Teaching calligraphy abroad is my long-standing dream. It is a good chance for introducing and conveying Chinese culture. I have been looking for a Chinese school since the first day I arrived in the Netherlands. The first time I heard Wenxin Chinese school was in a Chinese supermarket in Apeldoorn. I saw the poster on the wall and then browsed the school website. After reading the school information, I abandoned the idea of teaching Chinese at this school because of my disadvantage that i don’t know how to speak Dutch.
However, by chance, I met Teacher Sumei Ren. Apeldoorn, a quiet little town,which is only very lively on weekends. There are many Asian faces walking on the street, but most of them are Vietnamese friends, so Chinese people often face each other with and then they want to say hello but hesitate for a long time. On a rainy afternoon, I just walked from print shop and I met teacher Ren who was riding the bicycle. More precisely, it was almost passed by. It was like telepathy,I suddenly slowed down and returned. After a brief talking with the teacher, I suddenly look forward to the Sunday which used to be boring.
I was very nervous before I taught the children for the first time. Although Chinese is my mother tongue, I have no teaching experience. So I have expectations as well as panic on that following Sunday. However, on the first day of class, I felt that my nervousness was superfluous. Just like the name of this Chinese school, the atmosphere is very warm. People from everywhere gather in this rented community center to learn the language and find the roots. Now the children are still too young to understand the meaning of roots, but when they grow up, one day they will understand that it is something that is passed down in the blood which can not be given up, can not be erased.
I am glad that the three children I taught are three smart and handsome boys. Their Chinese level is very good, they already have enough ability to listen and speak Chinese, they just need to consolidate their ability of reading and writing. The ability of these children to learn knowledge is very strong, which reduces my pressure invisibly. This is a relaxed and not lacking rigorous class. In the classroom, I can temporarily forget the tension of law study life. In addition, teaching Chinese through vivid examples is also a kind of relaxation for me. At the same time, children gain knowledge from these examples.
Fortunately, I met a teacher when I am about to move to another city, which enriched my spare time and allowed me to do more meaningful things in the Netherlands.
Betty
12-12-2018
In Netherlands ocked0