海曉陽
AIESEC(國際經(jīng)濟學商學學生聯(lián)合會)LOGO (曉柒提供)
The logo of AIESEC
這個夏天,在中國杭州、在位于主城區(qū)的天水街道里,三名大學生國際志愿者與社區(qū)居民展開了一次為期四周、別開生面的互動。
互動:交流從陌生到融洽
“Welcome to the English corner! Our topic today is Traveling the world.(歡迎來到英語角,我們今天的主題是環(huán)游世界。)”在燈芯巷社區(qū),波蘭小伙子盧卡斯(Lukasz Dwulit)用這樣的開場白開始了“英語角”活動。
這是三名大學生國際志愿者第一天的交流活動。當時,十多名社區(qū)大伯大媽將波蘭小伙盧卡斯團團圍住,好奇地追問外國的生活和他的學習經(jīng)歷;而在另一個房間里,十多位小朋友和兩名女志愿者艾世麗和安(Ashley Bennet、Ruth Ann Jamieson)圍坐成一圈,做著英文接龍的游戲。
這三名國際志愿者都是年輕熱情且喜歡中國文化的大學生。年齡最大的艾世麗來自墨西哥錫那羅亞州自治大學,有三年學習中文的經(jīng)歷。安來自美國亞利桑那州立大學,中英混血,媽媽是香港人。年齡最小的盧卡斯則來自英國東英吉利大學,多才多藝的他會說中、英、波、德四種語言,特別是中文“很溜”。
天水街道的工作人員告訴我,這些外國大學生是來杭州參加社會實踐的,他們都是AIESEC(國際經(jīng)濟學商學學生聯(lián)合會)浙江大學分會的志愿者。這是一個由高?;蚋邔W術機構在校學生和新近畢業(yè)生運營的全球性、非政治性、獨立、非營利性組織,是全球最大的學生組織。
從5月20日開始的四周時間里,這三名大學生國際志愿者在天水街道的7個社區(qū)零距離體驗中國文化。而他們自行設計的“Global Village”“Animal Kingdom”“Lets tell story”“Body Party”“Easter”“Travel the world”等十項英語角教學活動課程,就是獻給社區(qū)小朋友和老人的最好禮物。
但交流總不會一帆風順。安告訴我,她的中文不太流利:“所以一開始和小朋友們還是有些障礙?!辈贿^隨著課程的推進,安和小朋友漸漸熟起來,最早是安打開自己的筆記本電腦,向小朋友們展示她生活的城市,國外的綺麗風光引得小朋友們紛紛好奇地提問。盧卡斯則更加用心,他用一部8分鐘的自制小影片把波蘭1000多年的歷史活靈活現(xiàn)地展示給大家,小朋友們看得津津有味。不知不覺間,大家的距離已經(jīng)拉近。
隨后的幾周里,大學生國際志愿者們通過ppt介紹、熱身運動、英語游戲、英語歌曲等形式,對社區(qū)小朋友和老人進行了別開生面的英語角教學,一時間課堂爆棚,收到了意想不到的歡迎。
學習:文化從差異到共性
采訪中,安曾經(jīng)對我說了這樣一句話:“我來中國參加社會實踐就是希望多了解點中國,多學習點中國的傳統(tǒng)文化?!?/p>
而這,正反映了大學生國際志愿者來到中國除了教授英語、傳播友誼種子之外的另一目的。幾周時間里,他們分別走進國畫書畫社、“好來武”舞龍隊、葫蘆絲班、金橋京劇社、鮑大媽聊天室等天水街道著名的文化社團組織,充分體驗中華文化的博大精深。
5月20日上午,三名大學生國際志愿者來到環(huán)北新村藝苑書畫社,和社區(qū)的爺爺奶奶們一起學習國畫。那天書畫社的課程主講荷花的畫法和技巧,從荷葉、荷花到魚兒、蝦米。俞老師一邊講解一邊示范,還時不時走到他們身邊,逐個手把手教授用筆和技巧。他們也很仔細地聽,很認真地看,很耐心地學習。經(jīng)過努力,到活動結束時,三名大學生國際志愿者個個都能有模有樣地展示自己的作品,其中,安的荷花畫得惟妙惟肖,得到了大家的一致好評。
在活動中,艾世麗印象最深的是參加“鮑大媽聊天室”活動?!袄咸馨簦?0歲了吧,不僅會開車、還會電腦,特別能聊,并能用簡單的英語和我們交談。我覺得如果我到了這個年紀能像她一樣就很滿足了?!卑利愓f,她是第一次來中國,但博大精深的中華文化以及漢字很早就吸引了她,所以她曾在美國請了一位老師專門教她中文。“你不知道我在美國吃飯的時候用的都是筷子?!彼€對鮑大媽說,中國的筷子用起來很特別,就像文化一樣奧妙無窮,還有很多可以深入了解的?!拔蚁胛乙院筮€會來中國,因為我特別想在中國工作,當一名老師?!?/p>
6月6日,三名大學生國際志愿者在倉橋社區(qū)參加僑眷活動日手工活動。盧卡斯拿著線和珠子,一邊與社區(qū)的僑眷們交流,一邊做手工活?!白鲞@樣的東西太有意思了,剛開始還以為做出來會是飛碟呢,我準備把自己親手做的杯墊帶回波蘭送給媽媽?!蹦翘?,社區(qū)僑眷張阿姨還拿著自己串的中國結送給了這些大學生國際志愿者。張阿姨說:“希望這個中國結能給你們帶去好運,也希望你們能常來中國走走看看?!?/p>
整個活動行程臨結束的時候,安這樣對我說:“中國的社區(qū)就像一個大家庭,老人們有著各種豐富多彩的活動,老年生活太有意思了,估計這里的老年人壽命也會長很多?!?/p>
在這次活動中,我們看到了社區(qū)居民與大學生國際志愿者良好的互動,看到了黃皮膚和藍眼睛對望的真摯笑容,看到了兩種不同文化的碰撞火花,也看到了中外交流過程里一種全新的充滿活力與希望的面貌。
機會:眼界從一國到世界
其實,這次大學生國際志愿者進社區(qū),只是近幾年AIESEC活動的一小部分。成立于1948年的AIESEC,目前其成員國—遍布全球100多個國家的1100多所高等學府,每年提供5500個海外實習項目和近350場國際會議。雖然,AIESEC在2002年才進入中國高校,但十年中,它不僅吸引了大批國外大學生前來感受中國文化,也讓更多的中國大學生看到了世界。
比如2009年,寧波諾丁漢大學學生金愷昉就借助AIESEC的平臺,前往印度尼西亞。“到印尼,我在當?shù)剞r(nóng)村呆上了5周,和團隊一起幫助村民完成所設計的項目,還對當?shù)剞r(nóng)民宣傳了農(nóng)業(yè)知識?!苯饜饡P說。
這幾年,不少來自省內(nèi)高校的AIESEC會員大學生成功申請了海外實習單位,他們從事艾滋病宣傳、文化交流、環(huán)境保護以及農(nóng)業(yè)發(fā)展等方面的工作。這些經(jīng)歷,除了為學生提供豐富的、多元化的職場機會外,也向外播撒了友誼的種子。
就在結束此稿采寫的前夕,我又收到了有關AIESEC國際志愿者們的兩則消息:一是又有一批來自捷克的大學生國際志愿者,近些日子正在北京參加名為“印象中國”的主題考察,零距離接觸中國的現(xiàn)代新貌和非物質文化遺產(chǎn);二是第5屆AIESEC青年影響力論壇日前在臺北召開,吸引了世界各地大學的國際志愿者代表參加,?;鶗岸麻L江丙坤和臺灣地區(qū)前副領導人蕭萬長都到場祝賀。這一活動,正在受到越來越多的國際關注,擔當越來越重要的國際力量,正如蕭萬長在論壇上所說:“AIESEC有促進經(jīng)濟發(fā)展、讓社會進步的理想,你們將真正成為世界和平的維護者。”
(除署名外,本文照片由李忠拍攝)
International College Students Engaged in Community Activities in Hangzhou
By Hai Xiaoyang
Three international students started their four-week-long volunteer work at Tianshui Community in downtown Hangzhou on May 20.
Lukasz Dwulit, a Polish student from East Anglia of Great Britain, Ashley Bennet from Sinaloa State University of Mexico and Ruth Ann Jamieson from Arizona State University are members of Zhejiang University branch of AIESEC, a French acronym of an international organization for college students of economics and business. This is the largest non-political, independent, and not-for-profit student body in the world. The three were in the community in a global internship. They designed more than 10 programs such as global village, animal kingdom, lets tell a story, body party, Easter, and travel around the world in the English Corner that exists in the communities.
