Children living in some of China's more remote areas often suffer from scarce resources -- including access to an education that rivals the big cities. Specialist teachers are often unwilling to stay in such places for long, and learning a foreign language is often simply not an option. But one small village in Jilin Province has bucked the trend - thanks to a volunteer teaching English, who’s been working with local kids for years.
和大城市相比，生活在中国一些偏远地区的孩子经常遭遇到资源短缺——包括受教育的机会。专职教师常常不愿意在那些地方久待，学一门外语常常是不可能的。但是吉林省一个小乡村抑制了这种趋势——多亏一位教英语的志愿者多年来从事教当地孩子的工作。

This house in Dawan Village, Jilin Province is about to be invaded. Every weekend, children from the village assemble here -- not to play -- but to learn English. It’s unusual for a village this size and this remote to even have an English teacher -- let alone one who works for free. But Zhang Shuang, a college student who was born here, is one of a kind. She began teaching local children during a summer break a few years ago. Her class became popular -- so popular that a handful of students turned into a crowd -- and one summer break turned into weekly classes.
位于吉林省大湾村的这间房子快要被挤满了。每个周末，村里的孩子们都聚集在这里——不是来玩的——而是来学英语。一个这样大小、这样偏远的乡村有一名英语老师是很罕见的——更别说是免费教的。但是，出生在这里的大学生张爽是独一无二的。几年前的暑假她就开始教当地的孩子了。她的课变得受欢迎——如此受欢迎以至于从少数的学生变成为一大群学生——从暑假上课变成每周上课。

English student from Dawan village said: "Learning English is hard, so I came here to learn." Over the years, Zhang Shuang has become a close friend to many of the children. Her generous contribution is highly valued by the villagers. Local villager said: "She covers her own expenses. She brings snacks for the kids everytime she comes. They’re so happy to see her, they always ask when she’ll be back." But coming back each time is not so easy. Zhang Shuang lives in Changchun. It takes 4 hours, and three different buses to get to the village. And she has to work within a very tight budget -- 6 Yuan per day is all she spends on food. Zhang Shuang said: "Sometimes when the weather is very bad, I have second thoughts about coming. But when I imagine the look on the children’s faces, I know I must go."
大湾村的英语学生表示：“英语很难学，所以我来这里学。”多年来，张爽已经成为很多孩子的亲密朋友。她的慷慨奉献收到村民的高度评价。当地村民称：“她自己承担费用。她每次过来的时候都给孩子们带来点心。他们看到她都很高兴，总是问她什么时候回来。”但是每次回来都不容易。张爽住在长春。到村子要花4个钟头，搭三路不同的公车。而且她工作的预算很紧——6元，是她每天的食物花费。张爽表示：“有时天气非常糟糕，我会再三考虑会不会来。但是当我想到孩子们脸上的表情时，我知道我必须去。”

Zhang Shuang’s story has touched many people. Her friends in college founded a volunteering club to encourage more people to get involved. Over 600 students have already registered -- all ready to follow Zhang Shuang’s example of taking English teaching into some of the Province’s remotest villages. Zhang Shuang never planned to become a professional teacher -- but to the children of Dawan Village, she’s already an inspiration -- as someone who has changed their lives forever.
张爽的故事感动了很多人。她的大学朋友成立了一个志愿者俱乐部来鼓励更多人参与。已经有600多名学生报名了——他们都准备以张爽为榜样，将英语教学带到吉林省一些最偏远的乡村。张爽从没打算成为一名专业教师——但是她对大湾村的孩子们来说已经是一种鼓舞——成为永远改变他们生命的人。