|
Louisa and John Wood left their home in Santa Monica, California, in 2005 to work as development volunteers and English teachers in an impoverished county in rural, western China. After serving with the United States Peace Corps in Gansu Province, the young couple decided to stay on in China. They moved to Beijing to work with Special Olympics, Inc., and Special Olympics East Asia. Louisa and John talk about their time in China and their drive to volunteer.
 |
( Louisa and Louisa Wood stand with a handful of their students at a museum in Huachi County, Gansu Province). |
What sort of work did you do before coming to China?
Louisa: I worked as an elementary school teacher, as an actor and as a musician in Santa Monica, California. Some of my happiest times were when I was working with children and adults with special needs and learning disabilities.
John: I worked as a reporter for a daily paper in Santa Monica, covering everything from drug busts and celebrity trials to business, politics and the environment. It was a fun job and Santa Monica was an ideal place to work, because it was a small city full of interesting people, and it was on the forefront of dozens of issues.
How did Peace Corps change your life?
Louisa: Peace Corps always has been a part of my life. It's a family tradition to serve with the Peace Corps. My parents, my uncle and my brother all were Peace Corps volunteers. I grew up listening to stories of how Peace Corps changed their lives and I wanted to experience that for myself. Luckily enough, I met a man with the same goals. Peace Corps gave us the opportunity to move to China. I never imagined that I would be learning about the Chinese culture and learning to speak Chinese. John and I were posted at one of the most remote sites in China and although it was difficult at times, it was the most incredible time of my life so far. Volunteering with Peace Corps, giving my time for something else, was extremely rewarding and it motivated me to continue volunteering.
John: Peace Corps helped us travel to one of the poorest corners of the world, and it gave us the training and support to begin on what otherwise would have proved an overwhelming task. We have Peace Corps to thank for that. What really changed our lives though, I think, were the people of the Yellow Plateau - our peasant students who grew up in cave houses, our colleagues who had battled famine and drought, and weathered the fallout of countless political storms. It was laughing and sharing stories with the friendly young family that sold us fresh vegetables, the elderly couple that lived with our bicycles; it was these relationships that truly changed our lives.
 |
( John Wood stands in front of an abandoned cave house in Ningxian County, Gansu Province). |
What motivated you to work with Special Olympics?
Louisa: I've known about Special Olympics since I was a little girl. I've always thought it to be a fantastic organization. I grew up with friends with special needs and I always wanted to be a part of something so amazing, so fantastic, something that helps people with disabilities and gives them a chance to show themselves and others what they can do. Volunteering with Special Olympics is one of the most exciting things I've ever done. Watching the athletes compete makes me truly happy, and proud.
John: I have Louisa to thank for getting me involved with Special Olympics. Louisa had worked closely with disabled students in California and when we came to China she wanted to do something with the 60 million or so people with disabilities here, many of whom are kept at home, indoors. We called the provincial branch of the Chinese Disabled Persons' Federation and worked with them, and then later, here in Beijing, we met with George and Trish Smith, good friends of ours and veterans of the Special Olympics movement who, in turn, introduced us to officials from Special Olympics International and Special Olympics East Asia. Since then, we have worked as Special Olympics photographers and editors, and we've worked with Special Olympics athletes at events in both Shanghai and Beijing. I am so thankful that Louisa got me involved, because ever since my first visit to a disabled school in Gansu Province, I continue to be deeply impressed and touched by these incredible human beings.
What has been your favorite part of your time in China so far?
Louisa: I think, specifically, my favorite part of China so far was when my husband and I went to the only special needs school in our county of 3 million people. This school was a school for deaf children and the children were all wonderful. The teachers at this school also were all smiles and enthusiasm. It was great to see. I only hope that in the future more of these schools can open up in China and the rest of the world. I think we can all learn from each other, despite our differences. Another favorite part of my time in China so far has been working with the farmer students in northwestern China. Those kids are absolutely amazing. I've learned so much from them about perseverance and pushing yourself to succeed, despite all of the hardships one endures. They truly are inspiring. I hope someday that they have the opportunity to experience what I experienced - volunteering, and seeing people in their own environments - so they too can be inspired by and learn from helping others.
 |
( Louisa Wood teaches the song "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" to middle school students in Huachi County, Gansu Province). |
John: That's a tough question to answer. What has been my favorite part? I'm not sure. Maybe it was touring the rural countryside and visiting villages that had never seen a foreigner before, or reading the gut-wrenching autobiographies of students who came from incredibly poor, incredibly happy families. Maybe it was learning to sign “hello” and “beautiful” and “thank you” and “goodbye” at a small school for deaf children, or practicing Chinese characters with our teacher, Mr. Xi. Or maybe it was photographing Special Olympics athletes who smiled and helped each other while competing in Shanghai. It's too difficult to pick one favorite part from our collection of incredible experiences. What I am sure of, though, is that we have loved getting to know this country and her people, and we are eager to learn more.
What advice do you have for others who want to follow in your footsteps?
Louisa: I think many people feel tied down to their jobs and their houses and their lives and their money. People always say, “Oh, I would love to do what you're doing, but I can't leave what I've got going here.” Well, I had a lot going in the United States, but that didn't stop my husband or me. If you truly want to do something good, you just have to do it. Don't worry about money. Don't worry about your possessions. Just go. Take what life throws at you. That's the most exciting thing. Being put in a situation where you feel extremely vulnerable is hard, don't get me wrong, but it's thrilling, and it makes you stronger and more open to new things and new worlds. If anyone ever asked me, “Why give up your life to serve others or to help others?” I would say, “I'm not just doing it for them, I'm doing it for me as well.” That's the truth.
John: Listen to Louisa. And don't be afraid to make mistakes.
|
