Volunteering in Western China Really Matters

In recent years, many college students are encouraged to work in western China as one of the volunteers. In order to attract more college students to respond to such program, the government and universities have launched sets of related policies. Each year thousands of college students, after application, physical testing and other tests, are selected. They usually sign a one-year or two-year voluntary contract, which determines where they will go and what they should do. Some hold that it worth nothing for college students to waste their precious years in an underdeveloped region. As far as I am concerned, however, for college students, being a volunteer in western China is really worthwhile.

On the one hand, their volunteering is indispensible to the regional development in western China. Owing to geological and demographic disadvantages, those western regions lag behind compared with other regions in China. With broader horizon and professional knowledge, college students bring vigor to those regions. Ranging from literature to agriculture, nearly all fields are in urgent need of qualified college students to play their roles. More importantly, a large proportion of college students volunteering in western China are working as voluntary teachers in underdeveloped regions. Instead of instant effect, what those voluntary teachers bring about will be enormous prospective benefits.

On the other hand, it is a rare opportunity for college students to train themselves. Life in underdeveloped regions indeed will be difficult, but those who overcome the difficulty will succeed. Less convenient transport, less comfortable environment for life and work, no family and friends, and even misunderstanding from local residents...all those things are challenges for college students. How could they survive in the following one or two years? They must grow up. Trapped by those small challenges, they will gain nothing but pain. They must ignore the cruel living conditions, try to get along well with local people and learn from their life every day. Only by doing so can their life there as volunteers be worthwhile and will they promote themselves.

To sum up, it is worthwhile for college students to do volunteer work in western China. It will not only do benefit to regional development, but also helps college students to get trained and to learn the true meaning of life.

文章围绕大学生志愿服务西部计划是否有意义这一主题展开讨论。本文以“Volunteering in Western China Really Matters”，点明大学生志愿服务西部计划有意义的观点。文章可分为三部分：第一段介绍大学 生志愿服务西部计划的基本情况，并指出大学生志愿服务西部计划很有意义这一观点；第二、三段分别从 地区和个人发展的角度剖析了大学生志愿服务西部计划的重要性以及意义；第四段总结全文，再次强调大 学生志愿服务西部计划对西部地区发展以及大学生的个人成长都非常有意义。