"Devote myself to the career that I love heartily." said Du Zhongting, a Teacher of Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (TCSOL), who went to Djibouti to teach Chinese in 2019. His expression is a true reflection of the group consisting of TCSOL and Volunteer Chinese Language Teachers going overseas to engage in the cause of international Chinese language education.

According to the statistics, in 2021, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), sent 2,306 teachers to teach Chinese in 160 countries, of which 784 were new teachers. Since the launch of the "Volunteer Chinese Language Teachers" Program in 2004, by the end of 2021, a total of over 60,000 volunteers have arrived in 151 countries and regions to teach Chinese in more than 4,000 schools worldwide. They have made unique contributions to spreading Chinese language and culture and advancing cultural exchange and mutual learning among civilizations, interpreting their love for the cause of international Chinese language education through practical actions.

On the May Day, International Labor Day, numerous TCSOL and volunteer Chinese language teachers were still busy teaching Chinese and building bridges of communication with sincerity.

Devote myself to the career that I love heartily.

In January 2020, the international Chinese language teacher Zhao Yu came to Cambodian for the third time. "When I first went to Cambodia to teach, I was a volunteer, and now I am a TCSOL." Turning a volunteer Chinese language teacher to a TCSOL is his commitment to the cause of international Chinese language education.

For Zhao Yu, international Chinese language teaching is not only a profession, but also a career that he loves. "It gives me a sense of responsibility, mission and honor that no other job does. I will continue on this path of international Chinese language education and contribute more."

In Cambodia, Zhao Yu felt the enthusiasm of the local people to learn Chinese, which became the motivation for him to choose to teach in Cambodia several times. As a Chinese language teacher, it gives Zhao Yu a sense of accomplishment to help students realize their dreams through his work.

Zhao Yu giving lessons as a teacher of Chinese to speakers of other languages (TCSOL).

In 2020, the epidemic swept the world and Chinese language teaching in Cambodia was forced to move from offline to online. To ensure normal teaching and to convey to students the confidence to persevere in their studies despite the epidemic, Zhao Yu stayed at his post, quickly changed his teaching concept and started to collect and create online teaching resources.

Zhao Yu was not the only one who found it become more difficult to carry out Chinese language teaching than before due to the epidemic, but the teachers spared their efforts to actively explore, seek suitable teaching methods, and do their best to ensure the quality of teaching.

As the only international Chinese language teacher or TCSOL in Djibouti, Africa, Du Zhongting also faces many challenges. "When the epidemic was raging in Africa, I couldn't withdraw from advancing because if I left, the students wouldn't have a class to attend." Du Zhongting has fulfilled his commitment to his students with practical actions.

Duan Weimin, a volunteer Chinese language teacher teaching in Thailand, was also one of those who chose to stay overseas and keep teaching Chinese during the epidemic. During the epidemic, he was often told by family and friends to "come back". But he insisted on staying, "because I had fallen in love with the cause and with the place where I was teaching Chinese." said he. 

Sowing and spreading the seeds of Chinese language around the world.

According to incomplete statistics, more than 25 million people outside of China are learning Chinese, and the influence of Chinese continues to grow. This cannot be done without the selfless dedication of TCSOL and volunteer Chinese language teachers who sow and spread the seeds of Chinese around the world.

Located at the southernmost tip of the Windward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Grenada is the second country where volunteer Chinese language teacher Li Shuting has taught. "When you walk into this country, you get the feeling of walking into a painting. But it's not very well known, and many people may not know much about it." As a result, Li Shuting feels even more responsible for teaching Chinese in the region.

During her year in Grenada, Li Shuting was "busy teaching Chinese and organizing cultural events". "At that time, I tutored a student to participate in the 'Chinese Bridge' competition, and he achieved excellent results and won the opportunity to visit China for a week. And when he came back, he told me that he would study Chinese more seriously and plan to study and develop in China." At that moment, Li Shuting felt that she "understood more deeply the identity of being a volunteer Chinese language teacher and hoped that through her efforts, she could make language a power and open a window to a wider world for her students".

Zhao Zijie has always had a dream, and that is to teach overseas as a volunteer Chinese language teacher. His dream came true when he set out for Spain and started teaching Chinese.

Before teaching his first Chinese class to his students, Zhao Zijie was apprehensive. The change of his mind came from a chance encounter. One day, while he was waiting for a small train, a Spanish boy took the initiative to greet him in Chinese and told him that he had studied Chinese for 5 years and really liked China. It's the simple daily communication that made Zhao Zijie touch the charm of Chinese and pick up the confidence for the upcoming first class.

To liven up the class atmosphere, Zhao Zijie turned into a vibrant teacher from being shy in front of the public; he added cultural content to his teaching to give students a deeper understanding of China and Chinese culture. Gradually, students went from pretending not to see him to taking the initiative to say hello even through the window. "This is both a recognition of my teaching achievements and the best gift I have ever received as a teacher." Zhao Zijie said.

Building a bridge of understanding with sincerity

From the international Chinese language education professionals' point of view, Chinese is a bridge. This bridge can promote the mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese people and people in other countries, and some misunderstandings of the people of other countries about China can be removed.

Volunteer Chinese language teacher Feng Baijing has been teaching in Thailand for two years, and her deepest feeling is that maintaining cultural diversity is an important driving force for the progress of human civilization, and that different cultures should respect and learn from each other.

Volunteer Chinese language teacher Feng Baijing together with her students.

"I was surrounded by local teachers from Thailand, and in the process of communicating with them, I gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of seeking common ground while reserving differences and respecting each other." Feng Baijing said.

Prior to teaching in Grenada, Li Shuting spent a year teaching in Mongolia. She remembers that students majoring in Chinese language always loved to ask a lot of questions about China, and therefore introducing students to some knowledge about contemporary China sometimes becomes a part of one class.

"This year, from the first class to the last class, from 'I am your Chinese teacher' to 'we are friends', I have felt the charm of Chinese language teaching and the sense of mission, responsibility and happiness of engaging in international Chinese language education." Li Shuting said.

Cao Faqiang, a volunteer Chinese language teacher, went to Hungary with the dream of "contributing to the spread of Chinese culture". "Our revolutionary ancestors once traveled far and wide in search of the truth to save our country and strengthen it. As a young person engaged in international Chinese language education, I want to take up the responsibility given to us by the times and contribute to making more people in the world know that China is a peaceful developing country." Cao Faqiang's wish is the consensus of overseas TCSOL and volunteer Chinese language teachers, and it is what they have been working for. They are sweating with practical actions, dedicating their youth, standing by the lecture podium, vividly interpreting the pursuit of the era with excellent graduates everywhere. (cited from Center for Language Education and Cooperation, source from People's Daily Overseas Edition)