Chris and I volunteered at a migrant children’s school over the weekend, doing simple things like teaching them some English, drawing and playing games. Nothing life-changing or anything for these children, but we all had a good time 🙂 The thing that surprised me most was the school’s location. It looked like a bomb site. With Shanghai going through crazy renovations right now (in preparation of the Expo), everything’s being torn apart. In this particular area, almost all the surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble.. so one minute you’re walking in a bustling street market, and the next it’s super dusty and dirty rubble with tractors all over the place. It’s not healthy nor safe for the kids, so it was a bit sad to see that this is where they are most of the day 🙁

The kids are from out of Shanghai. Their parents (called migrant workers) moved from other provinces to find work in Shanghai, but non-Shanghainese children can’t enter the government run schools in Shanghai (this is what I’ve heard, correct me if I’m wrong). I can’t understand why, but that’s just how it is. Fortunately, the federal government steps in by opening these schools that these migrant children can attend.. but the conditions aren’t great. Still, the school that we were at was one of the more fortunate ones – the teacher’s desk even had a computer and the classroom had a projector. However, the kids are crammed into classrooms and I didn’t get the feeling they got quality attention from the teachers, since there are just too many kids in the class.

They’re adorable though. So bright and inquisitive, and SMART!!!!! I don’t interact with many (or rather, any) 10 year old kids.. so I guess I don’t have much of a frame of reference. But I was pretty shocked at how quickly they absorbed knowledge, and how good their English was. Basically, they could speak more words in English, than Chris and I could in Chinese. Impressive, right?!

It was really interesting and fun to be with these kids, and I was just floored at how quickly they learned English words. In fact, they even taught me some Chinese words in return, *LOL*!

Found a wee, meowing kitten in the side streets. I could fit it in the palm of my hand.

*()#%*)#$!!! SO CUTE I COULD FAINT. It also had a (shy) sibling behind it

All snuggled up

OMGGGGGGG *heart melts into a quivery puddle*

Live chickens, ducks and quails! The Chinese get ’em killed/plucked right there,
then take it home to cook. Talk about super fresh…

The migrant school area, looking like we’re in an Afghanistan war zone.
It was SO dirty and dusty, sad to think the kids study/play in this area..

A construction worker takes a break

An old man in a half-torn down house. Where’s he gonna go if/when the pull it down?

Outside the tiny entrance into the school

The classroom with a ton of very boisterous kids!

A very hot English teacher 😉

The boys were so cute, and man their English was good!
They knew more English than we did Chinese..

One of the boys writing/drawing stuff he likes

‘elo!

Pretty girls I was working with

One of the girls’ cute drawing

Me and another volunteer working with them on their drawings

Chris, me, and other volunteers with the kids

Girls playing during break-time

Playing “duck, duck, goose!” outside, with Chris being chased around by a kid 😛

Tag relay game. Can you spot Chris?

A small snack at a dirty ‘ol Chinese shop afterwards. Dumplings and deep-fried pork cutlet!