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| Step out of your comfort zone | |
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Students from Hong Kong and the United States gathered at Tsinghua University to kick off the "Summer Service and Learning Programme in Rural China" last July. Phoenix was one of the six CUSCS students joining the programme. She and her classmate, Tsang Tsz-ho, joined another student from Hong Kong, two students from the United States and five students from Tsinghua University to teach at No.1 Middle School of AnYuan, Jiangxi（江西省安遠縣第一中學）for two weeks. Phoenix and her two Hong Kong teammates taught nearly 1,000 upper-form students of the school. They were responsible for a topic entitled "Hong Kong Culture" while the US students taught English and students from Tsinghua University served as tutors in tutorial classes. What she gained was definitely more than she had expected. "The condition of the dormitory was not good even though it was already a dormitory for teachers. Insects were everywhere and we slept on a hardwood bed without a mattress for two weeks. Thus, I learnt I should treasure everything I have in Hong Kong and always keep a contented mind." The learning attitude of students also inspired her to step out of her comfort zone. "I was too nervous to talk to my foreign teammates at the beginning of the trip and I even walked away to avoid talking to them. However, when I saw my students studying very hard from 5am to 10pm every day and trying their best to learn during class, I asked myself why I couldn't overcome my weakness. Then I tried talking to my foreign teammates and I did it!" Phoenix shared. She and her foreign teammates are still keeping in touch via online chat rooms. She even regretted that she started the conversation too late. But it's never too late. Phoenix encourages her fellow students to do something meaningful in summer. "You have plenty of opportunities to work after graduation. Plan your last few summer holidays, step out of your comfort zone and you will find a better you!" she said. |
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"I had been a shy person since I was young, especially when I met foreigners. I was just too nervous to talk to them in English. But now I know I can do it!" Phoenix Lam, a student of Higher Diploma Programme in Chinese Journalism, shared what she gained from the "Summer Service and Learning Programme in Rural China" organised by Tsinghua University, Beijing. 
