Sydney's Story - NSLI-Youth Mandarin Program - United States  

For more on the NSLI-Youth group's experience in China, click here.

I will admit that I was nervous. I was nervous that the kids would be unhappy because of the cerebral palsey. I was nervous that the kids would be in pain because of the cerebral palsy. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to handle the fact that all of the kids have cerebral palsey. But, when I walked into the playroom for the first time, it was obvious that I was the only one who had a problem. I have never met happier or sweeter kids than at the Cerecare Wellness Center.

Immediately after introducing myself I would receive a big smile and a “hello, how are you, I＇m fine thank you.” Although my job was to teach English, I also had a lot of fun playing cars and reading Ultraman with the kids. On my first day I expected to try to teach the class greetings, colors, animals, etc. To my surprise, all of the kids knew these topics and so much more—I was at a loss of what to teach them! We ended up teaching them sports, shapes, songs, body parts, moods, and family members! I am still stunned by how quickly all of them picked up English; I can’t imagine teaching an English-speaking seven-year-old Chinese! Their favorite lesson (and the funniest one to witness) was how to say "I want a chocolate cookie." Once taught this phrase it was the one most commonly shouted, especially because we gave them cookies as a prize.

Even after multiple visits, the maturity and light-heartedness of each child still amazed me. In class, all of the boys would remind each other of English words and help explain their meanings in Chinese. Without hesitation, they repeated new English words and asked questions to expand their knowledge (especially about dinosaur). I felt very lucky to have had the privilege of being the teacher of kids who are not only extremely intelligent, but also who are boundlessly curious.

Ultimately, I feel as if I have learned more from these children than I have taught them. The way they deal with their disabilities is inspiring and moving. I can honestly say that cerebral palsy nor anything else is going to hold these kids back in life. I am lucky to have met such positive and motivated kids, and I feel sad to have to leave them so soon. Who knows? The next time I see them they could be teaching Chinese to Americans!

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