Elderly volunteer full of passion

Source: China Daily | 08-22-2008 10:22

BEIJING, Aug. 22 -- Grey-haired Chang Zhifu stands out from the young volunteers working as guides in Xidan Culture Square, one of the capital city's booming business districts.

An elderly volunteer gives directions yesterday to a woman  tourist at Xidan Cultural Square. (Photo: China dDily)

"Welcome to Beijing. I am an Olympic volunteer," Chang said on Tuesday to Carhen Winston, a tourist from Washington DC.

"It's amazing to hear a 66-year-old Chinese lady who can speak good English," Winston said.

In order to become a volunteer in Beijing for the Olympics, Chang began to study English and sign language from scratch a year ago.

"There is an old Chinese saying that says however old you are, a person should continue to learn, and what I have to do is to put in more effort," Chang said.

Every day she carries two booklets, one for English and the other for sign language. The time she spends on the bus is "always good for revising".