Chua Guan Cheong, a Malaysian student studying at Fudan University, will make history next September when he travels to Xiji County in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to work as a volunteer teacher.

Chua, a second-year post-graduate student at Fudan University's Department of Chinese Language and Literature, is the first foreign student to be recruited as a teacher.

The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China launched the volunteer teacher program to help people in remote, underdeveloped regions and Chua's group will be the ninth from Fudan University to participate.

"Several days after I came to Fudan, I watched a documentary film about volunteer teachers in Xiji. I was moved by what I saw and was rather sad about seeing children living in such backwardness and poverty," Chua said.

In September, he submitted his application after learning that the university was recruiting volunteers to teach students in Xiji.

"All of my classmates encouraged me. One of my classmates, Xue Haixia, said my efforts would help educate these poor children. I was encouraged by her words and made up my mind to be a volunteer teacher," he added.

The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China approved Chua's application only last week, and he has since passed the required physical examination. He will spend a year in Xiji starting next September.

While he relishes the idea of helping people, he said that it might be difficult for a Malaysian to adapt to Xiji's frigid climate.

"Malaysia is a tropical country, humid and warm. Xiji will be totally different. I was told that in Xiji, the average temperature throughout the year is only 5.3C," he said.

He also shared his concerns of not becoming a capable teacher.

"I know little about primary education in China, but the volunteer program needed people to teach at a middle school in Xiji. I often have doubts," he said, adding that encouragement from the other volunteers had shored up his confidence.

"I often think that those children won't be the only people to benefit from the volunteer project. I will also learn a lot from such a special experience. I'm always confused by questions like 'What's the meaning and significance of my life?' I hope that I can find the answers in this program," Chua said.

(China Daily November 21, 2006)