Andrew ’22 (DukeEngage China – Zhuhai)
The guiDE program provides DukeEngage alumni a pathway to continue their commitment to service and civic engagement by providing leadership, mentorship and service opportunities that support wider DukeEngage efforts on campus and beyond.
Andrew
Major: Biology
Contact Andrew: andrew.d.nguyen@duke.edu
Andrew Nguyen is a sophomore interested in biology and music, and after DukeEngage Zhuhai, has been drawn to learning more about Chinese history, culture, and language. During the summer of 2019, he taught English and acting classes at Zhuhai No. 9 Middle School, culminating in a final performance at the end of the summer by the students. This experience gave him a deeper appreciation for the unifying power of the arts and for Chinese culture; he is involved with Ensemble Hippocrates and Duke China Care and continues to keep in contact with those he engaged with last summer.
Resource Guide
Following his summer working in China, Andrew developed the following list of resources for students who are interested in that program — or similar programs.
Any Chinese language course: Communicating with students outside of class, teachers, host families, waiters/waitresses, and anyone else in the community not fluent in English would be easier with better Chinese speaking abilities, leading to deeper conversations and connections without the help of a translator app.
Education 101S: It would be helpful to learn more about education and to gain experience in tutoring.
Baidu News (in Chinese)
I found reading from both sources to be interesting and worthwhile. Headlines often featured national/international happenings, often painting the other country in a (in my opinion) too clear-cut manner. Reading helped me better understand community members’ perceptions of America.
To Live (1994): This film takes you through significant recent historical events such as the Cultural Revolution to show the impact Chinese history had on regular people. Warning: Graphic