Chinese civilization is one of the worlds oldest continuous civilizations. It has the world's longest continuously used written language system, and the source of such major inventions as what the British scholar and biochemist Joseph Needham called the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China: paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing.
Most languages in China belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family, spoken by 29 ethnicities. There are also several major dialects within the Chinese language itself. The most spoken dialects are Mandarin which is spoken by over 70% of the population, Shanghainese, Cantonese, Min, Xiang, Gan, and Hakka.
Taoism is an indigenous religion of China and is traditionally traced to the composition of The Book of Tao and Its Virtues. The philosophy of Taoism is centered on "the way"; an understanding of which can be likened to recognizing the true nature of the universe. Taoism in its organized form is also considered a folk religion of China.
Buddhism was introduced from South and Central Asia during the Han dynasty and became very popular among Chinese of all walks of life, embraced particularly by commoners, and sponsored by emperors in certain dynasties. Buddhism is the largest organized faith in China and the country has the most Buddhist adherents in the world, followed by Japan. Many Chinese, however, identify themselves as both Taoist and Buddhist at the same time.
Ancestor worship is a major religious theme shared among all Chinese religions. Traditional Chinese culture, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism all value filial piety as a top virtue, and the act is a continued display of piety and respect towards departed ancestors. The Chinese generally offer prayers and food for the ancestors, light incense and candles, and burn offerings of Joss paper. These activities are typically conducted at the site of ancestral graves or tombs, at an ancestral temple, or at a household shrine.
To volunteer in China on a short term volunteer vacation, longer term or on a gap year break is a great experience! It will give you a chance to make an important contribution to the people of China, and to gain an in depth experience of the country and its culture that will stay with you the rest of your life.
Most volunteer programs are based in Beijing or Shanghai. These two great cities are a very attractive place to stay whilst doing your project work. Both Beijing and Shanghai are not cheap destinations like other places in Asia so keep this in mind as it will be difficult to get very cheap placements in these cities.
Besides the two great cities there are several smaller cities and rural China where you can join a volunteer project. Wether it is in a city or in rural areas volunteering in China is great! Mostly you will be teaching English or taking care of children in various projects such as schools, orphanages and projects for disabled children.
The language barrier can be a problem especially when you start at a project so try to learn a bit of Mandarin Chinese before you go which will make your stay much more enriching.
Volunteering abroad is rapidly becoming a career option for many youngsters across the globe. Volunteering has always been associated with social causes like rescue work during earthquakes, Tsunami, war, saving the planet, creating eco habitats, educating slum children etc.
What a volunteer can really derive out of an overseas work is experience, understanding the different communities and geographical or demographical requirements. A sense of pride, inspiration and this kind of work is good for character building.
Type of volunteerism: As a volunteer, you can teach English to monks in monasteries in Nepal, care for rare species of birds and other wild life in a nature reserve in Costa Rica or in Kenya. You can do a lot of good through volunteering abroad and reap the benefits too.
You can add this experience in your resume and also get the opportunity to do serious traveling and even pursue an educational career. Most people choose overseas volunteer work because they get to travel to some of the most exotic places as well as off the beaten track destinations.
Whether you are interested in teaching English overseas or want to travel to various destinations across the world, you can find volunteering placements, which will satisfy your requirement. Here are three tips that will help you to find opportunities of volunteering abroad:
Volunteering Abroad with the right agency: Most of the volunteer jobs abroad are overseen and handled by different agencies. There are many online agencies who will proclaim to find you an overseas volunteering work but you need to know that not all of them are authentic.
So you need to be extremely cautious while choosing the placement agency. Always try to get references and conduct a little background check just to be sure. An authentic agency has the capability of finding a placement for you based on your requirement and preferences.
Some agencies also provide extensive training where required and overseas assistance. The agencies will charge you for the placement and don't be surprised because this payment will ensure that you get all the support required overseas.
Volunteer Abroad organizations: Most of the organizations who assist with volunteering abroad have their own website. You may visit any such website and find their requirements, any specialization areas, and the destinations where they need volunteers.
You can directly contact them and find out the details. Some social organizations will pay you a small amount for your work while most of them might not be able to pay you anything at all. Every organization associated with volunteer work will take care of your accommodation, local travel and basic necessities. You will have the advantage of choosing where you want to work and for how long.
One of the famous organizations is the Peace Corps, and they always have a requirement for worldwide volunteers. You need to apply at least nine months in advance but most of the time government agencies lack flexibility.
Another good organization is the International Student Travel Volunteers, Inc. The organization focuses mainly on creating volunteer work opportunities that involves education and conservation.
They also provide financial assistance to volunteers and give them an opportunity to create an enriching experience through overseas cultural and educational programs.
Choosing your Volunteering Destination: Some people are a little nervous about traveling too far off to regions in distant corners of the world. This doesn't mean that you will never get to do volunteer work.
You can always find out a voluntary organization that can place you in nearby countries like Costa Rica or Peru. In these Latin American countries you will still be somewhat geographically close and near big cities with access to the amenities and comfort you would other wise have at home.
you will be well versed with the immediate environment you are working in and at the same time get the necessary exposure and a rewarding experience.
Both David Stevens & Moe Tamani are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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