On August 26th and 29th, 2022, a group of seven Scottish international Chinese volunteer teachers embarked on the journey in two batches, which also started the history of SWJTU’s targeted group volunteer assignments in the UK.

It’s been more than a month since we arrived in the UK. In this short period of time, we have quickly adapted to the pace of work and life in the country, thanks to the experience we gained from our distant learning internship program in Scotland during the past year, so what we saw in Scotland was both new and familiar, especially when we met the Scottish teachers who often trained us online, we felt very close. Looking back at this September, many big events have happened in the UK, and we have become the witnesses of history. Although the journey has just begun, there are already many unforgettable memories.

Group Photo of the Six Volunteer Teachers before Departure

Wonderful Journey

It was an exceptionally sunny morning at 8:30am on August 27th. After a long journey of more than 30 hours, we finally landed in Glasgow. It was as if we had arrived in a strange country overnight, and it was a wonderful feeling to have “stolen” time. When the director received us, he said, “The beautiful weather in Glasgow is also welcoming you today!”

Director Zhao of Confucius Institute for Primary and Secondary Schools in Scotland Greeted Us at the Airport

Pre-job Training and Familiarization with the Environment

We had a three-day training at the headquarters of Confucius Institute in Glasgow. The training was very informative, including the Scottish education system, child protection policies, as well as curriculum and classroom management. It gave us direction for our future work. During our training, we toured around Glasgow. As Scotland’s largest city, the capital of architecture and design, Glasgow brought us many surprises. It is a city where the classical and the modern blend perfectly, where noise and silence coexist. We visited Glasgow’s famous cathedral, and even a staunch atheist would still be in awe and longing in front of such a beautiful, solemn and solemn building as a Western church.

Training in Confucius Institute

Advisor to the President of China Affairs of University of Strathclyde and the Initiator of the Distant Learning Teacher Exchange Program, Ms. Lin Fan, Had a Friendly Discussion with Us.