July 2nd: Volunteer and Service Learning

Today after class, we visited a community volunteer center and learned about a new trash policy being implemented in China. In light of growing environmental concerns, Shanghai has begun to require its citizens to sort their waste into four different categories in order to reduce hazards and create a cleaner environment. So when we arrived at the center, we separated into our three language groups and each did activities that helped us engage with different aspects of this new plan. A few of our host families and kids joined us!

Students in level 1 (& host kids) helped decorate posters to encourage and educate the public about the new policy. Level 2 improved their waste recognition efficiency by playing a trash-sorting game on tablets and trying to get the fastest time. Students in level 3 were able to see real-life examples of this new plan in action by visiting people's homes and discussing with the locals about how the policy has affected their perspective on waste and environmental responsibility, which led to a class-wide discussion about the differences between waste management policies in China and those we've seen back home in America. It was really interesting to think about how each country's methods reflected their respective cultures.

This activity was very different from the others we've done. With all we've learned about China's history and all the traditional activities we've gotten to experience on this program, today also reminded us that we're living in one of its most quickly-progressing cities during a unique point in its development, which helped to bring our understanding of the city full-circle.