Huang,Yu-Hsuan's  Volunteer Journals

9/6

 Today we went to Class Love to serve as volunteers. I was excited and also a little afraid. Because I never assist them, I felt excited. This is my first time, so I am afraid that I won’t do well without experience. Class Love of our school enrolls mentally or physically disabled students whose self-care skills are bad and can’t brush teeth themselves. Volunteers assist teachers of Class Love during lunch break time. We have to feed them by holding their hands. After finishing eating, we need to help them to clean up the table and bring them back to the classroom. Then we will brush teeth and wash their faces. Later, we need to take care of them when they are taking a nap.These are what we need to do every day.

9/7

I realized that although they are disabled, they can understand what you are saying. I feel so surprised because I never have this kind of feeling while helping people.

9/10

There is no big difference between they and us, but their reaction is slower than us. Their symptoms are inclusive of autism and Down’s syndrome. They do not have to feel shame. Those who laugh at them should feel shame on themselves. I also have to cherish what I have because I am healthy.

9/12

 I have been late here for several days and didn’t help them a lot. Today I decided to be there earlier. I went to their restaurant to see if they need help. Lin, Yi-Yun asked me to help her feeding Wei.

9/13

We have done volunteer work for a week and started to understand the work is not easy for teachers. Every day we have to feed them, teach them how to brush teeth and wash the face, and take care of them when they take a nap. I thought that those students come to school for fun, but after looking at their class schedule, they have to take the same courses which we need to take, including Mandarin, Math, Art, etc. I understand that I have to check whether every thought I have is correct or not.

9/14

Today one of the students kept moving and didn’t sit tightly, so I got angry. Then one student came over and beat him. I thought that this is my fault to let one student beat another. While I chatting with Lin, Yi-Yun online, she said that she got many stuff to do and was tired. I decided to help her more next time.

9/17

When I attended a reading competition in an elementary school, I saw a blind student. His article is in Braille and he read hard. Although he didn’t get the champion, I think that he is better than the first. Although students sometimes got a bad temper, I still think they are great because they have confidence and seldom give up. I believe that they can dedicate themselves to the society in the future.

9/18

 Lin, Yi-Yun came to help me finally. She didn’t come for several days. Without her help, I was very busy and tired. She is like a babysitter and all students listen to her words.

9/21

We have one more week to serve in Class Love, so we decided to do the work well. Because Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, students made moon cakes for us. After we finished assisting students, we went to take moon cakes. We took a picture with students with moon cakes. The moon cakes are very delicious and full of love and thanks

9/26

Because I attended computer writing contest, I was late to the classroom. When I arrived at the classroom, Lin, Yi-Yun has finished all stuff. Wang, Chia-Yu and Lin, Shuang-Chu took care of the students patiently although they ate so slowly.

9/27

Today a student kept laughing and didn’t want to take a nap. Teacher said that he is too excited, so we can’t play with him.

9/28

Today is the last day. The month passed so soon. I always think that I would have to do better. I always think that I have to try my best to do anything which I decide to do. I don’t want to hand over the volunteer work to new volunteers who have no experience and want to do the work longer. They are very impolite because when Lin, Yi-Yun asked one of them to do something but he denied and asked another volunteer to do. Then Lin, Shuang-Chu got angry and said, ‘Let me do it.’ I wanted to blame them as well but I thought that we did the same way in the beginning of serving them. When those students looked us innocently, I felt so sad.

9/29

 I am worried that new volunteers can’t do the work well because they didn’t listen to what we were sharing with them. In order to let those students of Class Love be taken care well, I demonstrated new volunteers how to do the work with patience. If you get along with them for a while, you will like them. People said, ‘Helping people brings happiness.’ After helping them, you will feel very happy. Students of Class Love need people’s help and don’t be afraid of helping them. Because students of Class Love are my good friends, I will come to visit them in my leisure time. I believe that they won’t forget us.

Let me wipe your face

Please hang the towel well

Let me help you to wear on your shoes

Prepare for sleep, everybody

Huang,Yu-Hsuan's  feedback

　　We can learn a lot from those students of Class Love. When I met them for the first time, I know that they are different from others. During the 30 days, the work which seems easy is difficult. People view them as flowers in a greenhouse. They need a lot of assistance and spend a lot of time in eating, brushing teeth, and washing the face. I think that they are very cute and innocent. If you do not assist them yourself, you will not know the feelings. I share my experience and feeling with you.