely girl in the bus and we talked a lot during the trip. She told me that she rarely had the chance to go out with her parents because they are busy and cannot afford holidays. When she heard that we would go to Mcdonald for lunch, her eyes brighted up immediately because this is the first Mcdonald experience for her. I will never forget the expectation and excitement in her eyes. A little treat can bring these children so much happiness and their happiness deserves all our efforts and help! ... This is not only a meaningful day for the children but also an educational and moving event for all of us! "
***
"...two thumbs up!!! (as you see on many DVD's back cover)"
***
"For the lovely kids, their care-free face make me smile and their poor conditions make me aching. As a mom,how I hope they can enjoy the same life just as our children can! I wonder besides our efforts and as a law firm, can we call on more people to help them?"
***
"Kids' smiles refresh me. It's not that we are helping them, but also that they are helping us. I guess this is what community means."
***
"The day is really successful. I think colleagues from our firm made a good interaction with the students there ... After we arrived there, some of us participated in their broadcast gymnastics which brought me to my primary school time. Though we could not follow the pupils who are familiar with the gym, I really feel happy to do the gym with the little girls and boys under the bright blue sky.
Then Ms Liu introduced the situations of the primary school. She said nearly 300 primary school for the children of migration workers existed in Beijing, among which only 60-70 are permitted by the government. Lack of the support of government, the pupils here have to pay the tuition fee though they are poor. Not only they should bear the economic pressure of their family but also the discrimination of the Hukou system.
When we took the same bus, I talked with the students. A boy said he had to get up at 5 am to catch a bus to go to school. His mother washed dishes for a restaurant, and his father is an ornamental article vender on the crossover. He had never been to McDonald's and a aquarium for their high expenses.
All these details moved me deeply. The same country the children live in, the different situation they face. I recalled the child of my aunt living in Beijing, who can get the good education in the central of the city, and get almost what she wants. That is a kind of contrast. But as many stories of giant told us, I believe the unusual childhood experience will give them outstanding strong mind and ambition. At last, I hope we can call on the others in the society, not only us to do something for them, and try hard the get the situation better and better."
***
"It is clear that all the children were very happy to have such an opportunity for outing and we were all trying our best to take care of these kids. Our community day is surely a success except that we may improve the following two issues [suggestions offered as to how to improve next time]."
***
"A great and a fun day - so many smiles. Such a happy day."
***
"I'm very grateful to our workplace for giving me the opportunity to donate my time to such a worthwhile effort. Working in a law firm, the "easiest" way to assist is always the donation of money. While I know that there is no replacement for money in assisting the underprivileged, there are a number of reasons I believe that it is equally important to actually get out of our offices to do community work.
First, the practical reason - it enables us to see where our money is going. Secondly, it is only by actually donating time that we can actually walk in the shoes of others and develop a better understanding of the circumstances of others and a better appreciation for how truly fortunate we are. As I am often too busy to be able to donate my time during the week to work with children and the schools are not open on the weekends, I wouldn't be able to donate time if our workplace didn't endorse this event.
***
The day was wonderful! I heard lots of people saying that they didn't expect that being with the kids would make them so happy ... It is really important for me actually doing something for the kids (rather than just donating money) and making them so happy. It made an ordinary day so valuable and enjoyable, much more than most days in my life. :)
***
It's easy at times to forget how lucky we are. Visiting the Xingzhi school was one of those smack in the face reminders. These kids have to confront struggles in so much of their lives, much of which we can barely contemplate, let alone understand. Hopefully our fleeting visit can provide them with some memories that last and stick with them to remind them that there are people who care in the world.
It was also pleasing that we could give the teachers a day to remember. I walked away from that school with a deep sense of admiration for the work and dedication of those teachers, who carry on daily with little tangible reward.
Above all else, school excursions are fun childhood memories for any child lucky enough to have them, for these kids, we've planted a fun childhood memory in each of them, which hopefully can go someway to offset the difficulties in their childhood that they clearly face.
On that basis, the day brought a lot of personal satisfaction to me and pride to work with people who enthusiastically embrace a programme that benefits others who can benefit from it.
***
My heart fell when I heard the conditions of this schools and schools alike (when the deputy headmistress making the speech). Is there anything we can do besides hanging out with them for a fun day or two? Would some of them need financial sponsorship and mentoring? I used to sponsor two Chinese kids through unicef and we paid RMB400 per month to help with their school fees/expenses. These kids live in the countryside. I recon that if these kids need this kind of help, it would be a even better solution and fun for donors like us as we may actually be able to see them growing up! Thanks again. Great work.
I love this photo of one of my colleagues helping a student with her neck scarf. It's just very lovely.
Boys on the playground
Girls on the playground
The fifth graders on the bus on the way to McDonalds. They're singing.
Cool kids.
The Canadian says that this child looks like Keanu Reeves' love child :)
This photo is just so incredibly vivid :)
Some group shots :)
The children waving farewell before they boarded their bus to head back to their school.
Feedback from Colleagues
It was a hugely rewarding day and the feedback from my colleagues was just amazing ... I was exhausting to arrange the event, but the fact that so many people participated and so many people had such a gorgeous time made it all worthwhile ...