They had learned some Chinese before they came. Ashley Bennet had learned Chinese back home for three years. Anns mother is from Hong Kong. Lukasz Dwulit spoke Chinese fluently. As there was no serious language barrier, they were able to communicate well with children and old people. On the first day, Lukasz told stories of his life and education to more than ten curious old women. Ashley and Ruth Ann played computer games with kids.
Well prepared for the English language classes, they played games and warm-up exercises, puzzles and songs. Lukasz played an eight-minute film on the Polish history. Their efforts paid off. Their classes were popular with local residents.
The three interacted with local residents by taking part in community study programs. On the morning of May 20, they studied art with retirees at a community center. The art class offered essential tips in painting lotus flowers. At the end of the class, the three volunteers were able to paint lotus flowers. Ruth Anns drawing received good reception.
Ashley was deeply impressed by a Granny surnamed Bao who runs a community chat room. In her 80s, Granny Bao drives a car, uses a computer at home. She is an excellent conversationalist. She speaks English well enough to communicate with foreigners. The chat room in the community offers local residents an opportunity to talk about their concerns and problems.
On June 6, the three international students participated in a handicraft workshop, which is a regular program specially organized for local residents whose family members live overseas. The local residents were willing to mix with the international students. They exchanged gifts.
At the end of their internship at Tianshui Community, Ruth Ann made the following observation: “The Chinese community looks like a big family; engaged in a variety of colorful programs and events, they lead a meaningful life. Thanks to these programs, they will probably enjoy a longer life.”
Opportunities for Chinese Students
in Overseas Internships
Founded in 1948, AIESEC has members in 1,100 universities and colleges in more than 100 countries and regions across the world. The organization offers 5,500 vacancies for global internships and nearly 350 international conferences a year. These internships and conferences give students opportunities to enrich their knowledge, push back their horizons, and help them become future leaders.
AIESEC came to China in 2002. Over the past decade, international students have visited China through a series of global internships and Chinese students have had opportunities to engage in global internships overseas.
In 2009, Jiang Kaifang, a student with the University of Nottingham Ningbo, engaged himself in a global internship in Indonesia for five weeks. The AIESEC platform gave him an opportunity to join a team and help local villagers to finish designing a program. The team also gave farming tips to villagers.
Over the past few years, many students in colleges and universities across Zhejiang have signed up with AIESEC and have succeeded in their applications for global internships. They have been engaged in overseas programs for AIDS publicity, cultural exchanges, environmental protection and agricultural growth. These internships have provided students in Zhejiang with better and diversified job opportunities. The AIESEC experiences also give students of Zhejiang to promote friendship in foreign countries and regions.