The first week with Zoli’s group
… and yet after a week I found myself to be the one who have benefited the most from these nice, hardworking and lively Hungarian kids.
The first week at the Foundation has been the most fulfilled time of my resent life. I had a lesson with one group every day. First three days I introduced China to the kids and the last two days I taught the kids in Zoli’s group how to make milk tea and to do yoga.
Preparing the class always took my whole mornings but when I saw the interested faces I knew it was worth. The kids in Zoli’s group are really nice and friendly to me. On Thursday afternoon, we went ice-skating together. Perhaps after an English class they knew me a little, so in the skating rink, those little girls volunteered to teach me skating. They were really nice and patient teachers so I finally I learnt a new skill after 1 and half an hour. I will always remember every tiny hand that I gripped.
This Wednesday was the busiest day of the week. That morning Zoli took me to the town center, showed me the famous architectures and told me how to get to a shopping center or to the market. (P.S.I am so into the typical Hungarian breakfast lángos 🙂
On Friday’s tea afternoon, I was more touched by this youngest group. The kids showed interested in Chinese tea tradition. As soon as I put a cup of tea leaves in front of them, they got very excited and asked lots of questions. They were good at recognizing different kinds of tea by their smell. I even didn’t have to give them a hint. When I taught them how to make milk tea, they tried their best and asked me to taste their homemade milk tea, which was encouraging for me to get closer to them later. At the end of the class, I was so happy about they wrote my name on the whiteboard. I couldn’t help but took many photos of the whiteboard with Julies on it.
On Saturday morning, the kids came really early. When I came down to have breakfast, I didn’t expected two kids waiting for the gate to be opened. I really can see and feel that the community House is their second home they are attached to the place and love coming here.
That morning, Zoli had an English class with the kids. Many girls asked me questions in class and I was happy to be a part of the class. I also had great time with 3 kids at lunch, they asked me to join them. It was a sweet thing for me 🙂
On Saturday afternoon, I taught them how to do basic yoga. And again, I was encouraged by their expectation and excitement to this yoga class. They tried really hard to do every exercise and I praised them one by one when I corrected their posture, which I thought was the best way to make them feel happy.
Some shy kids, like Lily, had to ask Zoli how to say this or that in English before talking to me, which is a progress for them, and some are just brave enough to say whatever they want to express, others might remain quiet. I am happy to see how well I am getting with these kids, mostly thank to their open-mindedness – I also feel guilty that I still haven’t done my job as well as I wish, because I cannot push those quiet kids to talk a lot – and as a volunteer of the Foundation I supposed to do so.
However as the kids are getting over their shyness and I am getting over mine too – I know from the mentors – you enjoy the time with each other and you can let the kids open their heart.
I know my task is to communicate with them and with my help they understand this multi-culture world better, this will make them more outgoing … and yet after a week I found myself to be the one who have benefited the most from these nice, hardworking and lively Hungarian kids.
Julie Chen, AIESEC volunteer from China