Also, so many of my colleagues were so selfless with their time. Some people made sure every single essay received comments, people helped arrange the buses, the aquarium tickets, ordering food at McDonalds was a Herculean effort and my colleagues made sure the kids got served food first. There were the late night envelope-stuffers, the girl who wrote the names on certificates by hand ... it was just incredibly, incredibly touching and it felt like everyone in the office got into the spirit of the day, even the people who couldn't make it on the day because they participated by voting and studying the drawings.
***
"Absolutely one of the 'top 3 best days' I've ever had since I started working here. Educational and relaxing! Heart-warming ... and GREAT fun!"
***
"... We really had a great time! I sit near a lovely girl in the bus and we talked a lot during the trip. She told me that she rarely had the chance to go out with her parents because they are busy and cannot afford holidays. When she heard that we would go to Mcdonald for lunch, her eyes brighted up immediately because this is the first Mcdonald experience for her. I will never forget the expectation and excitement in her eyes. A little treat can bring these children so much happiness and their happiness deserves all our efforts and help! ... This is not only a meaningful day for the children but also an educational and moving event for all of us! "
***
"...two thumbs up!!! (as you see on many DVD's back cover)"
***
"For the lovely kids, their care-free face make me smile and their poor conditions make me aching. As a mom,how I hope they can enjoy the same life just as our children can! I wonder besides our efforts and as a law firm, can we call on more people to help them?"
***
"Kids' smiles refresh me. It's not that we are helping them, but also that they are helping us. I guess this is what community means."
***
"The day is really successful. I think colleagues from our firm made a good interaction with the students there ... After we arrived there, some of us participated in their broadcast gymnastics which brought me to my primary school time. Though we could not follow the pupils who are familiar with the gym, I really feel happy to do the gym with the little girls and boys under the bright blue sky.
Then Ms Liu introduced the situations of the primary school. She said nearly 300 primary school for the children of migration workers existed in Beijing, among which only 60-70 are permitted by the government. Lack of the support of government, the pupils here have to pay the tuition fee though they are poor. Not only they should bear the economic pressure of their family but also the discrimination of the Hukou system.
When we took the same bus, I talked with the students. A boy said he had to get up at 5 am to catch a bus to go to school. His mother washed dishes for a restaurant, and his father is an ornamental article vender on the crossover. He had never been to McDonald's and a aquarium for their high expenses.
All these details moved me deeply. The same country the children live in, the different situation they face. I recalled the child of my aunt living in Beijing, who can get the good education in the central of the city, and get almost what she wants. That is a kind of contrast. But as many stories of giant told us, I believe the unusual childhood experience will give them outstanding strong mind and ambition. At last, I hope we can call on the others in the society, not only us to do something for them, and try hard the get the situation better and better."
***
"It is clear that all the children were very happy to have such an opportunity for outing and we were all trying our best to take care of these kids. Our community day is surely a success except that we may improve the following two issues [suggestions offered as to how to improve next time]."
***
"A great and a fun day - so many smiles. Such a happy day."
***
"I'm very grateful to our workplace for giving me the opportunity to donate my time to such a worthwhile effort. Working in a law firm, the "easiest" way to assist is always the donation of money. While I know that there is no replacement for money in assisting the underprivileged, there are a number of reasons I believe that it is equally important to actually get out of our offices to do community work.
First, the practical reason - it enables us to see where our money is going. Secondly, it is only by actually donating time that we can actually walk in the shoes of others and develop a better understanding of the circumstances of others and a better appreciation for how truly fortunate we are. As I am often too busy to be able to donate my time during the week to work with children and the schools are not open on the weekends, I wouldn't be able to donate time if our workplace didn't endorse this event.
***
The day was wonderful! I heard lots of people saying that they didn't expect that being with the kids would make them so happy ... It is really important for me actually doing something for the kids (rather than just donating money) and making them so happy. It made an ordinary day so valuable and enjoyable, much more than most days in my life. :)
***
It's easy at times to forget how lucky we are. Visiting the Xingzhi school was one of those smack in the face reminders. These kids have to confront struggles in so much of their lives, much of which we can barely contemplate, let alone understand. Hopefully our fleeting visit can provide them with some memories that last and stick with them to remind them that there are people who care in the world.
It was also pleasing that we could give the teachers a day to remember. I walked away from that school with a deep sense of admiration for the work and dedication of those teachers, who carry on daily with little tangible reward.
Above all else, school excursions are fun childhood memories for any child lucky enough to have them, for these kids, we've planted a fun childhood memory in each of them, which hopefully can go someway to offset the difficulties in their childhood that they clearly face.
On that basis, the day brought a lot of personal satisfaction to me and pride to work with people who enthusiastically embrace a programme that benefits others who can benefit from it.
***
My heart fell when I heard the conditions of this schools and schools alike (when the deputy headmistress making the speech). Is there anything we can do besides hanging out with them for a fun day or two? Would some of them need financial sponsorship and mentoring? I used to sponsor two Chinese kids through unicef and we paid RMB400 per month to help with their school fees/expenses. These kids live in the countryside. I recon that if these kids need this kind of help, it would be a even better solution and fun for donors like us as we may actually be able to see them growing up! Thanks again. Great work.