Volunteering in Su Zhou, Jiangsu Province

Beautiful Su Zhuo sits on the southern bank of the Yangtze River. It was founded over 2500 years ago on a series of lakes, streams and marshes. Today, water still covers over 40% of the city and Su Zhou is criss-crossed by a series of canals. Abutted by ancient, traditional Ming and Qing dynasty homes and crossed by beautiful stone bridges, these canals and the city's pagodas and classically-designed Chinese gardens have made it a great tourist attraction and even earned it the nickname the Oriental Venice

However, Su Zhuo is also developing rapidly. With over 5 million people this development results in huge contrasts. Standing on one of Su Zhou's many footbridges, one can witness scenes of traditional Chinese life, with gondolas coasting between the white-walled and grey-roofed traditional Su Zhou-style houses. Walk a few hundred meters from here, though, and you will find yourself in one of Chinese richest and most modern cities.

Volunteer Projects in Su Zhou

Xu Bo volunteers will teach English at the Jiangsu Provincial Experimental Primary School. Founded in 1995, this school has grown dramatically over the years and now has 33 teaching classes with nearly 1,400 pupils. Over time, the school has slowly transformed itself into a distinct sci-tech educational center. Each class has about 40 students and each lesson lasts for 40 minutes.

Summer Camp 2009
This year, volunteers can work at a summer camp in a primary school in Su Zhou. This school is located in a fairytale-like setting and provides students with outstanding educational opportunities in an historical atmosphere that enhances their creative, intellectual, personal and social potentials. The presence of our volunteers will help to engage students in learning more about English and about other cultures.

General Su Zhuo Information

Accommodation
Volunteers will share a flat in Su Zhou City. The flat is a 5 minute walk away from the school where volunteers will be teaching and each volunteer will have a bedroom with air conditioning. The volunteer flat also has a washing machine, hot shower and a TV.

Food
From Monday to Friday volunteers will receive 3 meals a day at their school. On weekends the volunteers are responsible for purchasing their own food. There is a huge variety of food available in Su Zhou, ranging from inexpensive street food to expensive Chinese, Western, or other kinds of restaurants.

Activities
There are historical sites all over Su Zhuo including the 2,500 year old Pan Gate, Xuanmiao, Cold Mountain and Huqiu Temples - all of which date back over 1500 years - the leaning Yunyan Pagoda and numerous other bridges, temples and pagodas dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are over 200 of the cities famous gardens including Lingering Garden, Humble Administrator's Garden and Lion Grove Garden which are all World Heritage Sites.

Other activities include walking the city's bustling back streets, the Tiger Hill and Panmen scenic areas and sitting in one of the city's hundreds of tea shops. Shanghai is only an hour and forty minutes away and makes an easy weekend trip.

Weather
Located in a temperate zone, the Su Zhou area enjoys a favorable geographical and ecological environment. The climate is generally mild and warm, marked by the distinct changes of the four seasons. One common and interesting phenomenon is that it may be raining while the sun is shining. Rains of this type are generally called "plum rains" in China.

How to get to Su Zhou
Su Zhou volunteers will initially arrive and receive their induction/orientation period at our facilities in Shanghai, before traveling on to Su Zhou. The journey takes around an hour and forty minutes. Xu Bo staff will help volunteers understand transportation options and book tickets.

To Apply or Learn More

To apply to volunteer in Su Zhou please see our Overseas Partners page where you will find links to several different international organizations who will happy to help you submit your application and/or learn more about the program. You can also submit questions directly to Xu Bo by using the form below. After you enter your name, email address (take care to enter address correctly), age and your question in the provided fields, press the Send button. You will receive a confirmation email shortly and we will respond to your question as soon as possible.

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